Mistoffelees’ body went into a spasm. Looking straight up, his mouth stayed open from his scream, but nothing else came from it. Victoria started to run to him, but Magilla held her back.

"Mistoffelees!" she yelled. Old Deuteronomy suddenly let go of him and stepped back. Falling to the ground, Mistoffelees was crying. Victoria, along with Cassandra and Magilla ran to his side. Looking at his hands like he’d never seen them before, Mistoffelees whispered,

"No." Then, louder. "No! No! No!" over and over again, unable to stand. Rum Tum Tugger and Alonzo pulled the three girls away from him.

"No! No!" he yelled, looking up at Old Deuteronomy. "No. You’ll destroy me. I can’t live without my powers! Give them back! No!"

"You will get them back when Macavity is defeated. But right now, you must fight!" Using Mistoffelees’ powers, Old Deuteronomy dropped the floor of the cage. Falling, Macavity landed not to far from where his son lie. Standing up, Macavity walked over to him.

"Well, well, well, I always knew this day would come." Macavity said to him, kicking him in the side.

"Ahh!" Mistoffelees cried in pain.

"You see, you don’t have your powers anymore. But I am not the fool you are. I still have mine. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

He bent down low to look his son in the face. "You poor thing. Just look at you. Lying there, drained of your powers, I really thought you were smarter than that, Mistoffelees. But no. You are just as stupid as Alonzo!" Standing back up, Macavity kicked him again. Rum Tum Tugger held Alonzo back.

"You take after your mother." Macavity went on. "Remember what Barvormont used to call you? Dame? Maybe he was right. Maybe my youngest son is really a girl. I sure wouldn’t be surprised." After being kicked hard a third time, Mistoffelees felt his strength coming back. Looking up at Macavity, he said,

"You demon. You filthy murderer. I’ll kill you. I’ll kill you!"

Macavity laughed and started to walk away.

"Hhhiiiissss!" Mistoffelees jumped onto Macavity’s back, hissing in hatred.

"Rrraawwrr!" The two cats fell to the ground, in deadly combat. Suddenly Macavity pinned Mistoffelees to the ground. Holding his shoulders to the ground, the demon said,

"I’ll make you a deal. If you win, I will never come around here again. If I win, you don’t get your powers back. Deal?"

"Deal." Mistoffelees spat at him. Then, in a quick side motion, he flipped them over! Now it was Mistoffelees pinning Macavity!

"You may be a sly cat, and you may be bigger and more experienced than me, but you have always lacked cleverness."

Macavity conjured up a handful of ashes and threw it in Mistoffelees’ face! Crying out in pain, Mistoffelees fell back, scraping at his eyes. Rising up onto his feet, Macavity looked down on his pain-racked son. Blinking out ash, Mistoffelees looked up at the blurry figure that was his father. Then, swinging his legs around, Mistoffelees kicked Macavity’s legs right out from beneath him! Rolling back around, Mistoffelees jumped up onto him.

"Macavity, you killed my mother, you captured my brother, and you killed my best friend. If I were any other cat, I’d finish you off right here. But I’m not like them. And I’ve seen enough death in my life. So, I will tell you now, go. Leave this alley. Leave this town. And never, show your face around here again. Because if you do, well, I might not be as nice then. And I will have my powers. So leave. Take all of your henchmen. Take my brother Barvormont. But take only that. And stay as far away as you can. Because, I can find you whenever I want." Mistoffelees looked up at Magilla. Then, standing up, he stuck out his hand to Macavity. Taking it, he stood up. Then, as he started away, Mistoffelees called after him.

"Tell Mendocino, I miss him."

The cats watched Macavity snake away. Then, walking up to him, Victoria kissed Mistoffelees. As if breaking a spell, all the cats were suddenly all running up to Mistoffelees, some wanting to see if he’d been hurt, some just wanting to touch him. Then, as if just then remembering it, Mistoffelees walked up to Old Deuteronomy. Holding his hands out, Old Deuteronomy grasped them. As the magic flowed back into Mistoffelees, his body shown like the sun. Then, breaking contact, he turned to look at all the other cats.

"Lady’s and gentlemen," Rum Tum Tugger said so everyone could hear. "The magical, the marvelous, Mr. Mistoffelees!"

A loud cheer went up around them.

"I know I’m no Munkustrap," Mistoffelees said. "But I can do my best." And with that he started to sing.

"Jellicle Cats meet once a year

At the Jellicle ball where we all rejoice

And the Jellicle leader who now is here

Will make what is known as the Jellicle choice

When Old Deuteronomy just before dawn

Through a silence you feel you could cut with a knife

Announces the cat who will now be reborn

And come back to a different Jellicle life

For waiting up there is the Heavyside Layer

Full of wonders one Jellicle only will see

And Jellicles ask, because Jellicles dare –

‘Who will it be?’"

Looking over at Old Deuteronomy, he asked, "How did I do?"

"I think you did just fine."

"So that’s your story?" came a voice. "I though you’d have a better one than that." They turned to see Luliha walking towards him.

"So, the magical Mistoffelees beat Macavity. I saw it, but I don’t believe it." She walked right up to Mistoffelees. Right up to him. The other cats stood behind him. She looked him right in the eyes, the eyes that were filled with sadness and sorrow, and then looked down.

"I was thinking. About what you had said about my mother going up to the Layer. I think, I think I would like you to show me."

"Alright." He waved one hand over the other. The ball appeared in his hand. In the ball, a movie started to play. It showed her mother out in the alley, alone, because all the other cats had left. As she stood there, singing about happiness, she mentions that if you touch her, you would find the meaning of happiness. Victoria touches her. Suddenly, she is surrounded by cats, all treating her nicely for once. Then, Old Deuteronomy takes her up. She goes up, and goes to the Heaviside Layer. The movie ended, and the ball disappeared. Staring at the empty air where the ball had just been, Luliha fell to her knees. Reaching up to grasp Mistoffelees’ hands, she cried,

"I am sorry about what I said earlier. I believe you now. Please forgive me."

"It’s alright." He said kindly to her. "It’s alright."

"I know this is a lot to ask, but can I stay with you for the rest of the ball? I’ll understand if you say no."

"You can stay." He reassured her. Standing up, she flung her arms over his shoulders and hugged him tightly.

"Thank you." She whispered. "Thank you so much."

Letting go of her, Mistoffelees said to her,

"Do you have a Jellicle name?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, mine is the Conjuring Cat. Rum Tum Tugger is the Curious Cat. Magilla is the Detective. Your mother was Grizabella, the Glamour Cat. What’s your Jellicle name?"

"I… I don’t have one." She admitted.

"I think I can help that." Thinking for a moment, he turned to face the other cats. Raising her hand in his, he said loudly,

"This is Luliha, the Wonder Cat! She is one of us!"

The other cats all cheered. Deuteronomy walked up to her.

"I know you miss your mother." He said. "I can help you." Taking hold of her hand, he pulled her away from Mistoffelees. Walking to the old tire, the other cats all cheered for her. They all knew where she was going.

"Up, up to the Heaviside Layer!" they chanted. The tire started rising, and Luliha looked at Old Deuteronomy in pure happiness. Then, in a blinding light, she was gone! Gone to her mother. Gone to the Heaviside Layer. And, gone to be reborn.

The End!