Sootaput's First Stand
I claim this Fan Fic in the name of France! Mine mine mine! If you want to click a link to it or alter it or anyhting you gotta E-mail me first!
The last few Jellicle cats cleared the junkyard as Munkustrap returned from assisting Deuteronomy home. Rum Tum Tugger lay sprawled on the back of an old Ford watching the sun rise. with a yawn he rolled over to face Munkustrap.
“Well that was a successful ball.” Munkustrap announced hopping onto the Ford and sitting next to his friend.
“If you call almost loosing Deuteronomy and getting your fuzzy gray butt kicked successful!” Tugger laughed.
“Mistoffelees got Deuteronomy back and I gave him just as much damage to that rat as he did to me!” Munkustrap countered.
“True. He got away again though.”
“He can’t escape forever. We’ll get him some day.”
“So what do you think of this Grizabella deal?”
“She was forgiven and now she’s in the Heaviside. What more do you want?”
“I still think Gus should have gone.”
A high pitched giggle erupted from the large pipe to Munkustap’s right. He sighed and awaited the tricksters entrance.
“Gus will get his chance, we cannot second guess Deuteronomy.”
Rum Tum grinned, “So when will it be wise Old Munkustrap?”
Munkustrap laughed as Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer made their entrance.
“Hey, Munkustrap! Tugger! Come see what we found!” Jerrie grinned and beckoned for them to fallow him.
“What?” Tugger asked with an evil grin. “A new job?”
Rumpelteazer hissed at Tugger and ran off through the pipe. Jerrie simple glared and followed his partner. Munkustrap gave a shrug and followed the tricksters while Rum Tum took his time to inspect a suddenly interesting rust stain on the car before following, expecting in his cocky way that they’d wait for him.
Jerrie lead them to a small clearing on the junk yard floor where a tied up plastic bag wiggled and squirmed. Carefully Munkustrap approached the bag and sniffed at it. Tugger loped up to the bag and swatted it with his paw. The reaction was a terrified hiss followed by more furious wiggling.
“What do you suppose it could be?” Rumpelteazer asked from behind Mungojerrie.
“It smells new...”Munkustrap announced.
“Why don’t you just open the bag?” Tugger snorted, sitting down with a bored flip of his tail.
Munkustrap glared at the lion like cat and pushed Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer out of the way. Taking one sharp claw he slashed a small hole in the bag and leaped backwards.
With a snarling hiss a small streak of black erupted from the plastic bag and disappeared under a pile of old cans.
“O-kay.” Tugger meowed, watching the pile of junk with curiosity.
Rumpelteazer stalked over to the pile of cans and meowed quietly. In return the strange creature mewed back at her.
“It’s a kitten!” she purred, returning to sit near her partner.
Munkustrap crawled quietly over to where the kitten hid and watched its eyes. The kittens bright eyes darted from cat to cat before resting on Munkustrap. With a strange little murr the kitten darted over Munkustrap and burrowed under Rum Tum Tugger, hiding under his legs in his long fur.
Rum Tum was on his toes, eyes wide. “Hey!” he cried. “What the?!”
Rumpelteazer fell over laughing as Mungojerrie snickered. Munkustrap shook his head and walked over to Tugger who was attempting to dislodge the kitten. The kitten, in turn, moved with him and hid in his fur.
“Hold still!” Munkustrap laughed. Unhappily Tugger stopped and stood on his toes. Munkustrap caught a flash of black fur from under his distressed friend who worried about his reputation.
Rum Tum looked between his from paws at the kitten poked its head out to smile up at him. The kitten had dark black fur and bright orange eyes. The tips of it’s small ears where white as well as a small spot on the top of her muzzle.
“Would you get out from under me!” he snarled.
With an unhappy hiss the kitten darted under Munkustrap instead. The kitten was much more visible since Munkustrap’s fur wasn’t as long.
As well as it’s ears and nose three of the kittens feet were a dirty white. The kitten looked angrily at Tugger who jumped onto a trash can looking upset and disgusted.
“Looks like a little Mistoffelees.” Mungo commented with a smile.
“What looks like a little me?” came Mistoffelees’ voice from behind Tugger. Tugger’s fur stood on end as he leapt off the trash can onto the ground in front of Munkustrap and the kitten.
