Chrychaesa was in deep thought as she usually was, though different thoughts coursed through her.
Normally she would be paying attention to what ever was being said or that or only lightly thinking or pushing her issues aside and focusing on whatever was needed. But now she had to think, though her thoughts weren't helpful.
She didn't know what to do. She and Munkustrap had both violated their trust in each other. They couldn't be as deep as they were, because well, they were probably disappointed in each other, but her violation was greater then Munkustrap's.
"Hello, Earth to Christie, this is Bombalurina. Requesting you stop visiting the cats on the Jellicle moon now, over."
"Oh, I'm sorry Bombalurina, I just clicked, what were you saying?"
"I said that maybe we should throw a party for Demeter when she returns."
That's old Bombalurina for you, always knows just when and when not to throw a party.
"All right Bombalurina, but you can take care of it."
"I know, I intend to, I just wanted to see if it was a good idea."
"Yes, I think Demeter might like it."
"Good, I'll get right to work on it." Chryssie smiled a little. Bombalurina tried so hard to make everyone have a good time. It was such a shame that Macavity always had to ruin them, by another vicious attempt to take over the Jellicles.
Chryssie decided to pay a visit to Jennyanydots, because she had saved her life. If Jennyanydots hadn't talked some sense into her it would have costed her life. That was a fact too.
"Hello there Jennyanydots." She looked at her then noticed Munkustrap.
"Hi, Munkustrap, am I disturbing anything, or should I call back another time?"
"Oh, no, come in please." Munkustrap said easily. Chryssie just sat down and Jennyanydots said
"Well now, it's time you two cats started speaking to each other again."
"Weren't we?" Chryssie asked confused. Munkustrap looked the same, confused.
"No you haven't really, it's nothing like you two used to talk."
"Well, we just want to give ourselves time." Chryssie said with a touch of regret in her voice, but she wouldn't let whatever she was feeling show.
"No, this is intended. If only you two would forgive and forget."
"Weren't you ever in... wait never mind." Chryssie stopped herself. This was not a question to be asked when Munkustrap was around.
"You mean in love?" Jennyanydots asked. Chryssie looked as if trying to constrain herself as she looked away.
Munkustrap saw that she still loved him. Maybe there was a chance for them to get the way they used to be.
"But yes dear, a long time ago I was, but we went our separate ways. Anyway, we went our separate ways because we couldn't forgive and forget. That is the same path that you two are on. Look, Munkustrap-dear, I know that you also have Demeter. Chryssie though, if she lost you then she has a long road of loneliness in front of her."
"That's not true, she has Rum Tug Tugger."
"No, I don't. Honestly Munkustrap I don't. He and I are two separate cats, he likes to be wild and he likes to flirt around she-cats. I like someone who will be there for me and will stay with me, and not afraid of settling down. That's all. I don't want any more then that. Now I know that I'll have no chance of settling down with you, you have Demeter and I could never replace her. I don't want to. You two have something to share that no matter what is happening with the other one, you'll always be in love. What we have developed, Munkustrap should have never come around. It shouldn't have happened. In that case, we are like me and Tugger."
"The dear has a point Munkustrap. You are trapped, the both of you. You both know that you should get out of this and go on, but your will, well, it's what holds you two each other. Occasional desires also. But mostly it's your will, and only time can work it out. You know that if you fight your will right now and tell the other not to see you again, you would hurt that person so deeply. Chryssie, he is all you have, and although you may want to do what's right then, you know you wouldn't have anything you hold dear to your sweet young heart. You don't want to let him go because you can't bear that fact that you can't turn away without knowing he'll be all right. Several times you risked your life for him and have come to being pretty close to dead. But still you appear before us not caring about it. It is a miracle, Munkustrap that you have such devotion for a kitten."
Munkustrap looked at Jennyanydots while she was reading what she thought of Chryssie. Chryssie stared at her as if she were Psychic.
Munkustrap noticed Chryssie was pale and asked
"What's wrong?"
