Montalvo's Minute: This is a story of a Jellicle coming to terms with who he is. I'm refraining from saying more about my character here so that the details come out one piece at a time in the story. I want to thank all the authors who allowed their characters to appear in this story. You all know who you are. What started as a dream has turned into a rather lengthy process and I hope you enjoy it. It's my first fic but will be far from the last. I'm open to feedback and would love to hear some.
Chapter 1: An American in . . . London?
Rain! I'd rather have the congestion of New York. I mutter to myself. At least the view is nice. From the fire escape I can see down the entire street. I've been watching two cats slowly walking down the street, avoiding the puddles. The red queen doesn't seem too interested in the calico's conversation.
This should be interesting. Three pollicles start down from the other end of the street. One sounds the usual alarm, "Jellicles!" It's answered by a response from the other end of the block. Two rotweilers appear behind the cats. Startled, the two cats run down the alley next to me. Dead end, girls and not very smart. I think to myself. Not smart, but then again, you didn't grow up on the streets of New York.
"There's no way out Bombalurina!" The calico panics.
"Calm down Jemima," she replies. The pollicles reach the end of the alley. Grinning like, forgive the expression, Cheshire cats, they start down the alley.
Time to get to work. I work my way down the side fire escape, being careful not to be noticed. The pollicles are now underneath me. I let loose a barrage of small lightning bolts towards the middle of the mob as I drop down in front of the queens.
"Mistoffelees!" I hear in stereo.
Again that name! Who is this Mistoffelees!? "When I say run, RUN!" I yell over my shoulder. I let loose a bolt hitting one of the rotweilers on the nose. He turns tail and runs faster than any pollicle I've seen. "RUN!" The two queens flash by me as I send another bolt towards the mob, this time hitting a Jack Russell terrier. I'm right on the cats' tails as the pollicles scatter.
I follow the queens down the street to the train station, where they stop to catch their breath. "You two all right?" I ask. Jemima just stares.
"We're fine," the red queen pants. "I'm Bombalurina and she's Jemima. You are?"
Before I can answer…"What's the commotion out here?" An orange head pops out the doorway. "Skimble!" Jemima leaps towards him. "Easy there!" they rub together. "Who's your friend?" They all look my way.
"The name's Montalvo."
Bombalurina moves over to me. "Thank you for rescuing us," she purrs as she rubs up against me.
"I'm hoping you can help me with something in return. I'm looking for a Jellicle by the name of Deuteronomy."
"What are you looking for him for?" Skimble inquires.
"Answers to riddles." I get a questioning look from the Railway Cat.
"Bombalurina, why don't you take Montalvo over to the Junkyard." The orange face turns to me, "Munkustrap can help you. I've got a train arriving in a few minutes."
"I'd love to." She smiles. I notice a sparkle in her eyes. "This way." She moves towards the street. I follow and Jemima comes running up.
"Wait for me!"
I hear Jemima giggle, "He's the magical Mr. Mistoffelees! The original conjuring cat! Everyone knows that!" I hear a faint song as if coming from a fading dream. I shake my head. Hearing things again.
"Jemima, go and find Munkustrap," Bombalurina orders. Jemima runs through the hole in the fence used as one of the main entrances to the junkyard. The boards have been pushed aside to make the hole larger. "Shall we…." She waves a paw towards the entrance.
"After you," I say without thinking. Being the gentlecat I am, it's second nature to let the ladies go before myself. It has its advantages and disadvantages. Besides, Sensei would beat me senseless for not using my manners!
We walk through the opening and on into the junkyard. Next thing I know is a large furball has tackled me, "Gotcha' Misto!" My reflexes kick in and I zap the large ball of fur. Just as fast as it's on me, it's gone. "What was that for, man!?" I see a tom with a large mane looking at me, "Whoops, sorry about that, I thought you were someone else." His mane is fluffed out from the static caused by my bolt.
Bombalurina starts laughing; "You look hysterical Tugger!" He looks over at a mirror and joins the laughter, until "Tuggy, where are you?" is heard floating across the junkyard. "Oh great. Etcetera's back," he grumbles as he walks off, stopping every couple of steps to work on his hair.
"The resident ladies cat?" Bombalurina nods with a grin.
"His name's Rum Tum Tugger and I think he now has some competition." Her remark catches me off guard and before I can respond, "Here comes Munkustrap." A gray tabby with Jemima in tow walks over to us.
"I understand you want to see Old Deuteronomy. He'll be here later tonight. Your welcome to stay until then." He looks me over. "Where are you from?"
"New York."
"Oh! Do you know any of the New York Jellicles?" Jemima perks up.
I feel a sharp pain in my side as she asks that; "I know them all too well." My answer gives her a start and before she can ask anything else, Bombalurina quickly changes the subject.