“Sorry Tugger.” he sneered, delighting in the chance to humiliate the cat who collected more then his fair share of the female cats affections.
Munkustrap pushed the kitten out so Mistoffelees could see her and he walked a circle around the kitten who watched him with equal curiosity.
“Interesting.” the magical cat said at last. “Who’s is she?”
“Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer found it.” Munkustrap replied.
“Maybe Deuteronomy knows who it belongs too.” Rumpelteazer piped up.
“Perhaps.” mused Munkustrap. “Who’s up for a trip to Vicarage?”
Tugger stuck his nose in the air and stalked off, planning to return to the old car to soak up some rays. The kitten watched Tugger as he tromped away in a huff. With a strange little sneeze she stuck her nose in the air and stalked after Tugger.
Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer fell into helpless laughter as Munkustrap and Mistoffelees shook their heads and smiled.
“Tugger! Your going the wrong way!” Munkustrap called.
“What?” Tugger called over his shoulder.
“Vicarage is that way!” Mistoffelees grinned, pointing his nose in the other direction.
Tugger looked down and saw the kitten miming his every move. “Oh no! No! No! No! No! No! No! No!” Tugger spat at the kitten. “Get Mistoffelees to take it! I’m busy!” With a flip of his tail Tugger ran off faster then the kitten could fallow.
The kitten watched him run off, sat down, and started to yowl.
Mistoffelees grinned at the kitten and turned back to Munkustrap. “See you all later!” he purred and disappeared into the shadows.
Munkustrap turned to thank the Cat burglars but found they had already left. He then cringed as the kitten changed to pitch of its yowling to a higher, more annoying note.
“Enough!” Rum Tum yelled, erupting from the pipe to land in front of the kitten who immediately stopped and purred up at him.
“Why can’t you take it?!” he cried angrily at Munkustrap.
“It probably won’t go with me. Just take it Tugger! You just have to run fast!” with a laugh the gray cat disappeared.
Glaring at the kitten Tugger sniffed the air for other cats, picked the kitten up by the scruff and ran off.
~~~
Tugger managed to avoid the many cats that were out that morning, and narrowly missed being spotted by several Pollicles. The kitten hung limply in his jaws, content to be carried where ever they happened to be going.
Finally Tugger arrived at Vicarage and scanned the large walls for his leader. He soon spotted him lying on his back by the main gate. Quickly he climbed the wall and ran with the kitten, dropping it in front of Deuteronomy’s nose as soon as he could.
The kitten gave a surprised squeak as it was dropped and woke Deuteronomy. He looked at the kitten then at Tugger who was spitting tiny black hairs from his mouth.
“Well this is an interesting sight. What brings you to me carrying a kitten?” Deuteronomy asked quietly.
Tugger looked very ruffled and upset as he glared at the kitten. “Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer found it. Munkustrap wouldn’t take it so I had too!” he pouted.
“Well that’s very strange of Munkustrap!”
The kitten sniffed at Deuteronomy then sat between Tugger’s front paws and looked up at him adoringly.
Deuteronomy laughed. “Even the kittens love you, Tugger!” he grinned.
“Yes, well, we want to know who it belongs to so we can take it back.” he snorted and rolled his eyes.
Deuteronomy looked the kitten over then looked up at Tugger. “Where did they find her?”
“They found...her...in a plastic bag in the junk yard.” he replied.
“Then she is a stray, abandoned because the mother cat’s owner had no better idea.”
“Then we’re stuck with her.” he groaned.
“You have a home that would not welcome a kitten Tugger, take her to the junk yard and see if one of the strays will take care of her.”
Tugger frowned, hoping she would stay with the stray Jellicle he found. “What about her name?” he asked.
“Have you tried asking her?” the old cat grinned.
Tugger glared down at the kitten. “What’s your name?” he hissed.
“Sootaput!” she hissed back.
“Well there you have it Tugger. You can now escort young Sootaput back to the Junk Yard.”
Tugger groaned again and picked up the kitten. Hopping down off the wall he hurried back to the junk yard.
~~~
Alonzo grinned down at Sootaput. “Sure, I’ll take care of your kitten for ya!”
Tugger almost screamed, in a barely controlled voice he replied, “She’s not my kitten!”
