"He must want her to stay." Victoria said to Plato, as he came up from behind her.
"Yes he must, otherwise she wouldn't be staying such a long time in there."
"He must need her very much now, for Chryssie meant a lot to him." Plato started to put his arms about her, but then a voice surprised him, and made him drop them.
"Ah hah! I thought I might catch you with someone."
"Oh no, here comes Cassandra again. Victoria, she wanted me to get drunk with her this morning!"
"She really likes you, I can tell."
"Boy, at times like this, I wish I were Mistoffelees. Maybe so I can disappear, for a while."
"Hello. Oh, Victoria, I didn't think that you would be here... May I talk to Plato, please?"
"What about, Cassandra?"
"Daily gossip, news, questions asked, and on and on."
"Well, now that you mention gossip Cassandra, Jennyanydots has been dying for someone to chat with, and I figure that she's a good one to start with." Victoria suggested.
"Doesn't she have Jellylorum to talk to?" Cassandra asked.
"Well yes, she does, but I think it may be good for her if someone else talks to her for a change."
"Well, Skimble is over there now, so I can't do that. Please, I would really love to talk to Plato."
"Oh, hold on Cassandra! I see Jellylorum needs a hand with the kittens. Go help her. Go on." Victoria cleverly caught Jellylorum's attention, and pointed to Cassandra.
"Oh Cassandra, I am so glad you volunteered. It's a chance for you to do something around here. Come along, come along." Cassandra went, glaring at Victoria.
"Well, that was close. For a minute there, I thought I was going to be stuck in flirtation city."
"Well, I think that I saved you from that one, didn't I?"
"Yes, you did, and I'm mighty thankful for that." He then put his arms around her, and she leaned into him. He then looked up, and said, "Here comes Mistoffelees. Boy, does he look like he has something urgent on his mind."
"I wonder what the matter is."
Mistoffelees came toward them, and started to walk with them. He then said, "I have to tell you of my dream." They both paused to listen.
"No, not here. I also have to tell it to Skimble and Jennyanydots. Then I can receive advice, and counsel, from all of you." Plato and Victoria agreed. Then Victoria, Plato and Mistoffelees hurried off, and met Skimble and Jennyanydots at her trunk. They all sat down.
"All right. Now Mistoffelees, what's this all about, lad?" Skimble asked, kindly.
"Yes dear, tell us what has been distressing you."
"For the past week, I have been having the very same dream every night. It has been puzzling me very much, and I have no idea what to make of it." He took a deep breath, and began.
"The dream is dark at first, and then I see Chryssie, sitting over Munkustrap and crying. Munkustrap is very still on his back, and nothing is moving. Flashes of red come, and Chryssie looks up. She looks over that way," he said and pointed to his left. "and nods her head. Munkustrap then sits up abruptly, and looks about. Chryssie kneels, and tells him something. Then it all blacks out for a little while, then I see Chryssie's face. Gold light is flashing all around her. She is standing with her back to the gold light, and she cries and cries. The gold light is growing brighter, and soon, I have to squint my eyes. Though what I see before I close my eyes, is Chryssie starting to change, and then I wake up." The cats sat thoughtfully, and was unsure of what to say.
Victoria froze in fear. Maybe something was going to happen to Chryssie. "It could be that maybe the Everlasting Cat is trying to tell you something?" Skimble guessed.
"It could be possible that she may be chosen as the next Everlasting Cat." Jennyanydots suggested
"That seems possible, Jennyanydots, except that I have a feeling of dread when I see it, you know? I get the feeling that this isn't something to be happy about."
"Why aren't you telling Munkustrap this, dear?" Jennyanydots asked.
"He could do something about it."
"Yes, but Jennyanydots, would you really think that it would be a good idea to tell him? Look at him, he's so in love with her, and he is already downhearted that she left. I don't think that it would be good for his health if we told him what I see."
"Good point, lad."
"Hey, Testra! What are you doing here?" Plato shouted, at Arsenic who was peering into the window.
"I-I was just wondering where I could stay for tonight."
"Use Chryssie's basket. You seem to like it very much, and she isn't going to be there."
"Oh, OK. Thanks." she said, and crept off.
"I don't trust her, not at all."
"Yes, I don't either. She just seems too secretive to be wanting to repent. How long had she been standing behind, listening in like that?" Plato asked.