"She's right, every bit of it she's right. It's as if she can pry into my soul and find what I am not even aware of." He looked at her alarmed. "Munkustrap, you have Demeter and will always have her, you two have sworn on it. But then Chryssie came along. She has saved your life from the very first time you saved hers. When spending time with her, you have gotten to know just her, and you know how she is inside, all those feelings running around trying to find a sheltered place. Over that time, you have come to love her as soon as you found out that she loved you, from the very first time she kissed you. When you were on the island you helped break the spell by allowing your true feelings at first unsure to show. You love her even know, if you look deeply in his eyes Chryssie you'll see. But not know, when you are alone and breaking over your distrust. You'll see."
Munkustrap stared at Jennyanydots. He couldn't believe he was hearing this, it was what was inside him, and only him, he hadn't told, he hadn't said anything.
"Please Jennyanydots how do you know all this?" He asked.
"Oh, I can see it from your actions to each other and to the rest of the cats. You two both look so far away and when your eyes meet I can see the invisible hands of love longing for the other. Ahh, but I have revealed enough. Come I hear something approaching."
"Please don't say another storm." Chryssie sighed.
"No silly, but you are a dear still, a cat is approaching." Chryssie stood on top of the car trunk. She gazed out and then gave a yell of joy. Doing so she almost fell off the trunk, then she did.
Munkustrap caught her without knowing he was supposed to. He was at the right place at the right time. Still laughing, Chryssie squirmed out of his grasp and started acting like a happy fool, turning cartwheels and laughing and outcried for joy.
All the cats came around and asked her what her strange behavior was about. She only put on a smile and then grabbed Munkustrap by the arm and dragged him out the pipe. There she shouted at him.
"Demeter is coming home! Demeter is coming." She then took off, running quickly. Munkustrap yelled into the pipe
"She saw Demeter, Demeter has returned!" Bombalurina was the first one out.
"Where is Chryssie?"
"She took off, and I don't' know about you but I'm catching up!" and he took off, running at full speed to Chryssie. She glanced behind her and saw Munkustrap gaining.
She started laughing and then started to run at full speed. She looked back and saw he was still gaining. She kept running and soon he was right along side of her. Then he started to pass her.
She tackled him then, and amazingly enough they didn't get hurt. Chryssie then started to run ahead again but Munkustrap grabbed her and yanked her down again and tried to get up. She wasn't going to let him.
She used him standing upright to stand up herself then she started going a different way, Munkustrap started to follow her which was what she wanted. She pretended to run at full speed towards a hill and then stopped. He realized that at the foot was a lake and he had no way to stop.
So he passed by Chryssie but then grabbed her with him and together they fell into the lake. When they both reached the shore, Chryssie said laughing
"That wasn't supposed to happen!"
"Yeah I know but I'd rather you be the laughing stock with me."
"Oh, you rascal!" They both fell into a fit of laughter. Chryssie shook the remaining water off of her. The droplets showered onto Munkustrap who in turned showered her with water too.
"Shall I go over here?" Chryssie asked in a humored tone.
"Nah, come over here, I still have water for you."
"No, I don't think so." She dipped her paw in the lake and then flick it on him.
"No no no, enough playing with the water dear, leave some for the nice leaping goldfish."
"Oh, you.." and then she tackled him. They tussled a little while and then noticed Bombalurina by the shore of the lake. Chryssie tapped Munkustrap and then jerked her head in Bombalurina's direction. Then she got a smile on her face and made a motion of pushing. He nodded getting it. They crept quietly behind her and then pushed her.
She landed with a splash.
"Oh, what do you think I am?! I'm a cat, not a waterhound!" She then swam to shore and dried herself.
"Now look who's deserting a party."
"What happened to all of you? You look wet."
"Demeter!" They all shouted and then bounded up to her and swarmed her with hugs and kisses which was Munkustrap's part.
On the way back, they listened as Demeter told about her camping trip.
"We had a good time, but the storm rolled in and little Nancy and Mandy got sick. They are my master's children by the way."
It was quiet when they reached the Jellicle site.
It was also dark. The small group crept out into the light and Demeter called
"Hello? Is anyone here? Hello?" When she turned back to Bombalurina, Munkustrap and Chryssie, they were gone too. Everything got very still.
Then light flooded the place and many cats screamed "Welcome Home Demeter!!" Munkustrap, Chryssie and Bombalurina came out from the trunk.
"Sorry we had to do that Demeter, we just didn't want to ruin it for you."
