Mefipazzio: Lord of the Underworld

By Rumpledemon (Rumpleteazer)

1999

Author’s NOTE: Hullo! Before you read this, please note that (a) I do not intend to infringe on any copywrites (But I think at least 50% of the charactors are mine! Cool!) and (b) This is a little gothic or something…it’s kinda frieky-weird...I have no clue what possesed me to write it!

Part I: Lord of Darkness

Mefipazzio sat on his throne of skulls…Mefipazzio…Lord of the Underworld…Lord of the Land of Cats who were not accepted in the Heaviside Layer…Mefipazzio remembered how he came to be here…he remembered all too well…

Mefipazzio shook his head to clear away those memories…that was a long time ago… A soul approached him…

"Lord," It said, in a hollow voice, "I bring a soul who attempted escape." He wrenched a soul from an iron box he held, "This…" he said.

"Well, what have you to say for yourself?" Mefipazzio asked, with an oily and seductive voice, which made souls feel he wasn’t going to punish them.

"I…ah...wanted my life back…?"

"Too bad…I had hoped for a better answer…" he said…almost patronizing, and then continued in a harsher tone, "Take it away! Lock it up in The Pit!"

"No! Nooooooo! Not the-" but it was cut off by being shut back in the iron box.

"Be gone!"

"Yes Master." The guard soul said, and in great haste, left the room.

Mefipazzio had gained a very cynical and morbid mind since he was brought here…He was very cruel…and it was all because he had never known love.

End Part I

Part II: Can love penetrate darkness?

Mefipazzio picked up his sceptre…it looked exactly like the jester’s sceptre…strange he had never noticed…a cat’s head with a jester’s collar, and a jester’s hat, mounted on a stick…he laid it back down again, and picked up a ball of glass, which was his only window to the outside world. His Master had given it to him before he left…he said it was to locate the next soul…Mefipazzio never used it for that…he prefered to see what the world was like…and to try to understand love, and kindness…

Mefipazzio waved his hand towards the door and it closed. He closed his eyes for a moment, then looked deep into his sphere…. Its centre swirled…It turned blue… darker… darker… then to red… deeper…darker…then to black…Mefipazzio looked deeper…he saw the Jellicle Ball…the Cats were dancing in a mad circle…faster…faster…

Suddenly, a Cat that looked exactly like Mefipazzio stepped out and scattered all the Cats, and went for the leader…then they both disappeared. Mefipazzio looked on, but a streak of lightening shot out from his magic sphere and struck Mefipazzio with such force, that he gasped, and his fur stuck out in all directions, and then he dissapeared into the bolt of light…

Mefipazzio felt he was being swept up into the air, and then started falling…he tried to grab something, but there was nothing to hold on to…he suddenly struck something with such force that he was knocked unconcious…

Mefipazzio awakened with his whole body hurting…where was he? He picked his head up, but was shocked suddenly but a very bright light…it was round, and blinding, and yellow… He put his head down again, but passed out back into unconciousness…

Mefipazzio was awakened once more by some strange Cats. They crowded around him, all speaking at once.

"Who do ya think he is?" whispered one.

"I dunno, wonder if IT’s alive (we don’t know if it’s a he or a she yet)" another whispered back.

"O’ course it’s a Tom! Well, I think…maybe it’s a…"

He opened his eyes, and beheld a group of Cats…all standing around him.

"It’s awake!" a little black and white kitten squeaked.

Mefipazzio looked at them all, and tried to stand up. He succeeded, and assumed a defenesive pose- or as defensive as he could, that is.

"Wait! We’re not going to harm you!" a grey white and black one said. "My name is Munkustrap…who are you?"

"Mefi…Mef…Mefipazzio…Lord of the…the…where am I?"

"You are in London…where are you from? Lord of where?"

"Lord of the Underworld…" he managed to gasp.

The Cats all gasped, and stepped back a pace. All except Munkustrap.

"Mefipazzio…you are the…Lord of the dead, hmm?"

"Yes…" he was finding it hard to breath, so his voice was raspy.

"Why are you here?"

"I…don’t know why I am here…I was looking in my sphere…and all the sudden…I saw your leader…gone…the bright light…" Mefipazzio cried out and collapsed.

Munkustrap ran and picked him up. "Mefi…Mefipozio…Are you alright?"