"Oh, I don't know lad. I only saw her when you did."
"Well, she shouldn't have heard much. Especially about the dream. Our voices are much to low to hear."
"Yes, but I have a bad feeling about her." Victoria said.
"She still seems too evil."
"I agree." Plato said.
"Victoria, we had better get to our place for tonight. It's gotten dark." Plato said. He offered a hand to her. She took it, and Plato pulled her up.
"Mistoffelees, we will give our advice tomorrow. We need to think about it tonight."
"You do so, Victoria and the rest of you. Thanks for listening to me."
"Our pleasure Mistoffelees, and don't worry. Everything will be all right." Victoria kissed Mistoffelees lightly on his brow, and said goodnight to Skimble and Jennyanydots. They nodded, and then started to take Mistoffelees to his place.
"I don't see why you had to kiss him." Plato said, as they walked to their place. He had a small humph about him, which Victoria knew he used when he was joking.
"Oh Plato, you do understand sympathy, don't you?"
"Yes."
"I have the feeling you were jealous."
"No, I just don't want you kissing anyone but me." He said lightly and casually.
"That's called jealousy, dear."
"Oh." He said, shortly.
She laughed and then curled up. He chuckled softly, and curled up with her. She kissed his cheek. He stoked her cheek once, and then fell asleep.
Plato had a dream later that night.
"Plato." Chryssie said, with a look of worry.
"Please, something is going to happen with Munkustrap if you don't do something. I feel cold, and deathlike around him." She frantically flinched, and skittishly walked to and fro. She kept trying to look out into air, as if to see something.
"Plato, please! Guard him tonight, please. I will be there soon. I have a bad feeling with HER. Please guard him. I tried to reach Mistoffelees, but I can't. It's like his mind is already filled with worry and dread. You are the only one I could see fit to do this." She looked very scared, and serious.
"Please, watch him in the dead of night, I feel the worst there. I can't shake the feeling that Macavity's involved in all of this. Please, I have to hurry, my time closes quickly. Please guard him, I beg you, watch him tonight. You know I love him with all my heart. Guard him, please guard him!"
Chryssie begged, and mist swirled around her. She looked afraid, "Macavity! Leave me be! Macavity!" then the mist swirled around her, and Macavity's laugh echoed through the mists.
Victoria sat up quickly.
"What are you doing up?" Victoria asked Plato who was stillwith her. She was breathing hard.
"I was about to ask you the same question."
"Nightmare?"
"About Chryssie warning us about Munkustrap, then disappearing with Macavity's laugh?"
"Yes, that's exactly it."
"Hmm, Chryssie sent us a nightmare. Do you think it was spontaneous, or do you think she's warning us?"
"She could be warning us, because I have never seen her that panicked. On the other paw, it could be spontaneous, because Mistoffelees had been getting really weird dreams and it could be spreading onto us."
"Well don't forget that she said that she tried to reach Mistoffelees, but couldn't because he was already in a state of trouble and unease. She also gave us the time that she was having bad feelings. I think she must be warning us about Munkustrap."
"Well, if we are going to be doing what she bid us to, we had better start now. I believe the dead of night is midnight."
"Now who is the one that Chryssie referred to as HER?" Plato and Victoria froze as the answer came clear to them. Chryssie had always hated her, anyway.
Victoria looked at Plato, and he nodded briefly. They both headed out, running as fast as they could towards Munkustrap's cave.
"We should have known. I thought it was a bad idea, but how could she put on such a display like that?"
"I don't know! She was crying and everything!"
"I bet she thinks that she is going to get away with this, Scot free! Do you think she's going to frame anyone?"
"No, because she hadn't tried to make anyone look like they had done something wrong! I think she's just going to hit and run!"
"Very unladylike, if you ask me!"
"Victiora, this is no time to be proper!"
"Plato! We are going to need help. Lets get Mungojerrie and Rumpleteaser."
They stopped by the place where the "Notorious couple of cats" lived. They saw them in a little bundle, and Victoria stepped over to Rumpleteaser, and gently shook her.
"Wha' wha' EEEEKKK!!!"
Victoria leapt back a little bit, and then said "Shh it's me, Victoria."
"Aow Ve'c to' rea! Wha' a' 'ou doin' scarin' me in th' midd'e of th' nigh'. Tha' was worsa' en' sneakin' up beyin' me."
