#6 Bustopher Jones

"Ah, Bustopher," Jennyanydots sighed excitedly, gazing at the portly cat from across the junkyard. "Jelly, do you see who's here?" she called to her sister, who quickly scurried to her side.

"Oh, old Bustopher Jones, is it?" Jellylorum asked as Jenny pointed across the yard. She laughed at the starry look in her sister's eyes. "Jennyanydots, you still think he's wonderful? After what he did to the kittens?"

"Yes," she sighed, "I mean... what?"

"Mistofelees and Victoria. I don't blame him, he was heartbroken when Mira died, but he just left them here!"

"He brought them to the place where he knew they'd be safe." Jenny replied. She sighed again, unable to take her eyes off of the biggest and smartest tom of all.

"He never comes to the Jellicle Ball," Jellylorum reminded Jenny. "He always spends the night at Blimp's."

"You're right," Jenny said, finally coming to her senses. "Why is he here?" She looked around. "And where is Mistofelees? Victoria couldn't care less about her father, as long as she can dance. But Misto wonders why he left... I wonder where our little magician went."

"Check his pipe," Jellylorum replied. Jenny smiled her thanks, and set off in search of the magical little cat. She found him exactly where Jellylorum thought he'd be, crying in his sewage pipe.

"Misto," Jenny whispered, climbing into the pipe. The tiny black tom tried to wipe his tears, but they kept flowing. "Come, my dear." She wrapped her arms around him as he tried to stop sobbing.

"Why did he leave me here? Why is he back? He left us alone for so long," he cried. His attempts at staying strong failed with every tear that slipped down his white face.

"I don't know, my dear," Jenny whispered. "Perhaps he wants to make amends now."

"Do you think? Maybe I can use my magic to make him sorry!"

Jennyanydots laughed. "I don't know about that, but something could be done..." she grinned. "I have an idea. Just follow my lead."

She left the tube and went to the cats who were playing and singing. "Did you see who's here?" she asked the drummer cat, Aristophanes. He shook his head."Bustopher Jones! Here, play something fun, I want to sing to him," she said excitedly. The other cats rolled thier eyes, knowing how obsessed Jennyanydots was with "BJ" as she over-affectionately called the cat about town.

They struck up a rousing chorus, and she began to sing praises to the Brummel of cats. "Bustopher Jones is not skin and bones..."

"In fact, he's remarkably FAT!" Bombalurina added, and Jenny laughed. It seemed like the whole tribe was joining in the attempts to reunite Mistofelees and his father. Soon enough, Jenny caught Misto out of the corner of her eyes, gently rubbing his father's tail. Bustopher turned around and a light of recognition came into his eyes. Misto ducked out of his gaze, but he smiled for just a moment. Father.

Jennyanydots finished her song, as Bustopher plucked his boutenniere and gave it too her. She swooned, but not before she saw Bustopher give Mistofellees a hard pat on the back and an invitation to Hoxes'. All was well.

#5 Grizabella the Glamour Cat

"You see the border of her coat is torn, and stained with sand." Everyone could see the pain that she felt as she sang, but she whispered on. "You see the corner of her eyes twist... like a crooked pin." She could feel the stares on her back, and she whirled around, catching glimpses of Jennyanydots, Jellylorum, and her sons. The Tugger had shunned her, and now sweet Munkustrap stood between her and the tribe.

"Munk," she wanted to whisper. She looked up at his usually kind face, but it showed no signs of compassion towards her. He kept glancing around the tribe, first at his mate, then his brother. She shook her head, and began to walk on. She held her chin high, but she wanted to weep. Her own son! Her own son!

She heard words behind her, and they cut to the core. "The postman sighed as he scratched his head... You'd really have thought she ought to be dead!" Shame boiled inside of her at the painful reminders of her days with Deuteronomy and then the nights she spent with so many others. Her beautiful black coat was forever torn and ruined by the strange disease that had attacked her body. Pain wracked her body, and she was bent double with the force of it, but no one came to help her.... She was all alone, and feared she would be forever.