"Why don't I take Montalvo around and introduce him to the other Jellicles?" Munkustrap nods at this suggestion. "Come on." We leave the others behind and I can faintly hear "He and Misto really DO look alike…"
"Hey Bomba! Who's your new friend?" asks a calico. I can't help but stare at her eyes. Then I notice a black and tan tom next to her and he's starting to glare at me.
"Montalvo, this is Patchabie and Quaxo." She notices my staring, "Yes, her eyes are different colors. AND she is involved with Quaxo," she adds abruptly before I can inquire.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to stare. It's just that I've never seen a cat with different colored eyes. And relax Quaxo, I'm not going to try to steal her from you," I chuckle. "I'm a loner and don't plan on settling down any time soon." I don't see it but Bombalurina's reaction to that last remark is very apparent to Patch and Quax. They give each other a knowing glance.
Patch tires to keep the conversation going. She seems to love gossip. "How'd you two meet?"
"Montalvo rescued Jemima and myself from a pack of pollicles. He's good with magic. I think he might even be better then Mistoffelees." Quaxo scoffs at this. "He sure knows how to handle lightning!" Bombalurina snaps. She sounds offended. "Let's go, I want you to meet my sister." We walk off as Patch whacks Quaxo's ear.
"The giggler is Rumpleteazer and the 'sh'er is Mungojerrie." Two heads pop up, both grinning from ear to ear.
"Hi! We 'eard a new cat was 'ere but I didn't think 'e was better lookin' than Tugger!"
A look of shock appears on the tom's face, "'teazer?!?"
'teazer winks at 'jerrie, "only messin' with ya' jer!" She pounces on him and they run off.
"Quite a pair, rather strange…" I trail off and shake my head. Bombalurina laughs. It's about mid-afternoon and the sky has cleared to show a beautiful blue heaven filled with a warm, albeit bright, sun. I doze off with Bomba lying beside me.
Chapter 2: A Few Good Jellicles
I awake with that all-too-well-known feeling of being watched. I look around and catch site of a tux sitting across the yard watching us. Dusk is upon the land and as I sit up, the tux disappears into the shadows. I can play this game too. I disappear, reappearing above the tux. He sees Bomba lying there alone and quickly looks around for me. Right behind you tux. "I suppose you must be Mistoffelees." Misto jumps, spinning around before he lands.
"How did you-?"
"Know where you'd move to? I've spent enough time on the streets of New York to know how everyone thinks. This is one of only a small number of shadows around here that still provides a view of our resting place." I hop down beside him. "We really do look alike don't we?" Our colorings are almost identical. My white is not as pronounced on my face but I have a larger white "shirt" than Misto. Both of my rear paws and the tip of my tail are white. My stature is more developed, more weathered. Misto looks like a kitten when standing next to me.
"H-H-How old are you?"
"13 months, as for you…I'd say about nine, right?"
Misto just sits there dumbfounded. "We'll have to talk again, soon," I say as I disappear.
"Montalvo?" Bombalurina calls as she stretches from her long nap. "Where are you?" I reappear beside her, startling her. "Oh! You're almost as bad as Mistoffelees! At least you appear where I can see you. Come on, Demeter should be here by now." She jumps down and I quickly follow.
"Here's Bombalurina and her guest!" Everyone looks our way. The gumbie cat comes over to us, "Introductions! I'm Jennyanydots, my dear, and this is Victoria and her sister Etcetera…"
"The one love-struck with Tugger, right?" I guess, Etcetera smiles.
"…Those two are Birana and Samowi, and the twins are Coricopat and Tantomile, and OH!" Jenny jumps. A black kitten with white ears and nose and orange eyes has attached herself to Jenny's tail. "Oh you little rascal!" We all get a good laugh out of the commotion. "And this is Sootaput."
"Anyone see Demeter? I want Montalvo to meet her." Bombalurina looks concerned.
"She's with Munkustrap, Bomba. I could always take him to her…" Victoria purrs as she moves over next to me. Bombalurina gives her a sharp hiss and something clicks inside my mind. I think Bombalurina has an interest in me, I laugh to myself.
"What are you getting upset for, sis?" A voice behind us breaks the tension. We turn and see Munkustrap and a queen walk into the circle. I feel someone rub against me. It's Victoria and she gives me a wink.
"Hello Demeter." The sisters rub against each other. Demeter turns to me, "So this is the tom who's caught your eye? I think he'll make a nice brother-in-law…" Dem's voice trails off. If a cat could blush, I'd be as red as a stop sign. All I can do is smile back.
A strange feeling suddenly fills the air. The twins and myself stiffen up and "I believe it is Old Deuteronomy!" is heard. The absent jellicles come running into the area just as an old gray cat slowly moves towards us.
He comes straight to me "I've been waiting for you, Montalvo. We have some talking to do." Everyone's astonished, except for myself, that Deuteronomy knows me even though we haven't met before. Sensei was the same way. Maybe it's a leadership ability.