“Sure!” Alonzo winked at Tugger and put a paw on Sootaput’s tail as he role model walked away steaming. Sootaput looked up at Alonzo and smiled.
“Well Sootaput? What would you like to do today?”
“Oh! Oh! Lets show her the ropes!” Pouncival bounced happily from on top of an old dishwasher.
“Yes! Let’s make her an official Jellicle cat!” Tumblebrutus agreed.
“What do you say Sootaput?” Alonzo asked the kitten, crinkling up his black and white nose.
Sootaput looked up at the three cats and smiled, “Jellicle cat!”
With a flip of their tails the cats lead the kitten through the junk yard to begin training.
~~~
Jellylorum and Jennyanydots sat on a pile of old mattresses talking quietly when Alonzo appeared. In a straight line the cats and kitten marched down a long pipe and stopped in front of the two.
“Who’s this?” Jellylorum smiled down at the kitten.
“Jelly. Jenny. I’d like you to meet Sootaput!” Pouncival announced showing the black kitten off. Jelly and Jenny nodded and the kitten did the same.
“Where ever did she come from?” Jenny asked.
“She’s Rum Tum Tugger’s!” Tumblebrutus snickered.
The two lady cats looked at each other and giggled.
“Tugger says he just ‘found’ her but I don’t believe him!” Alonzo told them.
“We’re showing her the ropes!” Pouncival announced proudly.
Jellylorum laughed. “Your ‘ropes’ will fill her head full of butterflies! Let us take care of her for a while!”
Alonzo looked quite offended. “There’s nothing wrong with butterflies! You two will fill her head full of classical music and needlepoint!” Pouncival and Tumblebrutus nodded in agreement.
“There is nothing wrong with needlepoint!” Jenny scolded them.
“She’s to young to learn needlepoint! If she gets into it she’ll grow bigger then Bustoffer Jones!” Tumblebrutus exclaimed.
As the cats fought over the importance of butterflies and needlepoint young Jemima came by. Catching wind of the conversation the cat snuck over to the kitten, rolling onto her back she purred at the kitten. Sootaput purred back at the older kitten and followed her as she went off to find Victoria. The other cats were totally oblivious to the kittens disappearance. Sootaput and Jemima found the white cat Victoria asleep on top of a broken down television. Victoria’s ears flitted slightly and she opened one eye to watch their approach. With a yawn and a stretch Victoria sat up and looked down at her friend and the kitten.
“Viccy. I’d like you to meet Sootaput.” Jemima announced sitting in front of the old television. Sootaput followed her lead and mewed up at the other cat. Victorian smiled and leaped off the television to land near them.
“Where did you find her?” Victoria asked with a purr.
Jemima giggled. “Alonzo and Jennyanydots were fighting over what was best to teach her. Butterflies or Needlepoint?”
Victoria smiled. “Why don’t we teach her what we know, Jemima? Before they know she’s gone!”
“Sure!”
So Jemima and Victoria began to teach her the story of the Jellicle Ball that occurred the night before. Just as they finished their tale the frantic calls of Alonzo could be heard. Jemima and Victoria giggled as the black and white ball of nerves turned the corner and spotted the three.
“Thank the Heaviside! You found her!” Alonzo jumped in circles and purred, running up against the two “saviors.”
“Where did she come from, Alonzo?” Victoria asked.
“Rum Tum Tugger gave her to me to take care of. I think she belongs to him but it’s only a rumor.” he replied, winking conspiratorially.
Sootaput rubbed up against Alonzo’s leg and yawned.
“I agree with Sootaput!” Tumblebrutus yelled from high on a pile of junk.
Victoria looked at Jemima and they both gave a nod. “We’d better get home. Take care Alonzo, Tumblebrutus, Sootaput. Say hello to everyone for us.” Jemima smiled and the two small cats slinked off to their homes.
Alonzo got Tumblebrutus to watch over Sootaput while he called off the search. Soon enough he returned with Pouncival at his side.
“Jenny and Jelly...” Alonzo began but Tumblebrutus silenced him with a wave of his tail. The tiny kitten was curled into a ball of deep sleep at Tumblebrutus flank. Pouncival and Alonzo grinned at each other then all three fell asleep in one large ball of purring fur.
