"Hello Where am I? Oh, Hello you guys, I was having the most horrible dream."
"Well, I'm afraid that nightmare is real if you were dreaming about a world with no trust."
"Once again Mistoffelees you astound me."
"Well look and see for yourself." Jemima looked and saw all the cats skittish and unfriendly and distrusting. She gasped.
"I was under that?"
"Yes, but at least we know that the spell can be broken. If we are to set everyone free, I need to get to the middle of the grounds. In the very center. If I can do that I can wake them up."
"Well, why do you 'ave to be in th' centa' then?" Rumpleteaser asked.
"Well that's so my magic can go around to everyone. So no one will be missed."
"Oh, I see now. All right, when do we do it?"
"Well not until opportunity knocks."
"Well, I have an idea," Tugger volunteered. "Why not we go and get a shorting of the lights."
"I can't do that, I need all the magic I can, and I also need to have light for this to work."
"Well, I can do temporary short circutin' if tha' ol' 'elp." Mungojerrie said.
"Good thinking Mungojerrie. Do you know where the shortening box is?"
"No, I'm afraid I don'."
"Well I do!" Etcetera eagerly proclaimed.
"I watched you do it when you were fixing the lights Mistoffelees. I know exactly where it is."
"Ok, then I'll need you to watch for Munkustrap. He'll signal you when to turn them off. Mungojerrie, do you know how to rig thirty seconds or do you two need more time to get down? We need all the cats to keep the others away from me, because this spell will take time."
"Sure I can get down in fifteen flat." said Etcetera.
" I can do it! No problem."
"Righ' an' I can climb down faste' then you can say "Bob's yo' uncle."
"All right then, we are just waiting for the right time. Probably when all of them are off their guard. They relax a bit when Arsenic is relaxed. So Munkustrap, watch Arsenic and the minute she looks relaxed then signal Etcetera."
"Hold on then! I need time to fix th' lightin' you know, it tiz a complicated matta' an' you know tha' if I don't wan' to be electrocuted then I need to be ca'ful."
"All right how much time do you need?"
"Ohw I'd say 'bout twenty minutes at most."
"All righ', but you be ca'ful Mungojerrie, I don' wan' you gettin' hurt."
"Aww don' worry Rumpleteasa' I won't do anythin' wrong. You know me."
"I know, tha's why I'm tellin' you."
"All right this is no time to bicker now." Demeter said and then sighed as Mungojerrie shinnied up to the lighting box. Etcetera just waited at the bottom.
"What are you thinking about?" Jennyanydots asked Skimble.
"Oh, I'm just thinking that Chryssie did that for us and well, she ran out of time, otherwise she would have gotten everyone out, including herself. Why does every noble cat have to be so silly? Self sacrifice, risking her life to save ours. I understand why and yet I don't."
"It's the crazy thing called love and honor. Chryssie loves us all, many times she's said to me in secret that we all gave her a precious gift and once I asked her why she was so crazy to do all this for us, and she said that she loved us and that she thought we all were a gift and that she would even risk her life to keep us protected. All of us. We all mean something to her. She means something to us as well. Would we do the same for her. Would we go as far as she did for us? I have a feeling that we would. Demeter dear, what is it?" Demeter had been crying.
"Oh Skimble and Jennyanydots, we do have something special don't we. She's in there, who knows what the magic is doing in her head. She misses us I can tell that. Look how she looks so far away."
"All righ' that'o do it." Mungojerrie's voice called. He then slid down and dusted his hands off.
"Tha' shou' do it, Mistoffelees. It tiz all ready fo' you."
"All right then, Munkustrap, go into the position. Mungojerrie and Etcetera get back up there. The rest of you cats, find a place where we all can get in easily. Munkustrap watch Arsenic."
The cats found a place and all waited for the lights. Mistoffelees made sure he had a clear view of where he was supposed to go. Only two cats were in the way, but they could easily be avoided.
Munkustrap watched Arsenic. She laid down to rest for a while, and he took then as a good time.
He waved at Etcetera who nudged Mungojerrie who attached two wires.
All the lights went out and the cats at the Jellicle site gasped in surprised terror. They heard Arsenic's frantic screaming
"Guard the center! The center!"
"What? They know that I can break the spell? No turning back now!" Mistoffelees said partly to himself, partly to Demeter. Then the lights came back on and they saw the cats of the Jellicle tribe that were under the spell standing around in a circle with thier backs in and looking forward and glaring. They were guarding the circle.