"I’m fine…leave me alone…" Mefipazzio managed to croak…right before he collapsed into unconciousness…

Once again, he was awakened, but he was within an odd hut of some sort. A tiger-striped and leopard-spotted Cat was bustling about, cooking, cleaning, singing, and teaching something to little groups of things on the table. He tried to sit up, but was unable to, from the pain…he, who was Lord of it, had never really known pain…

The strange patterned Cat rushed over to him and quickly and carefully put the pillows behind him up a little, which did not hurt him at all…

She was about to say something, but just then, four little kittens strode into the little abode. They were a little older than kittens, but they were the youngest in the Junkyard as of then. A little white one speckled with orange and black spoke first,

" Jemima hit me!"

"Did not, did not!" replied a little black one with white down her stomach and legs, presumably Jemima.

"You did! I sawed you!" yelled a light brown and black one.

"Did not!" countered the white black and orange one.

"Did too…I mean not!" replied the very annoyed Jemima.

"Ha ha!" giggled the white black and orange one.

The strange-patterned Cat intervened. "Kittens! Stop that! Calm down! We have a visitor here! Would you like him to see how bad you are?"

"No, Ma’am." They said simultaneously.

"Good. Come over here and introduce yourselves…and no arguing!"

The kittens crept over to Mefipazzio, as if he was going to bite them.

Jemima stood up, and said, "Hi! I’m Jemima!" And likewise the other kittens introduced themselves.

The orange and black and white one said, "I’m Etcetera."

The light brown and black one said, "I’m Electra."

And the little white one crept out from the back, but shied away and fled to the back of the group.

Mefipazzio gasped. He had never seen a Cat so beautiful. Her fur was glossy…she was pure white. He had continued gazing at her until she had shied away to the back of the group. He shook his head, and simply replied to them all, "Pleased…to…meet you…" Mefipazzio’s insides shifted a little, but the feeling went away quickly…

The strange patterned Cat simply replied to the kittens, "Good girls, now go. And if I catch you arguing again, you’ll all be in trouble!" Then she turned to Mefipazzio, and said, "I’m Jennyanydots…are you feeling better?"

"Yes…thank you, mum. I would like to get up now…" Mefipazzio managed to sit up…and then to stand. "I…thank you for your…hospitality…I take my leave of you now…" and he staggered out the door.

The sunlight blinded him for a moment, so he lashed out when someone caught him by the arm.

"Who are you! Go away! Leave me alone!" he said, startled and confused by the bright sun.

"Hullo! Stop clawing me a moment! It’s me, Munkustrap!"

Mefipazzio stopped and squinted, and saw he was who he said he was. "I’m sorry, I’m unfamiliar with…"

"It’s alright…but we have more problems than you…Our leader is missing…A great evil Cat came…he looks remarkably like you…anyway…he stole our leader, so we need to find him…can you help us?"

"I saw him…your leader…You must call upon someone greater than youselves…one who has magic…To get him…back…Who is that white kitten…where …does she…live?"

"Oh." Munkustrap put his arms down from holding Mefipazzio and thought a moment about what Mefipazzio had said about a Cat greater than themselves, and then remembered what Mefipazzio had said after that. "Victoria? Oh, down the street a bit." He rattled off some directions. "Would you like a guide?"

"Guide? "

"Yes, to show you around…"

"Oh…sure…whatever…"

"Demeter! Demeter, dear!" he called. Demeter walked over. "Yes, dear! Would you please show Mefipozio around?"

"That’s ‘MefipAzzio’."

"Yes…sure…Would you show him around?"

"Ok…where to?" she said, turning to Mefipazzio.

"I don’t know…I am a stranger here…"

"Oh, that’s right! Silly me!"

They walked past a group of kittens playing. Among them were Jemima, Electra, Etcetera, Victoria, two kittens that looked exactly like each other, and two boy cats; both had grey and white and black on them.

"Who are those that match?" he said to Demeter.

"The bigger one is called ‘Mungojerrie’ and the one that’s a little bit smaller is called ‘Rumpleteazer’."

"And the boys?"

"The one with the corner of his face darkened – around his eye – that’s ‘Tumblebrutus’, and the other one is ‘Pouncival’."

"And the white one is…" he paused, searching his mind for the name he had been told only a few moments ago. "Victoria?"