~~~
Rum Tum Tugger prowled through the junkyard looking for cats that he knew. He already terrorized every Pollicle he could find. The woman in the house that he lived in had booted him out the door after he stomped kitty prints all over her letters. With an unhappy “Thwup” he had headed for the junkyard.
As he approached the old Ford which he so enjoyed lying on he heard the distinct “Creek, Creek” of an old rocking chair. Looking up he spotted Sootaput sitting on a rocking chair above him. The kitten rocked the chair back and forth, slowly causing the chair to fall.
All of Tugger’s fur stood on end as he climbed quickly towards the kitten.
Sootaput waved at him just before the chair gave way. As it began to fall she leapt towards a small pipe sticking out of a pile of junk ahead of her. Just before she reached the pipe he snatched her out of the air and landed on the dirty ground. Then he jumped put of the way before the broken chair fell on them both.
Realizing what he had just done Rum Tum spat the kitten out.
“What are you doing?!” came pouncival’s angry voice as he and his two companions climbed down from an old oven where they had been watching the kitten.
“Me?! She could have killed herself!” Tugger spat.
“She’s already done it three times Tugger! The added element of the chair falling was dangerous, true, but she would have made it, had you not interfered!” Alonzo announced, flipping his tail.
Tugger looked down at Sootaput who beamed proudly.
“She’s been doing very well.” Tumblebrutus said. “She can already walk on a wire and bounce on tires! We were just teaching her how to land properly.”
Tugger sighed and shook his head. “Your telling me that crazy stunt was some sort of training?!”
The three cats nodded enthusiastically.
“You weren’t trying to save this ‘annoying ball of fluff’, were you Tugger?” Alonzo grinned evily.
“Of course not! I happened to jump and accidentally caught her.” he said, tossing his nose in the air.
Alonzo looked at Pouncival, Pouncival looked at Tumblebrutus then all three fell over laughing. Sootaput pawed playfully at Rum Tum’s tail which twitched angrily. He hissed through his teeth at the trio and gave them each an angry nip, then stalked back to the old Ford.
Keeping to the shadows, for no other reason then practicing her latest lessons, Sootaput followed Tugger and watched him from beneath the remnants of a bed.
Tugger got comfortable on the back of the car, the suns rays had already begun to warm the metal. Just as his eyes began to droop Sootaput heard the approach of paws.
“Tuggy!” Ecetera the white and tan mottled cat cheered, leaping onto the trunk and purring for all she was worth.
Tugger rolled his eyes. “It’s Tugger! Not Tuggy!” he spat.
“You’ll always be my Tuggy!” he mewed, running her tail under his nose so he’s sneeze.
Sootaput watched the strange new cats actions warily before making her move. Winding her way among the trash she positioned herself behind Ecetera and waited. Finally Ecetera’s tail was in perfect position. With a snarling hiss Sootaput launched from her hiding place and sunk her needle sharp kitten teeth in Ecetera’s tail. Ecetera screeched in pain and surprise and attempted to dislodge what she thought to be a giant rat.
Rum Tum nearly choked himself laughing. “Sootaput! Let go, girl!” he managed to stutter between gasps.
Sootaput let go of the tail and stood in what she thought to be protective position in front of Rum Tum Tugger. In turn he began to laugh harder.
Ecetera licked at her poor tail and glared at the kitten. “What did I ever do to you?” she spat.
“Mine!” Sootaput hissed at Ecetera, sticking all her fur on end, resembling a black cotton ball.
Tugger gasped and wheezed till he finally calmed down enough to look at the two without laughing.
“Ecetera. This is Sootaput. Sootaput, Ecetera!” he snickered.
Sootaput glared at Ecetera and watched her every move.
“Nasty little thing.” Ecetera snorted.
“Oh come on Ecetera! She didn’t know that’s the way all you lady cats around me!”
Ecetera put on a pouty face. “Yah, but I’m your favorite!”
Tugger rolled his eyes. Sootaput hissed and tried to give a Tugger “Thwup.”
“Well then I’ll come back when your nasty little ball of hiss is away!” she pouted and stalked away unhappily.
“You do realize she’s gonna be very mad at me because of that little stunt.” Tugger said to the kitten who grinned like she just saved the world.
~~~
Email: jellicleball@hotmail.com
