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Summary: (Courtesy of Ratha) What do you do with a half-Jellicle cat? The Jellicles in the Junkyard find out... (Based on my BTJ)
Part one: The Stranger
Mistoffolees was walking along the Junkyard fence one evening, when he saw a strange cat sniffing at an overturned trashcan. Curious, he crept closer. It was a female, he could tell that much. But she was so skinny and dirty that he couldn't tell much else. She almost reminded him of Grizzabella before she left. Just then, the cat looked up and started in fear. She looked at Mistoffolees with fearful eyes.
"Wh-who are you? Are you going to chase me away, too?" she asked fearfully.
There was something appealing in the almost kittenish way she asked. He shook his head."No. I don't plan to." Then, in an atempt at humor, "Unless you want me to." He immediately wished he hadn't when he saw her face. "What's your name?"
She instantly became suspicious. "Ratha. Why?"
"I'm just curious."
There was a sudden mischeivious gleam in Ratha's eyes. "Nice to meet you, Just Curious."
Mistoffolees laughed. "No, my name is Mistoffolees. I was just curious about your name."
"You should have said so!"
"Why are you here?" he asked.
Ratha's face fell. "I'm not welcome anywhere else."
"Why not?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Oh, ok. I'll take you to see Munkustrap."
"Uh...ok." She added under her breath, "Maybe I'll be accepted here."
"What?"
"Nothing!" she answered, a little too quickly.
Mistoffolees was suspicious. She's hiding something, he thought. But what?
As they walked, Mistoffolees casually asked, "So, what's your Jellicle tribe?"
Ratha froze. "It's in another town. I was chased away," she finally answered.
"Why?"
She looked at the ground. "It's a long story."
When they found Munkustrap, he wasn't in a very good mood. "What is it, Misto?"
"Well, I met this cat and I brought her to meet you. She's a Jellicle from another town, but she says she was chased away."
That got Munkustrap's attention. "Oh? Where is she?"
Mistoffolees moved aside. "Here. Her name is Ratha."
Ratha had been nervously eyeing the other cats come out. She turned to Munkustrap.
"Is something wrong?" he asked.
"N-no. Not really."
Mistoffolees rolled his eyes. "Here we go again," he muttered.
Munkustrap glared at him. When he turned back to Ratha, he saw her edging towards a car, away from the other Jellicles. He frowned, then shrugged. "If you want to stay, Ratha, you can stay with Electra. She'll help you get settled in."
Ratha stared at him with an unbelieving look, then shook herself. "Which one is Electra?"
As if hearing her, a pretty calico came trotting up.
Munkustrap shook his head, chuckling. "Between you and Misto, I don't know who is more the mind reader."
"Huh? Oh! You mean you wanted to talk to me? I wanted to know who this is."
"This is Ratha. She's from another town, and I want you to help her get settled in."
"Ok." She turned to Ratha. "Come on. I'll take you to my place."
As Electra and Ratha walked off, Munkustrap said, thoughtfully, "She's hiding something."
"You're telling me," Mistoffolees replied.
Part two: She's hiding something...
The next day, Ratha and Electra were sitting on the trunk of an old car. Electra was telling Ratha about the Jellicles in the Junkyard.
"Now, who is this Skimbleshanks? Which one is he?" Ratha asked.
"Skimbleshanks lives on the train."
"Oh. So, he wouldn't be here then. Who is that?!" She had just seen the weirdest black cat she had ever seen.
"Who? Oh, him! That's Rumpus Cat. He's a little nutty when it comes to fighting the Pekes."
Ratha smirked. "What does he do? Make them laugh to death?"
Electra laughed. "You are so funny!" She collapsed into giggles.
Just then, Mistoffolees walked by. "What did you say to her to get her to laugh, Ratha? She hasn't laughed this much since Rum Tum Tugger turned her down for one of the others!"
Ratha put on an innocent look. "I just asked how Rumpus Cat fights the Pekes. Do they laugh to death when they see him?"
Now Mistoffolees started laughing. Ratha looked on, smugly.
When Mistoffolees had left, and Electra had finally stopped laughing, Ratha contiued her questioning. "I heard one of the others mention a cat named Macavity. Who is he?"
Electra was silent for a moment, then replied, "Macavity is nobody's friend. He is a sort of maniac. No one talks to him."
"Oh. What is so special about Mistoffolees?"
"He's magical."
"Magical? As in, 'I like him' magical? Or is he really magical?" Ratha teased, then ducked Electra's annoyed cuff.
Later, Ratha was wandering around the Junkyard, when she saw a cat that she hadn't seen before. She watched him, and was curious about what he was doing. He seemed to be searching for something.