"Righ' an' avin' er' scare me off to th' 'eaviside?" Mungojerrie groaned.
"You two, we need your help." Victoria said, and quickly explained the dream to them. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteaser followed the dream carefully, and tried to make sense of it.
"Aow wha' a 'orrilble dream!" Rumpleteaser sympathized.
"Righ', now wha' d' ya' wan' us ta do?" Mungojerrie asked.
"Just help us. Come with us, right now. Please?"
"Wha' fo? It'z only eleven four'y-five."
"Eleven Forty-Five!" shrieked Victoria, Rumpleteaser, and Plato.
Then, they grabbed Mungojerrie, and hurried off into the night. They ran quickly, and soon reached Munkustrap's cave in the junkyard.
They dashed inside. Mungojerrie and Rumpleteaser weren't with them. They were a slower then they were due to Mungojerrie, and they couldn't waste anymore time dragging him along, so Rumpleteaser had told them to go on ahead.
They reached the mouth of the cave, and before they went in, Plato wrapped his arms around Victoria, and kissed her. It sent shivers through her spine, like they always had.
"What was that for?" she asked.
"Just to let you know that I love you."
"Oh, well I love you too and you know it." she said and felt hot with shyness. Then Plato and Victoria crept inside.
There they saw Munkustrap, who was sleeping restlessly and unpeaceful-like. He seemed to be having a nightmare.
"Aow, come on Mangojerrie, we 'ave t' ge' movin'." Rumpleteaser said, without bothering to hide the annoyance in her voice.
"Iye don' see wha' all th' fuss is abou'. I' wos only a dream, wa'n' it? Ya' thin' tha' it wos real."
"I' wos, 'cause Iye trus' them li'e a Jellicow ca' shou'd, an' Iye thin' tha' we shou'd ta'e a look."
"Rumpo'teasa', Iye thin' yo're lett'n' all thes sca' ya".
She sat down in a huff, and then said flatly "Well, if Munk'strap o' any otha' ca' dies, Iye ge' to say i' wosn' mye faul' fo' n't bein' the'e, but Mangojerrie's"
"Aow, stick th' blaim' o' me whye don' ya'. Well, come on. Don' jus' stan' the'e, we 'ave t' move."
"Move whe'e?"
"Down t' Munk'strap's cave so Iye won' be triyd fo' mu'da' if th' Pollico' Police Dog eva' fin's me ou'." He then ran out. Rumpleteaser smiled, and ran after her brother.
Victoria and Plato stood around and then saw Arsenic hovering over Munkustrap suddenly, like she appeared out of nowhere. Right before their eyes, all the scratches and bruises on Arsenic's body melted away, and revealed a well taken care of coat.
"So it was Nakcheem's magic!" Victoria angrily whispered. Angrily, she paced the ground, and the anger welled inside her so, that she couldn't stand it.
She then threw herself at Arsenic, who was about to deliver the fatal scratch.
Arsenic angrily received Victoria. Three guards appeared, and Plato attacked one.
"Oll righ' we'e 'ere! This is Mangojerrie repor'in' 'ere wi' you tonigh' an' I'm ready fo' a bawl!"
Mungojerrie announced, and threw himself headlong into a fight with a guard.
"An' I'm Rumpoteasa' an' headin' righ' a' ya! You go' yo' match cu' ou' fo' you!" she shouted, and attacked the remaining guard with much vigor.
In his dream, Munkustrap saw Chryssie.
"Munkustrap, wake up! Please, this is not a dream, it's real! Please, I miss you, and I love you. My darling, your life is in danger. Listen to me, Arsenic.. she's going to kill you! I can't be there to stop her. Please, Munkustrap, my darling, wake up!" She looked so afraid.
Chryssie was pleading with him, then the mists swallowed her. He woke up with a start, and realized that he was in a battle, in his own cave.
Victoria was battling Arsenic, and Plato, Mungojerrie and Rumpleteaser were dukeing it out with guards.
Then Mistoffelees entered his cave quickly, followed by Alonzo and Asparagus.
Asparagus received a guard who had plunked an enormous hat on his head. He pushed it up over his eyes, and picked up the guard and threw him right into Arsenic.
Victoria quizically looked over at Asparagus who looked nervous, then tipped the hat at her with a nervous grin. Then he went into battle with another guard.