This will make things a little more complicated, Mistoffelees thought.
Then the remaining tribe that was still with them started lining up for attack. Mistoffelees whispered to Jemima to tell the cats that were free to warn them to start creating confusion for the tribe.
The cats did so and soon chaos rained over all.
Chryssie was working hard to keep any cat from coming close the circle.
She saw Munkustrap and knew that he was familiar somehow. But she thought it was an illusion and started taking attacks on him. She fought hard.
Munkustrap fell over because a crazy cat had knocked him off his feet.
Demeter then dived in front of him and started fighting her. Chryssie knocked her over. Soon Chryssie had her claws out and was ready to give the final blow. She allowed her claws to fall but then saw a cat she knew dart in the way.
She stopped quickly when she saw Demeter with frightened eyes cling to Munkustrap who was protecting her with his own life. Chryssie took up a look of confusion. She couldn't understand something.
What was that look in the cats eyes? She just stood there captivated by the look in his eyes. It was indecipherable and unreadable. She didn't understand it and yet she knew it. She backed away afraid.
Munkustrap got to his feet and called for Mistoffelees. Mistoffelees came close and behind him. Chryssie backed away still afraid of this cats stare, then Arsenic leapt in front and struck him down. Chryssie scurried to the side.
Arsenic raised her claw to end Munkustrap's life. Chryssie then took a flying tackle and threw herself against Arsenic, which sent her hurtling off her feet.
Munkustrap had to smile, she protected him even if she was distrusting or frightened of him. Mistoffelees tried still to get to the circle but cat after cat threw him away.
Plato was fighting Alonzo who was getting ready to hurt Mistoffelees. Tugger was trying to get Bombalurina and Electra under control.
Arsenic and Chryssie seemed to be in a death match. They were just there.
Then Munkustrap fell because some cat struck him hard. Chryssie stopped and turned to him and walked over to him.
"What am I doing? I don't even know you. I can't trust strangers and everyone is strange to me. I don't know you. So why am I doing this?"
She stuck her paw down to him and helped him to his feet.
"I don't know you, stay away." Then she ran off and attacked Tugger when Electra had given up.
Asparagus lunged at Plato, and started to try to claw him. Mistoffelees saw that the middle was clear, so he ran for it. He reached the middle but Chryssie saw him and lunged on him. She grabbed him roughly and threw him out.
Then she saw Arsenic start to advance to attack Demeter. She shrugged to herself and then tackled Arsenic. Arsenic grunted as she fought underneath the cat. Demeter backed away and then yelled for Mistoffelees.
Munkustrap provided cover. Then Mistoffelees began.
A light appeared on his hands and it began to grow, stronger and stronger. Then it reduced to a flicker as he began to get tired. Chryssie stopped what she was doing and started to approach the light. Munkustrap stood over her. The light reflected off her eyes and tears fell. She was too confused. She felt as if she couldn't find a way out.
She then turned her face away and hid in the shadows. All the cats who weren't free did so as well.
Mistoffelees tried to call to them but that seemed to reduce his strength. He told the free cats to call to them.
"Tell them to come out, and not to be afraid. Please, I have barely enough spare strength to talk to you now."
When Jennyanydots called to them, it seemed her voice was three voices calling to the cats. Bombalurina and Jellylorum seemed to listen.
Munkustrap called to them and Chryssie set herself into the light, the tears coming down in golden streams. She cocked her head and seemed to listen, and then she took a timid step forward. "Why are you calling us? We don't know you, we don't know each other."
"Don't listen to them, Chryssie, you know everyone."
"The light is blinding. Why are you trying to lie?"
"Please Chryssie come forward, touch my hand, you know me."
"You are familiar but why do I doubt you?"
"Your mind is afraid your heart is not."
"Don't listen to him!" Arsenic cried. Chryssie came a little closer, and reached out with her paw.
"I know you, don't I? I feel familiar with you." She was bathed in the light then she reached out and touched his paw. Her whole body flashed.
One by one, they all drew forward to touch a paw.
All the cats touched a paw of one and then fell to the floor. Arsenic started forward at an angry pace. Chryssie saw her. She flung herself in front of Munkustrap and then reached out with her claws.
Arsenic gasped as she received the well placed scratch. Then Chryssie looked to the light again and she then fainted. All of the cats were out. The light turned white and then Arsenic saw several figures with their faces turned out and their backs turned in. They were in a circle.