"Did you lose something?" she asked. The other cat jumped and whirled around to face her.
His expression was guarded when he saw her. "Who are you?"
"I was going to ask you the same thing. I'm Ratha. I just got here."
He was silent for a moment. Then, "So you must not have heard of Macavity?"
"You're Macavity?"
"Then you have heard of me. Tell me, did your 'guide' tell you I was crazy?"
"She said you were sort of."
"'Sort of '? Hah! I'm crazy through and through!"
"You don't look like it."
"Really? What makes you say that?"
"You look like a lonely cat without any friends that everyone fears, but don't want to admit it."
"You think so?"
"Yes. At least I'm not afraid of you."
"You're right about me. I act crazy because everyone expects me to, and because I don't have any friends."
"Why worry about what the others think? You're you and nobody else. You're trying to be something you're not."
"So are you."
"What?!"
"I know about you. I know your secret." Macavity grinned at Ratha's astonishment.
"H-how do you know?"
"I have my ways. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Friends are supposed to keep each other's secrets."
"I'd better go before Electra starts looking for me. I'll see you here tomorrow?"
"You can count on it."
Electra looked up as Ratha trotted up. "Hi, Ratha. I was just getting ready to look for you. Where were you?"
"Just wandering around. What's up with the guys?"
"Munkustrap called an urgent meeting. Something about a pack of Pekes nearby."
"Pekes? What are they doing back? Didn't they get chased away?"
"These are different Pekes. They came from the other side of town."
"Where is Tugger going?"
"To find Rumpus, probably."
"I'm going to get closer. I want to know what's going to happen."
"Ratha-" But Ratha had already leaped away.
She crept closer until she could hear what Munkustrap was saying.
"I don't know where these Pekes were hiding, but I saw them three blocks away."
"Three blocks?!" another cat yelled. Ratha thought it might be Tumblebrutus. "How could they have gotten that close without us noticing them?"
"I don't know. All I know is that these Pekes aren't going to be easy to beat. We need someone who can help us chase them away."
Ratha saw a opportunity and took it. "Why don't I go?"
There was immediate silence. All the other cats turned and stared at Ratha. Electra groaned.
"Why don't I go?" Ratha asked again.
Admetus spoke up. "You can't go."
"Why not? Because I'm a female? Or because you don't trust me?"
"Ratha--" Electra hissed.
Munkustrap scowled. "Ratha. This isn't a stroll through the park. These Pekes are worse than the ones we fought last time. You--"
Ratha glared at him defiantly. "If you tell me I can't go, I'll go without your permission!"
Munkustrap sighed in defeat. "It seems I don't have any choice. Go ahead, but if you get caught, don't blame me."
Ratha looked at Electra in triumph, then leaped away.
Part three: The Pekes...
Just as Ratha reached the Junkyard fence, a black shape rose up in front of her. She bit back a scream when she saw who it was. "Mistoffolees!"
He grinned. "At your service."
"Yeah, right!"
"I heard about your 'talk' with Munk. I'm sure he's biting his paw in frustration right now."
"He probably is. Do you know where I might start looking for the Pekes? I forgot to ask."
"Why not try the alley two buildings away?" another voice asked.
Mistoffolees yelped in fright. "Macavity!"
Ratha looked at the shocked cat and laughed. "Thanks, Macavity!"
Mistofolees looked at Ratha in surprise. Ratha just laughed again and leaped over the fence. Macavity had disappeared, too. Mistofolees shook his head in confusion.
Ratha reached the alley that Macavity told her about, and cautiously looked around the corner. What she saw frightened her. There were over fifty Pekes, all arguing about something. Ratha listened and could just barely hear the Pekes.
"Those cats aren't going to give us much trouble when they see our numbers!" one Peke boasted. "They'll probably give up without a fight!"
"When will we attack?" another Peke yelled.
The Chief Peke answered. "Tonight. Those cats will be dog food!"
Ratha had heard enough. She turned to leave and came face to face with an ugly black muzzle. "Oops."
The Peke growled and prepared to attack her when a shape came hurtling down from a fire escape and landed on the Peke. Ratha shrank back as the cat and the Peke fought wildly. Then she heard the other Pekes coming.
"Run, Ratha!" the cat yelled.
"You can't handle them alone!"
"Neither can you! Now run before I make you run!"
"But, Macavity-"
"GO!"
"Good luck!" Ratha ran back to the Junkyard to warn the others.
Part four: Macavity needs help...