"Oh well, my goodness, I should have expected one of Bombalurina's parties."
Chryssie noticed Mr. Mistoffelees come out and she walked up to him and praised him for handling the lights so well. He only smiled off her praise, saying "Any Jellicle is worth it. Come now, lets go and celebrate."
All cats swarmed around Demeter and presented her with small trinkets and things. Then they started dancing. Happiness spread all over.
"Lets see Munkustrap and Chryssie dance!" Mistoffelees cried out.
"Yeah lets!" all the other cat voices cried. Chryssie shook her head.
"Oh come on Chryssie you can dance!" Tugger shouted from the woodpile. She gave him a look as if to say "You aren't helping very much." He gave her a "Well no problem" look. She rolled her eyes and continued to say no.
"Please Chryssie, I want to see you dance with him. I want to see the look of love." Demeter urged.
"Well, I'm afraid you might not see it. Munkustrap and I ran into difficulties while you were gone."
"Oh?"
"Well lets just say that well, we aren't as we were."
"But still, I'd like to see you anyway."
"Oh Demeter! Besides, he may not even want to dance, and I am scared stiff."
"I'll dance if you would just close your eyes and imagine yourself dancing beautifully."
"Munkustrap, you are a rascal." She then closed her eyes and imagined bringing tears to Jennyanydots eyes while she watched them dance.
She imagined Mr. Mistoffelees satisfied face when he saw them.
She imagined Electra who had a slight whim for Munkustrap now, to turn green with envy. Just what she needed, another rival. She imagined Asparagus, practicing to ask her to the next dance. She then opened her eyes, and took a deep breath. Munkustrap then lead her out into the middle of the floor.
"I'm not sure how to do this." she whispered.
"It's all right. You'll know deep inside you. It's there, you just have to have the strength to find it."
"How do I know that I have found it?"
"You have fun and you want to come up more and more."
"Oh, I see."
"Now, are you ready? Mistoffelees looks like he's just dying."
"All right, let's go." The music started with a cord. The dancing started.
This was a fast pace song though the melody was slow. She felt her feet gliding over the floor with her partner and she felt as if she could fly.
She felt Munkustrap lift her up. She just stayed as she was. Then he put her down and they started complicated footwork. Chryssie continued to dance her part and always he was there, never late or early.
She saw Jennyanydots crying, and Mr. Mistoffelees with an expression of disbelief. The song ended and they were surrounded by cats.
"What are you talking about, not a good dancer, what are you saying? You were excellent out there."
"No really I wasn't. Honestly.. I wasn't."
"Well you could fool me." She sat back down and brushed away the compliments stating that she wasn't that good. She had gotten what she wanted.
She got up and walked over to Jennyanydots who was wiping away tears. "You were so beautiful out there dear. You truly were. You also had the look of love in your eyes. You do love Munkustrap and don't know it or you want to forget it. Dear you were beautiful out there."
"Thank you Jennyanydots." Chryssie then walked to the center of the dance floor.
Then something felt different and heavy. She shook her head and then noticed that the cats were acting just as she did.
She then walked outside the boundaries of the Jellicle site and notice the feeling subside.
I had probably get some cats out of here. I have a bad feeling, she thought then bounded back into the heaviness. She headed over to Mistoffelees.
"Get away from here. Something isn't right and you are a danger if whatever it is catches you. Go beyond this site. Go now please. Mistoffelees, the fate of the Jellicles may be in this." Mistoffelees looked up at her and then seeing that she was serious left.
"I'll figure out a way to bail you out of trouble if you are right." He promised.
"Go quickly." She then went up to Jennyanydots and told her of her premonition. Jennyanydots listened and left willfully.
"Please take care of yourself dear." She whispered as she left. She told Skimble.
"Be careful lass." He requested before he joined the others. She approached Victoria and noticed Plato with her. She quickly told them to go and Victoria took her paw.
"Aren't you coming with us?"
"No, I have to stay here and get as many as I can out without letting who ever it is know what I am doing."
"Be careful then Chryssie." Plato warned and then followed a reluctant Victoria out.
Rumpleteaser didn't want to leave, she thought that it was just a phase she was going through.
