Narcolepsy
Note: The nama, Malisa, I just discovered, is used my another Jellicle on the net. I am very sorry, but I did not steal it from her. I simply came up with it from looking up the word “evil”. I try not to make up the same names as others on the net, but this was pure accident. Malisa you will see is Macavity’s only daughter. If anyone on the net is names NeCavity, then I am very scared, because Trav and I came up with that before we even visited CATS on the net!
“I don’t believe this,” he mumbled to himself.
“What, sir?” a henchcat asked.
“Another Jellicle.”
“But I thought you wanted to be a Jellicle again?”
“I did. But… but no. It wouldn’t be right. I don’t like those… cats, if that’s what you call them.”
“Actually,yes, sir.”
“Where’s my daughter?”
“Malisa, you mean?”
“She’s the only daughter I have.”
“Well, as far as I know she’s in the throne room playing with NeCavity.”
“My nephew’s here and you didn’t inform me?”
“Oh yes. Last night, your dear nephew NeCavity appeared in the back of the Lairs.”
“I know that now, you moron! So now, he and Malisa are playing in the throne room?”
“All say, sir.”
“”What about Malisa fresh air trip?”
“Right now, sir.” The henchcat scuttled off towards the throne room, and Macavity dropped backwards into a pile of newspapers. He somehow wanted all the Jellicles banished but not dead. Unfortunately, death was the only way to get rid of them.
Macavity felt very alone wtihout his daughter. Malisa had been brought to him on a rainy night by God only knows who, left on his wet, stone front walk. He had loved her from that day on. And he’d continue, because he wanted nothing more except for Malisa—and her mother.
~*~
Malisa hit NeCavity upside his head. He scoked her hard in the shoulder. She hissed and leapt on him, pinning him to the stone floor.
“Malisa?” she heard her father’s voice call for her. She whipped around.
“Good afternoon, Father.”
“I thought Caltose was taking you for your fresh air trip?” she shook her head. “Oh, well… I see you’ve met NeCavity.”
“Yes Father. We’ve had lots of fun all day.
“Good. Malisa… do you… remember anything…about…your…mother?” Macavity managed to squeeze out the question.
“Yes Father, I do. She was very beautiful… sweet…”
“What did she look like?” Macavity asked excitedly.
Malisa thought for a moment. “I don’t remember.”
Macavity sighed. “It’s all right dear. We’ll know someday.”
“Yes Father, we will. I have faith in that.”
***************************************************************************
Munkustrap fell into the mud puddle all over again. Every single day this happened. Matty stood on Pouncival’s shoulders. They started to fall, and Munksutrap got wet.
But it was sweet in some way. Two kittens playing away.
“You two! I’m all mud!” Munkus said as he got up, wipe himself off.
“Where are you going?” Pouncival asked.
“Home.”
“And you can’t get mud on you?”
“I don’t like to.”
He walked the rest of the way to the Vicarage Wall. Demeter was waiting for him there. She flung her arms around him. But Munkustrap seemed a bit tired.
“Honey… did you ever mate with another cat besides me?” he asked uneasily.
“Not that I know of… why?”
“Because… I got a threat from Macavity… he’s looking for his kitten’s mother.”
Demeter’s eyes widened. “He has a kitten?”
“A little girl,” he nodded. “Named Malisa.”
“That’s a sweet name,” Demi said.
“It means evil,” Munkus said coldly.
“Still. It is a kitten. You don’t have to be so rude just because she’s Macavity’s.”
“The point is, he can’t find the mother.”
“So you automatically turn to me?” Demi sounded a little mad.
“You’re the first one I saw that it could have possible been. I was going to question Bombalurina and Exotica.”
“Exotica?”
“Demeter, where were you when she was dating the Mystery Cat? It must have been last year in the spring. But I remember. They broke up when he imprisoned her father.”
“Oh dear. But no, I don’t remember.”
“Well, he’s looking for the girl’s mother, and I know he’ll stop at nothing to find her. He’s probably thinking it either you, Bombalurina or Exotica.”
