As I told you, Mistoffelees had mumbled something about Magical Ball and about a test that I had to pass to become a real magician. It is true, he trained me a lot during the last few days. I learned everything that was possible for me with my facilities. Mistoffelees trained me in the last days until I really could not move any paw.
It was a little bit frightening to work with him, he was not prepared to talk about anything but magic. I wondered what was going on in his mind. Just when I was able to do everything he still went on training. I felt as if he wanted to reach a purpose and that he really drilled me. So I became confused.
Finally he laid his arm around me and spoke to me: "I think you are now prepared to go to your first Magical Ball. So I formally ask you whether you want to be my partner when I go to the Ball."
"Yes!" I replied cheerfully! The magical Ball! I was really allowed to go to the Magical Ball and I even was asked by Mr. Mistoffelees himself to accompany him. I tried to keep nonchalant because a real mystical magician should not be too emotional I thought an added "I would really like to accompany you, Mr. Mistoffelees." in a tone as formal as he had invited me to accompany him.
We looked at each other and than burst out laughing because of all this formality.
"Say, Mistoline, do you really think you're prepared for the Ball? Would be great to go with you."
"I am! I am! You taught me everything and I would be so happy to go with you! You're so nice to me. It's an honor to accompany you."
Mistoffelees blushed through the white fur in his face and said faintly: "Thanks."
I did not want to embarrass him and so I quickly asked whether he hadn't said I was not a real magician yet.
"I said so, yes," said my teacher, "but it is not important now." His voice showed me that in reality it was important. He looked quite a bit worried. Did he have a secret?
This conversation took place yesterday and tomorrow we will part for the Ball to the north. We would arrive at the Ball in two days when the moon is grown to his full size and than maybe I'll find out what ever he does not want to say to me.
We just returned home from the Ball and so I am going to report it to you. I have to admit that I again do not know whether I am allowed to report it. I just want to do it and because nobody said I should not, I will not ask about it and just tell you. I hope Mistoffelees does not find out. He may not agree.
The following day, Mistoffelees and I met for the journey to the north. Our train would part at 11.42 and Skimble was certainly waiting at the station. Mistoffelees wore a new black bow tie and I had taken my colored silk foulard. I sometimes thought my black fur was so boring and that's why I prefer wearing colored foulards that flatter around me.
Skimble was already waiting for us at the station and he was a bit impatient.
"Hurry up, they are already calling for me!" Skimbleshanks lead us through the station until he got to the station master. He signed us to wait and went into a room. He and the stationmaster came out and Skimble pointed on me and Mistoffelees, giving a short "meow" and flashed with his grass green eyes.
"Passengers, Skimble? Where do they want to go to?" the stationmaster was not confused because he knew that Skimble was a bit strange and very intelligent.
Skimble lead us to a train that parted to the north and the station master searched for anyone of the crew. He asked whether they'd take two cats on board and when they agreed we nuzzled Skimble and were carried inside. We where placed on a seat which was big enough for two black cats to curl up and sleep for hours.
We arrived in the late afternoon and the man from the crew lifted me into the air and placed me on the floor. I looked at Mistoffelees who was still sleeping until the man from the crew lifted him into the air and placed him at my side.
"I guess you need to go now. It is the last station and we will drive home again in an hour. I hope we'll meet again, cats."
Mistoffelees yawned and left the train, I followed him. He straightened his bow tie and I tidied my foulard which looked a bit crumpled. Mistoffelees took a deep breathe, smelling the place where he had been before and met my mom. Maybe he was remembering this or that. I waited until he came back to reality.
"We'll have to walk a long time now and we will soon reach the hall. I think we should go now so we can reach Conderiah and Fystius before it becomes too cold."
I nodded wondering who Conderiah and Fystius were but I did not say a word. Mistoffelees was somehow still remembering his last time here. We left the station and he guided me in the right direction. I did not know the way but I knew I should remember it because I would certainly do that journey again. The following year perhaps.
We walked for hours and Mistoffelees seemed very energetic. I felt terrible, I was hungry and my feet hurt. Mistoffelees walked and walked... I did not say a word because I was not a kitten anymore and I knew we had to go on but after another hour I really could not walk anymore. Mistoffelees was deeply covered in thought, something worried him and I did not know whether to disturb his thoughts and stop or whether to go on with the strenuous journey. It did not help, I needed a pause, and so I stopped and when he noticed I was staying behind, he stopped also and turned around.
"Mistoline?" he asked wondered.
"Sorry, Mistoffelees but I can't walk anymore." I gasped.