"Please I don't want you two here, please in case of trouble." Mungojerrie noticed the fear in Chryssie's eyes.
"Come on then, we ha' betta' get goin'."
"Mungojerrie I tol' you befor' I aint goin'." Mungojerrie then picked up his sister and carried her out while saying.
"Take care Chryssie, we'll ge' you out don' worry 'bout us."
"Thank you Mungojerrie." She then frightened Etcetera so that she wanted to get out.
"Be careful Chryssie. I'll be a good kitten!" She sent Tugger to look after her.
"We'll help you somehow." He said and gave her a quick goodbye kiss on her forehead. Then he darted out into the darkness. She felt she couldn't hold up the heaviness. She asked Demeter to leave and save herself because it felt like the work of evil.
Demeter left, but not before asking "How will you get out?"
"If there is still time I'll get out." She said then Demeter hurried into darkness. She then felt Munkustrap.
"Get out, please get out of here! Evil is present, get out while you can Munkustrap go! Get just beyond the site!" he looked at her and saw her fear.
"You come with me."
"I can't, I have to get others out. You have to watch Demeter. Make sure she isn't taken. Please Munkustrap go." She walked towards him and stayed with him, until she reached an exit out of the site. She looked tired.
"Chryssie what's happening to you?" Munkustrap asked when she dropped to her knees.
"Munkustrap go away. I don't need your help, I'm fine. Oh Munkustrap that's not true, you need to save yourself and keep Demeter safe. I can't go. Save her, go on."
She then fell back. He tried to get her to her feet, but she couldn't.
"Please Munkustrap, I am fighting this heaviness. The others are too, they just can't feel it. Please Munkustrap, if you are here, whatever magic this is will work on you and this magic is not good. Please get out."
"I will be back." He promised and kissed her lightly on her forehead.
She then gave him a weak push to get him started. He walked out of the site and peered back. There he saw she was in a faint as were the rest of the cats who were there.
All the cats that Chryssie had pressured into leaving met along the edge of the site. They saw all the cats wake up and start backing away from each other.
Asparagus and Alonzo who were best friends backed away from each other as if they didn't know each other. Then a flash of light erupted and Chryssie rose.
She was looking at all the cats the same way she had looked at Testra when she was doubting. They all were looking like that. Mistoffelees watched their faces carefully, and then realized what the matter was.
"My friends, I'm afraid they don't trust each other, or anyone for that matter. They also look like they are under some kind of control."
Chryssie looked over. She saw a dark pipe and crawled down it. There she came face to face with the group she had saved. She looked as if she didn't know them and hissed and clawed at anyone who tried to come near her. Even at Munkustrap.
He looked hurt and Demeter put an arm around him. Chryssie then darted back into the pipe and went back into the site.
There all the cats watched as Nakcheem appeared, along with Arsenic. They looked pleased with themselves and then they started to look for something. Arsenic held the cat while Nakcheem searched the cats face.
"Hmm, they have to be here somewhere."
"You are right, If Munkustrap and Demeter are not here then the master will be very displeased with us. I am sure that he will have our hides as a carpet adorning his scratching post."
"Then I suggest we keep searching these filthy clean Jellicles." Arsenic then came upon Chryssie.
"Ahh there is my "Sister." Come on now, we have a good place for you. Nakcheem, do you see the cleverness and intelligence in this? We can bring her back to Macavity and raise her. I think she will make a fine thief and villain. We won't have to work so hard. Can you see the ability and talent in her and she is a clever little one at that. She's strong too, and can really fight. She was the one who gave me this." Arsenic said and showed him a scar.
"We have to find them first. I will talk to Macavity about it. You search for them. Once you find them just keep an eye on them until I return." With that Nakcheem vanished.
"Oh thanks a lot." Arsenic grumbled and then continued the search.
"Munkustrap, I need Chryssie back here. I need any cat at all. Go in there and grab one that's under the spell. Just watch out for Arsenic." Munkustrap gave a nod then crawled through the pipe.
There he saw Jemima. He crept up behind her and catnapped her. He dragged her through the pipe where Skimble, Tugger and Etcetera grabbed her and held her down.
Mistoffelees looked deeply into the thrashing Jemima's eyes and soon she grew quiet and serene. Then she woke up.