"Mmhmm. Come with me."

"But why are they playing…shouldn’t they be remorseful for your leader’s absence?"

"We can’t be mournful all the time! We don’t know where he is. At least the kittens are allowed to play until we can find a way to get him back." Demeter tried to force a grin, but it didn’t work, so she just looked down.

Mefipazzio walked with her, though uneager to leave the sight of Victoria.

"I have been told that your leader has been…taken…by a certain Cat of evil nature?"

"Yes. That is Macavity." She spat on the ground.

"Then you hate him?"

Demeter didn’t answer, put in a slightly bad mood by the rememberance of Macavity.

"Then trouble your mind no longer on him. Hate leads to crimes, and killing one of crimes, makes one no better than him."

"Thank you for your counsel…I’m sure talking to an immortal Cat makes it much better…"

"What have I said? What are you talking about?" Mefipazzio said, somewhat heatedly.

"You have said nothing… I don’t trust you very much. And I have no need of you preaching to me!" Demeter was getting angry too.

"Why are you suddenly angered at me! I have done nothing to you! You are not like this!"

"No, I’m not…" Demeter’s voice trailed off as she realized what she had been saying. Her voice softened, and she continued. "I’m sorry! I get mad when Macavity’s name is mentioned. I’m sorry. Please forgive me…"

"It is fine…I am confused…I want to go back…"

"You don’t want to live in the overworld of living Cats?"

"Yes…and no…I know nothing of this place…yet I yearn to learn of love…and happiness…"

"How did you come to be there?" she said, softly.

"I was torn from my mother…I know not who she was…and taken…purrhaps be the evil demon himself…taught against the powers of truth and light, and when he said I was ready, he made me immortal…I shall never die, and never grow old…"

Demeter said nothing, deeply moved by his story.

"Please, feel no remorse for my sake…I am what I am…I regret nothing…save that love will never penetrate my sphere of darkness…"

They walked in silence, except when Demeter pointed out something, or Mefipazzio asked a question. Whe she had shown him everything, she asked, "Where will you be staying tonight?"

"I shall find someplace –" he began, but Demeter cut him off.

"No! I can find you somewhere to stay…You don’t have to walk the streets…you are a guest…for awhile, anyway…"

They walked for a bit, and she walked through an opening of a small abode. Before Mefipazzio stood a Tom with mostly black fur, and leopard spotted fur ruff about his neck.

"Tugger, this is Mefipazzio." Demeter introduced.

"So pleased to meet you." He said in a mocking voice.

"Why do you talk so?"

"So what?"

"Tugger!" Demeter cut in. "Please, he’s a guest, and he shant be here much longer."

"Of course…" he said, in the same oily mocking voice.

"Will you two be fine?" asked Demeter.

"Of course we will be. Now, go finish what you were doing, or whatever."

"Are you sure?"

"What’s there to be worried about?"

"Nothing, I guess…" Demeter left, but kept looking back every once in a while, as if disconcerted…

Mefipazzio looked at Tugger with some discomfort. "Have I said something? Or done something?"

"No…It’s just that you seem…intruding…" Tugger had had a mean look on his face, but it softened as he spoke.

"Intruding…?"

"Well…we’re used to life the way it is…you seem to be…well…just intruding…upsetting normal life…we’re all just confused, that’s all…I guess…"

"I understand…I think…"

"No, you don’t."

"Why not?"

"Because many of the Cats around the Junkyard think you are an accomplice to Macavity…"

"An accomplice…?" Mefipazzio was incredulous. "I think I see…well, do you think I am?"

"Purrhaps…I don’t know…" he trailed off and looked down, an attitude most unlike Tugger.

"May I leave you for a while? " Mefipazzio asked at length.

"Whenever you like. Be my guest." Tugger lept up to the windowsill and sat staring out the window, unmoving. Mefipazzio turned and and with a flourish of his tail, which had a bell on the end of it, he was gone.

END PART II

Part III: The White Cat

Mefipazzio left Tugger’s ‘hut’, and wandered about the Junkyard. He saw the group of kittens playing, and walked over near them, sat down, and watched them. Well, actually, he wasn’t watching all of them. Only one of them. He watched Victoria, and would not stop watching her. He tried, but to no avail. When Victoria called a hurried goodby to her kitten-friends, she left the Junkyard, but Mefipazzio secretly followed.