"I should be sorry. I forgot you. I am tired, too and need a break. I did not even notice myself to be tired. Somehow I was daydreaming."
"You are daydreaming since we began this journey. What are you thinking about?"
"Well, it's...ah! I shouldn't tell you yet." and before I could say anything he gave a point with his claws and his flash hit a small mouse that should obviously be his meal. I felt hungry, too and so I left him to chase some foot. I prefer the not-magical method because I never catch a mouse by flashing at it. I got a very big exemplar of a mouse and turned back to Mistoffelees. While we ate I was deeply pondering what worried him.
When I had eaten enough I noticed Mistoffelees staring at me, obviously half-daydreaming. I suddenly felt uncomfortable to be stared at and recognized that his deep pondering had something to do with me.
"Um... Am I a problem for the Ball?" I asked when I could not stand that glare anymore.
Mistoffelees was suddenly back to reality and said: "I do not hope so," and after a while he added, "It's amusing, you just look like your mother when I met her at first. You have exactly her shape."
I, not knowing what I should think about it, suggested to go on because it got already cold. Mistoffelees tried to force himself to speak to me but he fell again into daydreaming. So when we reached a small house, we had still not talked very much.
"That's Conderiah's and Fystius' home. You'll like Conderiah she is very kind." Mistoffelees jumped onto the window sill and meowed. A dark cat appeared, his fur mostly brownish. He was about Mistoffelees' age and signed him to come in. Mistoffelees nodded and disappeared in a cloud of smoke. I was left outside and saw him reappear on the other side of the window, greeting the other tom. Than he disappeared and reappeared again outside and told me I should come in.
I jumped on the window sill and teleported myself from the windowsill outside to the windowsill inside.
The tom's eyes widened: "Say, Mistoffelees, did you find Fellow Jeen again? Is it her?"
Mistoffelees laughed: "No, it's her daughter, but she has the same shape, hasn't she. And she is a great magician!"
I stepped into the flimsy light in the room and now the male could see I was not my mom because my fur was signed different. I greeted the foreign cat with a short nuzzle and waited for someone to say something.
"So may I introduce you? Mistoline, this is Fystius and Fystius, that is Mistoline." Mistoffelees smiled, "we'll stay here 'til tomorrow and than go on together with Fystius and Conderiah."
So the two cats he spoke about were magicians, too. Fystius said "hello" with a little smile and than looked at Mistoffelees. His mind compared my appearance with Mistoffelees' and Mistoffelees' appearance with mine.
Mistoffelees looked at Fystius looking at us two and finally sai a little bothered: "No, I am not her father, Fyst."
Fystius, obviously disappointed scratched his ear in embarassment and thought for a moment. "What else? Another friendship? What happened to Fellow Jeen?"
"My mom is dead." I replied shortly and Fystius gave a sad look. Than he glared at Mistoffelees with glancing and asking eyes. Mistoffelees, well knowing what his friend was thinking of, sighed:
"No, she is not my girlfriend, Fyst." Fystius bumped his head. I had to smile a bit. I liked Fystius but the brownish cat was obviously disappointed again because there was no love story for him to see.
"I educated her in magic." Mistoffelees let the cat out of the bag.
Fystius became happy again: "Oh! A new magician. Ah! That will be great."
Mistoffelees looked worried again and Fystius stopped his cheerful yelling at once. He walked a circle with a look that meant: Oh dear! I am talking too much!
"I am sorry, Mistoffelees. I did not think about what that means for you as the teacher. She'll make it. You made it, I made it."
"What are you talking about?" I burst out because I understood nothing. "What must be made? What is the problem?" we stared at each other in silence. "Talk to me!" I demanded.
Fystius swallowed seeing Mistoffelees angry glare and ducked. "I did not know you did not tell her. H-how could I?"
"It is my education, Fystius! My business!" Mistoffelees growled angrily.
Suddenly a red smoke appeared at my side and a white and black cat, mostly white, appeared. "You should think about what you say, Fystius!" said it and whacked the younger one's head. Fystius whacked back and than they both laughed. Fystius finally stopped and turned his concentration on me.
"That's Conderiah, my funny wife! A real dragon sometimes!" Conderiah tried to whack him again but failed because Fyst ducked. "And that is Mistoline, Fellow Jeen's daughter." Conderiah breathed and wanted to say something but before she could speak the question out, Fystius answered her: "No, she is not his daughter and no she is not his girl. She is his student."