Then the light came back on and they saw each other.
"Jellylorum, what happened?" Bombalurina asked astounded.
"I just don't know dear. I just don't know."
"Oh where am I?" Cassandra asked.
"Who am I?" Asparagus asked.
"You're Asparagus."
"You're Cassandra."
"What am I?" Pouncival asked and shook his head.
"You are a cat silly." Tumblebrutus said.
"Oh, gee, for I minute there I didn't know anything, Now I know I am a cat."
"Hmm, this looks familiar." Chryssie said coming out of a trance like state.
Then they saw Arsenic and angrily they all advanced on her. Arsenic started backing up, then Nakcheem appeared behind her and touched her shoulder and dissapeared with her.
Chryssie then saw Mistoffelees faint with lack of energy. The cats swarmed around him, but he assured them that he was all right, just tired.
Chryssie then let her eyes wander. She looked and saw Munkustrap standing beside her. She saw Demeter on the other side of him. She backed up and got lost in the crowd of cats. Then she saw Demeter and Munkustrap happy with each other, adorning the other with kisses and cuddles.
"How are you Skimble?"
"I'm fine lass. You look sad though."
"I am a little. Knowing that I can only watch now. I lost sight of them."
Bombalurina hurried up to them. "Hey Chryssie, they are looking for you."
"Well, I am going to be heading home. Just tell them that I'll see them sometime."
"Why are you going home? Don't you like it here?"
"Yes, but I miss home. I haven't been there for ages."
"Well aren't you going to say goodbye at least?"
"Here she is!" Demeter called.
"Shh." Chryssie told Bombalurina.
"Yes Demeter?"
"We want to thank you again."
"No thanks needed." Demeter smiled and gave her a hug. Munkustrap noticed something in Chryssie's eyes. When Demeter went to talk with Jennyanydots
"What is it? Something is sad in there."
"Come with me."
"Where are we going?"
"Just walk with me." She took him to the outskirts of the Jellicle sight.
"Here is where we say Goodbye."
"What? What's going on?"
"The moon is full tonight, but not in the right place."
"Why are you talking about the moon when I heard you distinctly say that we are saying goodbye?"
"When the Jellicle moon is here and we must meet, I shall be here and we will meet again. Until then we may not speak."
"Why? Was it something that I did?"
"No, it wasn't you. I feel this is right for us. We need to let go, but we don't want to. We have to though." She looked down and he saw a tear fall.
"We'll see each other again. Why so sad?"
" I have to give you up Munkustrap, I can't do this anymore, I can't bear separating you and Demeter. You will always have her and I will only be a memory. We might want to make me a memory while I am still young. I have to go."
"Wait Chryssie, You know I love you. Why are you leaving now? We have only started this that we have."
"Munkustrap, I wish you hadn't said that. I can't. I am only keeping you from Demeter. I feel that we have to let go now. Please Munkustrap, let me go."
He wrapped his arms around her quickly as if to keep her from going. The tears fell harder.
"Please, don't go yet. We can get around this. Please, I can trust you again. I feel strong enough now."
"I have to go."
"Please Chryssie, don't do this." Chryssie turned around to face him in his arms.
"Munkustrap, I know how you feel, I feel as if I go, I'd die, but I have to. Munkustrap, you said you were strong again, are you strong enough to fight this?"
He understood but it felt as if a part of him was being ripped from his soul. She understood that he was resigning himself to the truth and that it hurt as badly as it did with her.
Chryssie put her arms around his shoulders and held him close. She felt as if she were throwing away her only love, her protection, everything that she had fought for, her life. She tilted her head up and gently kissed him.
Then she stepped back, with her paw holding onto his. They stepped back and still held paws, her eyes a look full contained and silent pain. They stepped back again and lost the hold of each other.
She started backing down the hill and then reached the foot where she stopped. She held up her paw and said "Goodbye."
Then her body turned but her face didn't and finally she faced her destination. She walked a few yards then turned to face him as for a long last look. He just stood there straight and still with a look of unconcealable pain and hurt. She shared the same expression.
Silently he raised a paw but was unable to say goodbye. Munkustrap then followed down the hill where he sat in silence. He felt pain that he never knew a cat could feel.
Chryssie knew that he would go no farther then she turned and continued on her way. She crossed the plain and walked over a hill where at the foot she sat down and cried, allowing the anguish inside her scream her pain to the heaviside.