#4 The Rum Tum Tugger

"Meow." All the Cats stopped what they were doing and looked at each other, some in excitement, others with dread. The call was more like a growl than a hello, and it caused every queen there to melt, and several kittens, too.

The Tugger laughed to himself as they all crowded around him. Every queen wants me and every tom wants to BE me! he chuckled. They were all pawing at him at once, crying for a little bit of his attention. He walked, swaggered, rather, to the center of the junkyard, feeling like the Pied Piper of London. "Now, now, ladies," he said in his deep baritone voice. "There's more than enough of me to go around!" He backed away, looking for one queen in particular.

"Jemima, where's Bombalurina?" he asked the kitten, stroking her chin. She giggled.

"I don't know, she's not here yet," she sighed coyly. Tugger shook his head at the precocious kitten. She was sweet, but far to young for him. He stepped away, only to be blocked by Etcetera, who eagerly scratched at his leg.

"Cetty, what are you doing?" She squealed.

"Vicky, he spoke to me!" he could hear her say as she ran off in excitement.

Ah, this is the life, he thought. Here, I am a god!

"The Rum Tum Tugger is a curious... beast!" a deep alto whisper came through the hushed crowd. Tugger turned, and his heart skipped a beat. If it was possible, he held his head higher and walked with a bigger swagger towards his mate, who stood calmly on the other side of the junkyard. He ignored the sighs of disappointment that came from the girls, for he had eyes for one kitty only... Bombalurina.

He remembered the first time he met his Bomba. It was their first Jellicle Ball together, the first dance as eligible bachelors and bachelorettes. He had been rather annoyed at his brother, who was getting a lot of attention from Daddy, but not from the ladies. The only lady who wanted him was shy, quiet Demeter. Demeter was small, pretty, but she was so good. Good girls were no fun... But Bomba, she was fun...

**************************************************

"Hey, Tug!" Munkustrap called. "Tug, where's Mum?"

"How should I know?" Tugger called back. "Go look for her yourself."

"Tug, please." he sent his brother a pleading look, then turned back to the pretty little lady he was talking to. Old Deuteronomy sat up on the tire, watching his son with a pleased grin on his face.

"Munkustrap," he roared to his oldest son. "Come here, and bring Demeter." Munkustrap looked at the young queen anxiously, but obeyed.

"I hope I didn't get you in trouble, Dem," he whispered. She smiled in her usual shy way, beaming at him from beneath her long lashes.

"Munkustrap, you have chosen well." Old Deuteronomy smiled at his son happily. "Demeter is the one destined to be your mate."

The Tugger scoffed and turned around, disgusted. Stupid Munk, he gets everything! Papa's blessing, a cute girl... well... he glanced around at all the kittens who had surrounded him. So I get more girls than he does. Has Papa chosen a match for me? Of course not! Who am I? I am just the Tugger, Papa's disappointment.

"Well, if it isn't Mister Know-It-All." Tugger turned.

"Huh?" he said, then he suddenly realized that he was dead meat. Standing before him was the sexiest debutante he had ever seen. She was red from her head to the tip of her pointy tail, striped with black and white. She was a tall cat, almost as big as he was, but he failed to recognize her as she spoke in a husky whisper.

"Don't you remember me?" she asked, gracefully pushing her way through the crowd. He shook his head, speechless for the first time in his life. "Bombalurina," she said coyly, rolling the 'r' in her name and looking him in the eye with a look that would've brought any cat to his knees. "Remember? You told me two years ago that I was far too sweet for anybody. You told me to take a trip, and I did. Now I'm back."

The Tugger stood there in shocked silence. This cool and collected dame was nothing like the Bombalurina he remembered! She was gorgeous...

"Tugger!" a bark from his father recaptured his attention.

"Excuse me, Bomba," he stuttered. He sauntered over to where his father had just dismissed Munkustrap. "Yes?" he asked obediantly.

"I see you're becoming reaquainted with young Bombalurina." Tugger barely managed to nod. "Be careful," Old Deuteronomy warned. "She's fiesty."

"Yes, sir." Old D waved him off, and suddenly the Tugger realized that he wanted to have Bomba as his wife. He would have her... and, by the end of the night, he did.