After the usual greetings, Deuteronomy waves the others away with is paw. Bombalurina, Munkustrap, and Demeter remain behind with us.
"You have questions?" the wise old leader asks.
"I've come to find out about my father. My mother's dying wish was for me to find him. She told me to seek Old Deuteronomy in London and ask him. The only name she ever mentioned is Grikspittle." I hear a gasp from Demeter.
"What?!" Mistoffelees appears with an astonished look on his face. Another black cat appears with him. She, too, has the astonished look on her face.
Deuteronomy sits calmly, his tail twitching, "Montalvo, who was your mother?"
"Her name was Metis."
"A pure white queen, yes. I remember her well. She came here last year when her human masters were here on vacation. We met when she came looking for fellow jellicles. Unfortunately, Macavity met her shortly after that. A terrible fight ensued until a magical cat name Grikspittle rescued her. Little did any of us realize of the relationship that grew between them." Deuteronomy stops.
Silence.
"H-He's our brother?" Razzyldaz stammers.
Deuteronomy smiles, "Montalvo, meet your step-siblings, Mistoffelees and Razzyldaz. Quaxo is your nephew." All eyes are on me.
I feel a panic surge inside me, a panic I never thought nor hoped I'd feel again. Tears well in my eyes and I feel the need to flee. My instincts take control and I find myself running despite the pleas and calls from Bombalurina. I run, past the train station, past my roost from that morning. I run into an open field where I stop. Exhausted and out of breath, I'm shaking like a scared kitten.
A slight breeze and the cool air help calm my nerves and clear my head. I sense a presence and a familiar voice startles me. "You look lost."
"Sensei? But you're…"
"Dead? I may have gone to the Heavyside Lair but I will never be gone. I thought I taught you better!"
"I know. I just can't think clearly right now. I thought I finally got my life straightened out after mother's death. But this…"
"They are your family, you know."
"Don't you think I already know that! And they're even Jellicles!"
"You still haven't forgiven them have you?"
"How can I? They stood by and let my mother die!"
"You don't believe that! They did everything they could to save your mother. Even I, the Great Healer, could do nothing for her. When humans strike, they never know what damage they do."
I sit there, my head hanging down.
"Do you remember when you came to me after Ahroun's death? It took you some time to come to terms with yourself. Until you opened your eyes and saw the truth, you blamed yourself. I say enough of this self-pity! Was I that poor of a teacher?"
"No. It's just that…"
"You were barely experienced with the world when she died. And this is how you pay tribute to her memory? By hating everything she was and you are? You are a Jellicle and that can never change. Do not forget this! I don't want to have to come back and knock some sense into you!" Sensei sighs. "There is something more you do not know about the New York tribe. The human who shot your mother left the alley covered in scratches and fearing for his life. Several cats were severely injured but they kept the human from shooting a second time. A shot that would have killed you mother then and there. You should have seen his eyes when they all attacked at once! It brought back memories…" his attention fades off.
"Sensei?"
"Oh! What? They did everything they could to keep her alive long enough for her to speak to you one last time. Open your eyes and see the truth. Only then can you see things for what they truly are." Sensei fades away. "I will always be here for you…"
Now I'm left alone to my thoughts.
"Montalvo! I'm so glad you're safe!" Her purring is quite loud. "Come on, the others have gone back to the junkyard."
I tense up, "We're being watched!" I turn and look around. This is a little unsettling for her. "There!" I point.
"Macavity!" she yells and then bolts. Macavity just smiles and fades into the shadows. I turn and follow her lead.
"Where could he have gone?" Demeter sounds concerned.
"We've checked the northern and western areas. I saw Bombalurina head off to the South." Alonzo reports.
"He could be anywhere. Do you think he went east?" Munkustrap speculates.
"Nay, I saw him run by the station. After that, though…" Skimbleshanks trails off.
I clear my throat. They all jump and turn our way. "Thank the Heavyside!" Demeter rushes over to us and rather emphatically rubs both of us. She yawns, "Oh! Pardon me."
"I think it's time for bed. We've all had a long night." Says the yawning Protector of Kittens. We all agree and head to our separate beds. All except myself. I look around for a suitable place and see an old cabinet about half way up a junk pile.
"Munkustrap, is that cabinet vacant?" I point to it with my paw.
"Last time I knew it was. Pleasant dreams Montalvo. And welcome to our tribe." He moves off.
I climb the pile and find a small pillow inside. There's no smell of cat so I collapse and quickly doze off.
My dreams are troubled. It's a nightmare about mother's death. All the pain, all the sorrow, all the anger.
I feel myself floating. It's the dreamscape. Sensei brought me here several times but I never made it on my own. I see a cat coming towards me. "Mother!" I call, the word echoing…