He followed Victoria until she was at the door where she usually went in, but he stepped on a twig or something that cracked loudly, and Victoria whipped around.

"Who is it?" she called, in a voice shrill with fear, yet fierce as she could muster.

Mefipazzio stepped out with bowed head. "It is I, Mefipazzio. I am sorry if I frightened you…I…"

"Why were you following me?" she eyed him carefully.

"Because…well, I needed fresh air, you see, and I just decided, well-"

Victoria interrupted him. "You’re lyin’. Tell me the truth or I’m gonna tell Munkustrap."

"I am very sorry, miss, but I can’t seem to stop watching you…yes, I know it sounds strange, but you are so very beautiful! I cannot help it…"

"You think I am beautiful?" she smiled lightly at him. "You truly mean me no harm?"

"None whatsoever!"

"Well, purrhaps you might come along with me. We might talk, would you like that?"

"Very much!"

"Come along then…you’re sure you don’t mean to kill me, or cat-nap me?" Victoria backed up against the door, and made ready to make a run for it.

"Even if it were in my power to capture you, I would not."

Victoria giggled a little nervously. "Well, you could…um…Would you like to sit in my favourite tree? I’d love to know where you come from…I only heard the gossip…"

"Well…Sure…" and he smiled a little.

Victoria giggled again, and beckoned him to follow her, which he did. She took him to the back of the yard. She climbed the tree and motioned for him to do so as well, which he did with some difficulty, since there were no trees in his underground realm. When they finally got situated, Victoria spoke.

"I’ve heard pieces of your story…word passes about the Junkyard quickly." Mefipazzio made no reply, but nodded. "So you haven’t come on your own?"

"No. I was drawn here be some…unseen force…" Mefipazzio, who had braved darkness and death, was afraid of speaking to a small white Cat…it was so strange…Mefipazzio had never loved anything…or anyone before…purrhaps this was love?…perhaps this was wrong…perhaps he shouldn’t have come here…

"You are kinda…" Victoria said quietly under her breath, "Handsome…" but said out loud, "They say you can’t die," Victoria said looking down and blushing (can cats blush?) slightly.

"Yes."

"Can you make anyone else…immo…im…immor…?"

" ‘Immortal’. No. That is not in my power. But I do have other powers when I am in my own realm. I find I am powerless here."

"Are you lost without them?"

"I can survive…" Mefipazzio broke off, then continued. "I’m not sure I should be here… this is a mistake…I must go…" he shuddered.

But Victoria stayed his paw as he made to leave. "It’s allright…nothing’s wrong…is there? What’s wrong?"

"Please! I may do something I’ll regret, and I can’t let that happen…"

"Do what?" said Victoria, fear rising in her voice.

"Please...I do not know…I…" Mefipazzio suddenly shrieked with laughter, then almost fell off the tree. His mind was swirling…perhaps this was what prevented him from…

He laughed again, and Victoria practically ran to the top of the tree. He turned quickly and faced her, an odd maddening glint in his eyes…they almost seemed to glow green…They flickered to their normal shade, and he clutched at himself and stopped grinning, and a look of pain came over his features. He crossed his arms (? These paw/hand things are driving me crazy!) over his chest and stomach to try to stop the wracking pain there.

"Victoria…" he said and gasped for breath. "You must listen to me while I have control of myself…" he trailed off…

"What?" she almost shrieked, for she was scared silly.

"You must run down the tree for your…life…and…you must…go inside your…house…and not let me…in…I can’t come in uninvited…you might stay even at the door, for I cannot, ah…" he groaned and shuddered. He gasped for breath. "You must do so at…Once!" he started laughing again, and while he was trying to force himself to stay in the tree, he almost fell, and when Victoria lept down and was almost to the house, he snarled. He could hold himself no longer, and lept down the tree, injuring himself somewhat. He half-limped, half ran to the house.