“I’m speechless. I’d have to see the kitten.”
“That can be arranged,” said a familiar voice from behind a pew.
“Macavity!” Demeter jumped. “What do you want?”
“My daughter’s mother, and that is all. You think you could be the mother?”
“No. I think I’d know if she were my kitten. But I’d like to see her anyway.”
“Like I said, I can arrange that. Tomorrow afternoon you may come in.” Macavity glanced at Munkustrap. “Alone. Bring anyone, and you won’t see her. And I mean it.” And with that, Macavity whirled around and disappeared.
Munkustrap refused to let her go alone. “He could rape you or something horrible…”
“Munkustrap! Won’t you let me alone for more than five seconds?”
“I do. Everyday when I leave to do my work outside… but not with Macavity.”
“You treat him like he’s a heartless alien from No Man’s Land.”
“He is to us. And if anything ever happened to you… After all, Macavity suspects you’re his daughter’s mother… he’d try anything to get you back.”
“Maybe. But I can deal with him alone. I want to see her. What if she is my daughter? I want her to know that I’m there and able to protect myself.”
“But you said she wasn’t. You said that you never—“
“—That I know of. Listen, whether she is or not, I want to go alone.”
“No. Absolutely not. It’s my duty to protect the Jellicles.”
“Yes. It is. But not shadow them. Even if they do go in Mac’s lairs. Because it’s private business.”
“You’re my wife!”
“And Mac’s my ex-boyfriend! So what? Mac doesn’t shadow me when I come here!”
“You live here!”
“That’s not the point!” Demeter was yelling now. “I don’t want you to go.”
“I don’t care!”
Demeter snapped backwards in shock. “What? You don’t-- care? You don’t care what I want? Munkustrap?” she said meeker.
“What?”
“I’m leaving!” she announced quickly. She dashed off, zig-zagging so he couldn’t follow her, headed straight for Macavity’s Lairs.
As she stepped in the cold, damp, dark lairs, she immediately saw Macavity’s yellow eyes glowing brightly.
“Is anyone with you?” he asked before he allowed her into the dimly lit area.
“No. I stopped Munkustrap from following, so you better be telling the truth Macavity. This better be to see your daughter.”
“And your daughter.”
“What are you talking about?” Demeter asked almost angrily. “I never mated with you. I had no part in you whatsoever. I only have mated with Munkustrap, in which we had fourteen kittens.”
“Now you should know that’s not true.”
“It is! I think I would know if I had my own kitten.”
“But you didn’t.”
“Explain that to me. Mother has kittens and never finds out until ex-lover decides to inform her. Yeah, makes a ton of sense.” Demi became sarcastic.
“Do you want to see her?”
“Yes, of course. But how could she be my daughter?” Demeter said, cooling off.
“You’ll see,” Mac said with a grin. “Malisa dear. Come here.”
“Yes father?” a large kitten, about the size of Jemima, scampered out from the darkness. “Wow. She’s pretty,” Malisa said in awe. “Who is she, Pop?”
“This might be your mommy.”
“Oh, really, Pop?”
The kitten was very adorable. She was black with yellow streaks here and there. Demeter admitted to herself that she looked somewhat like herself… but no. She couldn’t be Demi’s kitten. Mothers don’t just forget the pain they go through to bring a kitten into the world.
“Does she look like your mother?”
“I don’t know. I only remember she as pretty.”
“No,” Mac said.
“Huh?” Demeter looked confused.
“No. You never saw you’re mother. I remember quite accurately.”
“What are you talking about? I’m sorry, honey, but I am not this child’s mother!”
“Yes you are!”
“How!?”
“It’s hard to explain really…”
“But Mac, this can NOT be my child! I’m telling you she can’t, and she can’t!”
“Don’t fight this. She is. Please, just believe me.”
“How?” Demeter asked. “How can I trust you?”