Victoria shrugged, and then started attacking another guard who was advancing on Plato. She had never fought as fierce as this in her life, or whichever life she was on. But she felt angry at the cat she was battling, for even thinking about hurting her Plato.
Tugger appeared, and saw Macavity's guards. He also saw Munkustrap, just sitting there. He knew that he had to be down there with him, or Munkustrap wouldn't have a chance. Why wasn't Munkustrap doing anything, taking cover, fighting, anything? Quickly he ran down, and took a seat next to his buddy. Then they saw Arsenic had a clear running shot of Munkustrap. Arsenic saw it, too.
Arsenic prepared to take the running leap that would end Munkustrap. But then she saw something flashing in her mind. She saw Chryssie sitting next to Munkustrap, and then Chryssie saw her. She leapt to her feet on the stone, and then took a leap, face and claws first towards her.
"No," Arsenic said, shaking her head.
"It's one of Mistoffelees' illusions. It isn't real. Besides, we have her. She is in training now."
She looked up, and saw the lion face of Tugger, with his claws out, leaping head first towards her. She screamed as Tugger's paws landed on her shoulders, and pushed her down. She got to her feet quickly, and she realized all the other guards had fled. She started backing away, warily.
"Arsenic is a good actress." Munkustrap said angrily as he stood, "She is never to be trusted here."
"Arsenic!" Nakcheem appeared behind her.
"Come to me. The master has succeeded. We have her now, and she is under my control. The plans have changed."
"I wish he'd stop changing plans when I am trying to fulfill them!" Arsenic muttered. Nakcheem and Arsenic vanished.
"Why are you all, here?" Victoria asked.
"Well, we had strange dreams." Tugger said.
"We dreamt that Chryssie wanted us to protect Munkustrap, and we didn't know whether to believe it or not. We all got together, and talked about it. The midnight bell rang, and we realized that if we were to protect him, we were late. Then Chryssie appeared to us, like a ghost or something, and ordered us to go and protect him. That's why we're here now."
"Yes, we got that dream, only we went when we were told." Victoria said.
"I dreamt that she wanted me to wake up." Munkustrap said quietly. "She told me my life was in danger, and that she loved me. She misses me too." He then smiled a little, and then lowered his head. "Thank you all, for saving my life."
"We did it for you, Munkustrap." They murmured and then left. Jennyanydots and Victoria came and sat beside him.
"Dear, what were you smiling about?" Jennyanydots asked when all the cats, except for Victoria left.
"She called me her 'darling'. I'm going to see her, Jellicle moon or no."
"Would you care for company?"
"I would like that."
"Good, then I'll send for Plato. He can go along with you and Victoria." Jennyanydots stood, and then left.
"You really love Chryssie, don't you Munkustrap?" Victoria asked softly. Her first time, really talking to Munkustrap and she wasn't sure about how to act, or what to say. He nodded a reply.
"It's the same way with me and Plato."
"You and Plato are together?"
"Yes, we will be going for a year this week."
"You haven't settled yet?"
"No, we want to wait until I get out of my kitten hood. It should be next year."
"Congratulations." Munkustrap said, and stood again. Plato entered the room, and took Victoria's paw.
"Come on." said Munkustrap, and for the first time in weeks other then being with Demeter, he seemed happy.
They followed him, and soon they reached Chryssie's farmhouse. He knocked on the garage door, and Chryssie's father came out. He looked sad.
"I'd like to see Chryssie." Munkustrap said.
Chryssie's mother came to the door. "I'm afraid Munkustrap, that you can't see her." she said, and looked down as tears came rolling down her face.
"Why? What's the matter?" Munkustrap said with worry.
Chryssie's mother took a deep breath, and said with a wavering voice "Our daughter was catnapped just tonight."
Victoria, Munkustrap and Plato gasped. Chryssie's mother went inside, and returned with a scrap of paper.
Munkustrap took it, and read:"Don't fear for your daughter, she will serve us well in the race against your kind, the Jellicles. You have taught her well and wisely, and that is greatly appreciated. You needn't tell the Police Dog, or your daughter will meet the price. You needn't tell Old Deuteronomy or his grandson, they will find out shortly. Macavity, the hidden paw."
"Oh no." said Victoria, and collapsed into Plato's arms, where she cried.