"Victoria!" he shrieked after her, but luckily she payed no attention to him, ran in the house and locked the door. He stumbled up, and he caught a glimpse of her staring out the closed window. He lept up to the thin sill, and called throught the window softly and almost seductively, "Victoria…let…me…in…"

This was most unlike Mefipazzio, but he couldn’t help it. His master had put a curse on him, and it was thus:

"Love shall you never take,

Yet only in thine own realm,

Will love thee make,

If thou shalt love attempt to try,

Shred her to bits shalt thou,

And remorse feel by and by…"

Lest he find love, for his realm is supposed to be death and sadness. Victoria slammed the shade shut, and fled to the upper floor, and lay trembling under the bed. Mefipazzio fell off the windowsill as the curse ceaced to plague him. But he knew that if he went near her again, the same thing would happen… He forced himself to leave…And he stumbled along the avenue, weeping feline tears…

END PART III

Part IV: The Brothers in Crime…?

Mefipazzio was confused. What had he done? How did he do it? Mefipazzio wept the silent, unseen tears that Cats cry. He remembered being told that he looked like that evil Cat…why did that name sound familiar? He wondered if he might be able to stumble upon… Mefipazzio continued walking and thinking.

He walked out of the Junkyard, and into an alley. Suddenly, through the darkness, he was grabbed by the throat, and with a knife to his stomach and a hand over his mouth he was led through more darkness. Mefipazzio was not afraid, however. He hadn’t the heart (nor the mouth! It was covered!) to tell the villain that he was immortal, and that he would not die if the knife were thrust into his insides. He said nothing, but continued staggering with his assailant.

When they reached their final destination, the villain threw Mefipazzio down on the floor. He looked up and gasped. It was like looking into a mirror! His assailant gasped as well, and Mefipazzio quickly gathered that this was the evil one. This was Macavity!

"Who are you?" Macavity commanded in a loud voice.

"Mefipazzio."

"And that would be?"

"Lord of the Underworld…The dead."

"And why are you here?"

Mefipazzio decided to be ambiguous. "Because I am here."

"Not good enough. Tell me now, or you’ll have a very close encounter with this knife."

Mefipazzio stood up, and said, "I don’t care. You can’t kill me."

"Want to find out?" Macavity said menacingly.

"Go ahead!" Mefipazzio challenged. He opened his arms (paws?) wide.

"No…You’re not…you can’t be…" Macavity paced back and forth examining every aspect of Mefipazzio. Macavity continued his walk around Mefipazzio and stopped when he saw his face again. He reached out a paw and almost touched Mefipazzio, and staggered back as a look of painful memory crept across his face. He staggered back until he hit a wall, and slumped down it.

Mefipazzio stood back and stared. Macavity looked up at him, and said,

"Brother?"

Mefipazzio gasped once more.

"You were taken," Macavity’s eyes seemed to soften. "From mother…and the rest of the litter…"

"Yes…I remember now! I remember you! But why did you come back…and steal their leader? They need him…"

Macavity grabbed Mefipazzio by the neck with a nearly murderous grip, and pulled him close to him. Mefipazzio saw that Macavity’s eyes resumed their normal menacing glint.

"I need him." He whispered into his face. "He will make me immortal like you…I only have to threaten him. Even now, I plan to take revenge on what they have done to me. I will go in his guise, and none shall know me as I am…"

"But you cannot do that!"

"Why?"

"Because it is decietful! They are lost…it would be cruel!"

"And who are you to preach to me of deceit? And cruelty! The Lord of the dead himself…hmmph…"

Mefipazzio was silenced. Macavity motioned to a few of his henchmen who firmly took Mefipazzio by the arms.

"And I’ll have none of your interference!" and added, "Brother…" he motioned with his head to one of the great doors out of the audience chamber. " Take him to one of the lower cells. Make sure he does not get out." and after a second or to added, "But do not harm him or your life will be forfeit!" And Mefipazzio was dragged from the room.

Mefipazzio was taken to his cell, thrust in, and it closed behind him. He sighed, and slumped down on what he assumed to be a big blanket of some sort. When it gave a cry of surprise, he quickly started up. He jumped back to the wall and pressed his back to it. "Who are you?"

"Why, my son, I am called ‘Old Deuteronomy’!"

"You? You are their leader! Why are you here? I mean, can’t you get out?"

"I am sorry, but I have no means of escape."

"And I neither."

"The Jellicles are brave, tom, they will find a way." And his face brightened with a smile. "Rest now, my son!"

Mefipazzio let his head hang down as he slid his back down the wall until he was sitting. "Old…Deuteronomy…purrhaps you can help me with something…do you know of the way of magic and curses?"

"I have had my fair share of them…why do you ask, young Tom? And what is your name?"