Macavity looked ashamed. “Because I swear that this is your daughter or all the blood in my body deserves to be drained from me.” Demeter knew he looked serious. But Mac had always been a good actor.
Before Mac could say another word, Munkustrap burst from the shadows into the light.
“Munkustrap!” Demeter hissed in surprise, almost like she did when she heard Macavity.
“Back off Macavity!” Munkustrap ordered.
“Munkus, please—“
“Demeter!” he hissed. “Just stand away.”
“Why? This is my home!” Macavity said. “And further more, there is a young kitten presenet.” He motioned to Malisa, hovering behind her father in fear.
“He wasn’t kidding,” Munkustrap said in awe.
“Now look what you’ve done! I told you not to come!”
“But Demeter—“
“Oh shut up!” Demeter snapped. Munkustrap backed off in surprise. Demeter had enver spoken to Munksutrap with such meaning and anger and seriousness. He could see she was very unhappy with him.
“I’m just trying to protect you—“
“Maybe so,” Macavity said, his voice rasping now. “But who’ll protect you?” Macavity turned to the darkness, hugging his daughter. “Go. Both of you. I don’t want to see anymore, and I don’t want Malisa to deal with you two. If Demeter can not come here and control her temper, then I shall find Malisa another mother.”
Demeter glared angrily at Munkustrap. With pure feirceness, she stormed out. Munkustrap quickly followed.
“How could you?” she shouted. “What if that really is my daughter?”
“But it’s not! You said so yourself!” Munkustrap retorted.
“What is that worth to you?” Demeter said.
“Demi!” he followed her. “Please!”
“I can’t believe you did that! Didn’t you see the fear in the kit’s eyes? Have you no heart?”
“I do, but Demi—“
“There’s no excuse for your behavior. You are the leader. Yo should know everyone’s equal. Macavity and Malisa did not deserve the way you treated them. And until then”, she pulled on a sweater, “I don’t want to see you.”
“Where are you going?” Munkustrap called after her.
“The classical tale—to my sister’s.” Munkustrap’s mouth dropped as his one-and -only walked out on him.
He wondered if Demeter was right. That he shouldn’t have marched right in to Mac’s only home and ordered him to stand back. But he was only trying to protect her. He never meant to hurt her.
But what if Malisa really was her daughter? And Macavity was the father? That meant Demeter had mated with him, and had been leading him on all this time.
But that certainly could not be so. Demeter wouldn’t lie to him. But she wouldn’t leave him alone either, and she did that.
He sighed. He wondered about the young queen that had huddled so close in her father’s fur, obviously seeking protection. Could the Napoleon of Crime be World’s #1 Dad, too? Malisa had seemed to close to him, and not once did he strike her, like he had previously done to his accomplices, such as Mungojerrie and Mistoffelees (see his life story). But Malisa was his own flesh and blood. Not even Mac could beat his own kitten.
Meanwhile, Demeter was crying. “I shouldn’t have left!” she wailed. “I miss him!”
“There, there. You and I should know that toms are rats,” Bombalurina tried to comfort her.
“But not Munkustrap.” She sniffled. “He was my only tom…”
“Oh there, there. You’ll be back together. He just needs to understand what he’s done wrong.”
“But what if I’m the one who’s wrong? What if I was wrong to blow up… he was just trying to protect me—“
“Now you’re fighting yourself. You can’t give in. You must stand for what you believe in. He had no right to barge into your personal affairs, after you strictly told him you did not want him to follow.”
“I know, but now look what happened?!” Demeter put her head in Bomby’s fur, reminding her of when they were kittens.
“Please try to be calm. He’s probably ready to come running, begging for your return.”
“Munkustrap’s not like other toms,” Demi said. “He won’t. He’s too strong. He’ll find a way to move on.”
“He won’t be able to move on without you.”
“He has before.”
“When?”
There was no reply.
“Well, then, you best get some sleep. Jellicles need rest.”
Bombalurina was right. Unfortunately, Demeter might never wake up.
To be continued...
Part 2
