Sillabub and her twin sister Jemima were lying in the sun, drinking the warmth. "It's so good just to lie around doing nothing." Jemima said. She was the kitten of the moon, for she always understood what it said to her and sang to it often, like Moonlight, turn your face to themoonlight, let your memory lead you, open up enter in. If you find there, the meaning of what happiness is, then a new day, will begin...
Sillabub, the exact opposite, was the kitten of the sun. She understood it also, and sang to it:
Daylight, see the dew on a sunflower, and a rose that is fading, roses wither away. Like the sunflower, I yearn to turn my face to the dawn, I am waiting, for the day...
Sillabub had a mate, as Jemima did not. Jemima didn't care. As long as she lived ( Which for Jellicle cats, was forever), she would always feel older than the other cats. She understood the ways of living and the secrets held in life itself. Sillabub was always going to feel older also, with the sun having told her everything. Sillabub was a sun colored calico, while Jemima was a moon shade of calico, with a little dark magenta and black in it.
Sillabub was just about to fall asleep when Sillabie pounced on her. Auntie Silly, Auntie Silly, tomorrow's my first Jellicle Ball! I'm so excited!" Meowed the little kitten named after her. Etceterina came up next. She was the more quiet and drawn kitten of the two. They were sisters, found by Etcetera, given to Rumpleteazer, whose Mom got killed by Macavity, the evil cat.
"Hi, Auntie Sillabub." Etceterina purred. She was named after Etcetera, the cat who found them, Sillabub's best friend, except for Jem, of course.
"Are you excited, Etceterina? About your first Jellicle Ball? Do you think you'll be picked to go to the Heaviside Layer?" Sillabub joked. She loved them both, but she had to admit, Etceterina was a little more on her favorite side. Etceterina giggled. She always could open up to her Auntie Sillabub.
Finally, Rumpleteazer and Mungojerrie came running up. "Come on you two, stay with Jemimus and me. Do you want to go 'ome?" She asked them. Sillabie shook her head forcefully. "Okay, you can stay a little while longer and play with Silly's kitten's." Sillabub and Mistoffelees had five kittens, Orion, Andromeda, Pouncemejerrie, Bombrina, and Enigamat.
That night, it started raining and couldn't stop. Victoria and Plato were fighting outside their home. "Listen, you don't care about me. All you care about is the money my owners have." Victoria screamed. She did not know it, but Jennyanydots was hearing the whole thing.
"I'm so sorry, Vicki, please just let me try again! I'll try harder this time! Just let m-"
"No! Go away!" Victoria pushed him out the door into a big puddle. She slammed the door. The puddle, Plato thought, was deeper than a puddle, more like a lake! He swirled and lifted his paw up into the air as the puddle swallowed him.
Jenny ran to go get help. When she cold fine no one to help her, she got up all the strength she could and dove into the puddle. She emerged carrying Plato, half drowned. He was unconscious, but breathing. She ran to her chamber to fix him.
Victoria looked out the window, "I killed him" she murmured. "I've committed murder!". She looked at herself in the mirror as hate drew into her face. "How could I have done such a thing! I've killed an innocent Jellicle cat!" Victoria took one more look at herself and ran out the door.'
Plato was finally awake, but he could remember nothing. "Who's Victoria?" He asked. "Why did I fall into a puddle?" Jenny had a forlorn look on her face. He will never know who his mate is, and she is probably somewhere thinking she killed him. Jenny thought.
Victoria stumbled along the pebbly road, not catching her balance, just running as fast as she could. "I've got to get away" she said to herself, blindly meandering along the road.
"Am I supposed to know who this girl is? Why don't I remember? This is so confusing and frustrating." Plato cried desperately. Jenny just shook her head.
Sillabub, Misto, and their kittens were over at Jemima's chamber eating caviar and Strasbourg Pie when Jenny came running in with the news. "Plato, can't remember.. Vick i...gone ...I ... ugh." She sputtered.
"Okay, try it again." Jemima whispered. She stared into her face interpreting. She knew exactly what she was going to say. The moon sang it to her last night.
"All right. Vicki and Plato, got into a fight, she pushed him in a puddle, Plato nearly drowned, I saved him, Victoria is gone! She thinks she killed him!" Jenny breathlessly gave out a sob. "and the worst is yet to come. Plato doesn't know where he is, what a Jellicle cat is, WHO VICKI IS!!!"
Sillabub gasped. "Oh no, we must go find her!" She ran out the door, with the rain still pouring. Jemima sighed. She just cares so much, she thought, and ran after her.
The rain had finally stopped, and Jemima and Sillabub were still looking for Victoria. She was no where to be found.
Victoria heard someone call her name. It was Jemima and Sillabub! They must be looking for her for the death sentence. She hid behind a box and ignored them.
"Jemima, give up! She's long gone by now." Sillabub said. Jemima could sense that she was near, but she couldn't find her.
Back at Jenny and Skimbleshank's chamber, all of the cats were looking over Plato. "Don't you remember who I am?" Everybody asked. Plato yowled desperately. "I'm sorry I don't know who you are! Please forgive me!" He put his head in his paws and wept.
That night, while everyone was asleep, Plato sneaked out of the chamber. He walked for hours, not sure where he was. He decided to go back, but when he turned around, he could not remember.
He walked for the rest of the night, until morning, when he heard a sniffle. "Hello?" He called out. "Is anyone there?" He looked behind a big box and there was Victoria. She was shivering. "Excuse me, would you mind telling me your name?"
"Victoria." She sobbed.
"That's a nice name." He nodded his head. All of a sudden, the white cat looked up.
"Plato? Is that you? I thought you died? I love you sooo much!" Victoria hugged him all over. Plato looked at her like she was an unknown cat. "Don't you recognize me?"
Plato shook his head. "I'm sorry, Miss, you must be thinking of the wrong person."
"I'm not!" She screamed.
Plato was about to run away when he heard the sweet soprano of Jemima:
Moonlight, turn your face to the moonlight, let your memory lead you, open up enter in. If you find there, the meaning of what happiness is, then a new life, will begin...
And Sillabub joined in:
Daylight, see the dew on a sunflower, and a rose that is fading, roses wither away. Like the sunflower, I yearn to turn my face to the dawn, I am waiting, for the day...
Plato stared at Victoria curiously, just as the two planet kittens sang together:
Sunlight through the trees in summer, endless masquerading like a flower, as the dawn is breaking the Memory, is fading...
Touch me! It's so easy to leave me, all alone with the memory, of my days in the sun. If you touch me, you'll understand what happiness is.Look, a new day, has begun...
"Oh, Victoria," Plato finally said. "I'm so sorry. I couldn't remember anything until now." He began to lick her ear.
"I'm sorry too. If I wasn't so snobby, I would have not yelled at you so, you do care about me, Plato, and I am grateful for that." Victoria apologized.
All of a sudden, Jenny came running up. "Time for the Jellicle Ball!" She announced.
The kittens squealed and Sillabie ran over to Sillabub. "I'm so excited!"
The tribe was quiet when Old Dueteronomy christened the kittens. "Pouncemejerrie, with the skill of humor, Sillabie, with the skill of cheerfulness, Etceterina, with the skill of listening, Bombanya, with the skill of the stars..." The list went on and on. A lot of kittens were born that year. And a lot will be born this coming one. Sillabub and Jemima smiled at each other.