"Mefipazzio…and I…well…I think I have a curse on me." He broke off, but continued before letting Old Deauteronomy say anything. "I know it sounds silly, but I was…well, that is, I was…" Mefipazzio stopped, realizing that Old Deauteronomy would probably be angered that he waas in love with one of his Cats-a kitten, no less, and nearly hurt her.

"You are in love with Victoria, aren’t you?"

"Well, if you mean…yes. Sort of…I can’t…it’s this curse…" he said, almost ashamed, and also astonished that he already knew…

"My son, it is alright. I had heard that you had some sort of curse on you. Who wants the Lord of the Dead to love them? Oh, I am sorry! I didn’t mean to say that. Purrhaps another skilled in magic could help you, but mine is no longer what it used to be, young tom. Rest now." Old Deuteronomy petted Mefipazzio’s head once, and then he sauntered down and closed his eyes and slept. Mefipazzio tried, but he couldn’t relax…

Mefipazzio was roughly shaken from an almost dream-like state by one of Macavity’s henchmen. ‘Grizzeltok’, as he was called, grabbed him by the arm and roughly brought him to the main chamber where Macavity sat.

"You slept well?"

"Hardly. I must say the up-keep of you cells is deplorable."

"Most likely none better than yours, brother."

Mefipazzio was taken aback by Macavity’s mention of their relation but said nothing. Instead, he looked very hard at Macavity.

"You wondering how my escapade went, hmm? I was discovered and forced to retreat. I shall return, oh yes! But not now. I am hurt." He revealed that his side was bleeding. He waved away his servants and pulled Mefipazzio close to him.

"I have always felt you abandoned us…left us…you are my eldest brother…Mother gave you charge of me, and always punished me for the loss of you…and yet you are fine…Fine! Oh Pierro! I mean, Mefipazzio, There is so much darkness inside my head! It will consume me, and I will know no more! Don’t you love me? Won’t you help me? Stay with me?" (Hey, think of it nicely!)

"Macavity! You are my brother, and I will always love you!" Mefipazzio rubbed his head against him in a fraternal gesture. Suddenly Macavity started up, and stubled towards the door, without another word to Mefipazzio.

Macavity hissed when he reached the cell where he had been keeping Old Deuteronomy. He scanned the walls and everything. Old Deuteronomy was gone! He ran back into the main hall, and saw that his long-lost brother was gone as well. He slammed all the doors, and crept into the farthest corner and wept silent, unseen feline tears like a kitten. Macavity felt abandoned once more. He had always been left alone…who cared for someone who was evil? No one. Why should they? Macavity settled into the cushions and mellowed in his own thoughts…

Mefipazzio nearly got lost as he blundered towards the Junkyard. He had to leave his brother! He couldn’t have stayed… He found his way and burst in, and found Old Deuteronomy waiting there, as well as a stranger Cat, with all black fur, which stood on end as if it had been electrified. Mefipazzio was completely baffled.

"Come here, my son!" Old Deuteronomy called over to him.

Mefipazzio ran at full speed towards them. The all black one with glittering fur seemed about as old as Macavity, Munkustrap and Tugger…and how old Mefipazzio would be.

"I am called Mistoffelees…that is, Mister Mistoffelees, to you, sir." He put his hands on his hips in a very showmanship style. "Old Deuteronomy has told me of your problem, or I should call it, ‘No problem’!" he lughed, and Mefipazzio took a step back. This was a very odd Cat.

"I am-"

"Mefipazzio. I know already."

"How?" asked Mefipazzio, expecting it to have been some elaborate magic.

"Old Deuteronomy told me, silly!" he grinned.

"Oh…" Mefipazzio was a little embarrassed.

"Come." Mr Misto said, and beckoned him. Mefipazzio followed Misto into a large box with silver lining.

"Real silver?" he asked, looking around.

"Well, its actually tinfoil, but what else could we do? Look what I’m working with, here. You stand there…and stay still."

Mr. Mistoffelees concentrated hard, and performed the magic. At the end, when it was done, they both walked out, but both collapsed into each other, unconcious from the magic.