Ratha reached the Junkyard and leaped over the fence. She ran until she saw Munkustrap arguing with Rumpus and Tuger about where the Pekes were.
"Munkustrap! I found them! They're in an alley two buildings away!" Ratha yelled as she slid to a stop in front of Munkustrap. "We've got to go--"
"What's the hurry?" Tugger asked.
"They're going to attack tonight. But we've got to attack them now!"
"So? We'll attack them then."
"No! You don't understand! There's a cat fighting them and he needs our help!"
Munkustrap looked up. "Who?"
"Macavity! We've--"
"What?!" Both Tugger and Rumpus were startled, and maybe a bit jealous.
"Macavity? That lunatic deserves what he gets!" Munkustrap turned to walk away and was startled when Ratha leaped in his path and snarled at him.
"What if it were Mistoffolees or even Tumblebrutus that were trying to stop the Pekes and hold them off long enough for the scout to get back to warn the others? Or are you so idiotic to see that?" You could have heard a pin drop in the silence that followed.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me. Or am I going to have to drag you down there by the scruff of your neck to show you?"
"Since when do you get off telling me what to do?"
"When you stopped listening after the words 'Macavity needs help'! And if you don't do something to help, then I'll save the Pekes the trouble of killing you!"
Munkustrap stared at Ratha in surprise. Mistoffolees broke the silence.
"She's right, Munk. Macavity is as much a part of the tribe as the rest of us."
"Oh, all right. Let's go."
Ratha sighed in relief. "We'll need everyone, including the other females."
Munkustrap glared at her. "Don't push it."
"We will. There were over fifty Pekes in the alley."
"In that case we will. Electra, get the other girls and tell them to meet us near the alley two buildings away."
Electra scurried off, too startled to ask why. As the cats headed to the alley, Tugger walked by Ratha.
"Why are you so intent on helping Macavity?"
"Wouldn't you if he saved your life?"
"Good point." Then, he looked at her slyly. "You sure it's not more than that?" He ducked to avoid her angry cuff and ran to the back of the group.
They reached the alley just in time to see Macavity get thrown against a wall.
"Nooo!" Ratha yelled and leaped foward.The other cats followed.
The fight that followed was furious. Soon, all the Pekes were either killed or chased away. At first, everyone wanted to leave right away, but Ratha wouldn't move. Finally, Tugger told her he'd carry Macavity back. He was startled when she gave him a quick hug in thanks, which caused a lot of catcalls. Grumbling in embarrassment, Tugger carried Macavity back to the Junkyard. When they got back, Tugger lay Macavity on the ground near his house, then took off.
"Ok, Macavity. Everyone is gone," Ratha laughed.
Macavity opened one eye. "How'd you know?"
Ratha smirked. "I would have done the same thing to Tugger. By the way, thanks for saving my life."
"What are friends for?"
"You sure it's not more than that?"
Part five: The secret revealed...
Later, Ratha found Electra alone.
"Electra? There's something I need to say--"
"Oh? That you like Macavity? Or is it something worse?"
"Nevermind! You're not the one I should tell anyway. Where's Munkustrap?"
"He's over by the old tire."
Ratha found Munkustrap and Mistoffolees by the tire. "I...uh...owe you guys an explanation..."
The two cats waited.
"When I told you that I was from a Jellicle tribe from another town, I wasn't telling the whole truth. You see, my father was a Jellicle; but my mother wasn't. He didn't find out until after I was born. So I'm only half Jellicle."
Mistoffolees looked at Munkustrap. "I told you she'd tell us the truth eventually."
"Ok. So you were right again."
Ratha hung her head. "If you're going to chase me away, you'd better start now."
Munkustrap stared at her. "Chase you away? Why?"
"Because I'm only half Jellicle. That's why my father's tribe chased me away."
Mistoffolees smiled. "Ratha, you're not the first cat that we've met and like that wasn't Jellicle. Or, in your case, half Jellicle. There was one cat that wasn't even a bit Jellicle, and he stayed for a while, until he left of his own accord. You're half Jellicle, which is more than what he was. So why not stay? Besides, it's your father's tribe's loss and our gain that you ended up here."
"Really? You mean I can stay?"
Munkustrap laughed. "I don't see why not. Besides, I've already spoken to Old Deuteronomy about it. He said you could stay."
"I can't wait to tell Macavity!"
"So, it isn't Tugger that you liked! It's Macavity!"
Ratha laughed. "Who else? He was the only one here that was literally an outcast among his own poeple, too." She ran off in excitement.
"She has a point, Munk." Mistoffolees whispered.
"Oh, go chase your tail," Munkustrap growled good naturedly.