Both woke up at the same time, too in Coricopat and Tantomile’s small place for the keeping of sick Cats. Coricopat rushed over to Mr. Misto, and Tantomile rushed over to Mefipazzio. He tried to raise himself up on his elbows, but fell back onto the bed. Tantomile put a cold cloth opn his forehead, and he felt relaxation flowing through it. He suddenly felt better, and sat up again. He felt a little dizzy, but it passed. He looked over to Mistoffelees, but he looked a little worse for wear. His fur looked as if it were singed in patches. He weakly looked over to Mefipazzio.

"I suppose you’ll want to thank me?" he said, always the hint of a snob in his voice. He wasn’t rude, just forever the trickster.

"Yes…thank you…"

"I knew you would, you see…!" he snickered and fell back to his pillows. He acted very childish, even though he was brother to Munkustrap and not far behind him in age.

Mefipazzio sat up and lept carefully down to the floor. No hurt. No broken bones. Nothing. Not even pain anymore. He looked up and walked slowly out the door. Jellicles were huddled into groups, talking hushedly. When he walked out they all stopped talking and looked at him. Munkustrap was cradling Victoria. Mefipazzio’s mental pain from nearly hurting Victoria came back, and he collapsed, but no one helped him. He crawled to his feet again, and stumbled to Munkustrap and Victoria. Munkustrap held her away from him, but said nothing.

"I’m so sorry…" Mefipazzio rasped. "Victoria…forgive me…a pitiful creature of the dark…" He fell to his knees, then all the way to the ground.

Victoria pulled away a little from Munkustrap, but he still placed a protective paw on her shoulder. She stared at Mefipazzio in silence, and finally said, at length, "Why? Why should I forgive you?"

"Because…I will be forever tormented…even more than living forever in the dark…what can I offer you? I offer you all that I have! Anything…even my life…as much as that goes…"

Victoria was still afraid, but tried to steady the tremor in her voice. "Forgiveness?" she said stupidly.

Mefipazzio did not answer but writhed under her gaze. All the other Jellicles were transfixed.

"I…forgive…I forgive you…" Victoria said, but ‘you’ died away in a burst of sobs.

Mefipazzio got up, and backed up, opened his arms wide, stood with his legs together, and put his head up, his body forming a ‘T’. Victoria looked up at his mournful face, and tore away from Munkustrap, and ran to Mefipazzio’s embrace. Mefipazzio closed his arms around her.

"I love you…" he whispered quietly in her ear. Victoria looked up, but as she looked, he smiled, and he turned to mist…Victoria turned around, and from behind, Mistoffelees caught her up in his arms. Victoria turned and buried her face in his fur. He held her and looked up to the rest gathered there…

Old Deuteronomy signalled Munkustrap and he announcd that this was the time to choose a Jellicle to got o the Heavisede Layer. Grizabella burst in for a last time to implore them to have mercy and accept her in the tribe once more. Victoria saw through the tatters and helped the other Jellicles accept her, and in the end, it was unanimously decided that she should go with Old Deuteronomy…

"Up, up, up, past the Russel Hotel,

Up up up up, yo the Heaviside Layer!

Up, up, up, past the Jellicle Moon,

Up up up up, to the Heaviside Layer…"

Grizabella gloriously ascended to the Heaviside Layer, and Old Deuteronomy gave his last bit of teaching to the Jellicles. Then he, too, left the Junkyard, leaving the Jellicles to stare in wonder.

Victoria left as well, and went home. She went into her master’s bedroom and simply sat in front of a mirror…She stared into its depths, and saw…MEFIPAZZIO!

"Mefipazzio!" she called desperately to the mirror. Inside the mirror, he looked up. But he did not seem to see anything, and settled back into his throne. Victoria cried out in anguish, but realized that this was his eternity, and sadly settled back on the bed, and put her head in her paws. Someone came in behind her and put a comforting paw on her shoulder. It was Mistoffelees. She snuggled to him and slept out of her weariness. This was her forever…

Mefipazzio thought he heard someone call his name. He looked around, but saw no one, and didn’t hear it again. Then he heard a cry, but it stopped. Probably just another soul. Mefipazzio sat back into his throne and mulled over his own thoughts…

I loved her! I loved her so much! And now I have lost her… But she is an overworld creature. She is the lover of light, not dark. She is the lover of happiness and joy, not sadness and suffering. She must stay in her world …and I in mine…my eternityof darkness…

He settled back into the cushions of his throne, and into a sleep of dreams…This was his forever…or was it???