Conderiah was disappointed as Fystius had been before, no love story. Conderiah was a bit older than the two toms but she was as funny as Fystius no wonder they were married. She lived in a house near to Fystius' home. We talked the whole evening and I had to show some off my tricks. I always thought about what Fyst had said and in a calm minute I asked Conderiah about the "she-will-make-it"-sentence.
"Has Mistoffelees told you about it?" she asked.
"No." I replied truthfully.
"Than it is better for you not to know."
We began the second part of our journey in the following afternoon. The two magicians had been very nice to us and we were strong enough to go on with Fystius and Conderiah. The two males walked a few jumps in front of me and Conderiah. While I was speaking about the Jellicles and told my story to Conderiah, Mistoffelees and Fystius were arguing with each other about Mistoffelees' "business", me. I could feel Mistoffelees sorrows and it made me upset. I would have liked to listen the males but Conderiah asked me thousands of questions and I had not time to listen.
We reached a great white hall in the evening and a completely black cat was guarding the door. He stopped us and Conderiah built up a small red light with a picture of her own inside it and gave it to the black tomcat. Fystius did the same in blue and the black one opened the door for the couple and put the lights into a kind of silver-basket. Mistoffelees built up a light, as blue as Fyst's and put a picture of himself inside it and gave it to the door-cat. The cat opened the door and Mistoffelees waited for me. The door-cat looked at me, waiting for me to act.
"Do the same, Mistoline," Mistoffelees send me a mind-message, "in yellow."
I built up a yellow light in my paws and put a picture of me inside it before I gave it carefully to the cat at the door who placed it inside the basket and lead me up the stairs to Mistoffelees saying:
"Yellow? You are a new one. Welcome to our Magical Ball. We'll see each other again." he twinkled and went back to his place, putting my paw into Mistoffelees' paw.
Mistoffelees took my arm like a real gentleman and lead me inside a huge and impressive hall. It was like a dream, red curtains, everything was neat and there were mirrors on the walls. The chandeliers were huge and bright. It looked like an illusion and a little frightful so I was happy I was on Mistoffelees' arm. Mistoffelees smiled proudly because I was so impressed and he was also glad to have accompany when everyone looked at us while we entered the hall.
"Isn't it nice?" he whispered. "Wait, I am going to introduce you to the other magicians."
A lot of cats came over to us, talking like "Oh, Mr. Mistoffelees, nice accompany you have there" and "very beautiful girl" and "nice to be introduced to a new magician". They kissed my paws, nuzzled me and Mistoffelees always said "she is my student", "I educated her", "her name is Mistoline", "she is very young and just became a Jellicle". Some younger toms gave me a few little presents. One made a trick to let a rose appear and gave it to me. Some offered me catnaps and I even received a nice bracelet. They were all so kind.
Mistoffelees still smiled proudly like "look, she is my student, I brought her here" and I was so overwhelmed by all the nice cats that I could hardly speak and just smile.
When the music started to play, Mistoffelees turned around and took my paw to lead me to the center of the hall and dance with me. I never have danced before but I think those "magical dances" are something you just can do when you are a magician. Mistoffelees and I danced not very long because soon some other toms came and asked me for a dance. Mistoffelees left smiling and let the boys dance with me. It was not very surprising to see them all wanting to dance with me. I was the youngest cat at the Ball and there were not many other girls.
Later, some more younger females arrived and so I was not the only one anymore but still the youngest. I got to know a quantity of the girls and they were all nice and lovely. We were chatting a lot and so it became midnight very fast. The music stopped and the staged got alighted.
A huge silver smoke was all around the stage and than it disappeared and there was just a bright light like a rainbow. It grew until it became a real rainbow. Out of the bow came a cat, a very dark Siamese with blue eyes. It was middle-aged but looked as if he had a lot of experience and knowledge. Every magician bowed and so did I. The rainbow disappeared and the Siamese bowed. We sat down and I was looking at Mistoffelees but I could not figure out whatever he thought.
The Siamese greeted the persons and told about the latest news. His aura was unbelievable and everybody could feel that he was a really great magician. Maybe one hundred per cent magic, I do not know. I do not even know if there are one hundred per cent magicians existing, it is very seldom. He frightened me a bit because he shone so bright and everybody seemed to adore him very much. Mistoffelees eyes showed a lot of admiration for this cat when he whispered:
"This is Miracle Jenoriuos, the best magician among the cats."
Jenorious sang with a deep and expressionistic voice about his opinion about magic and everybody agreed his wise words. When he had ended, he signed a very handsome silver Maine Coon to enter the stage. He was called Mallestico and he was also very adored. He began speaking, his voice throwing all over the hall. Somehow the silver cat reminded me of Munkustrap.
"My dearest magicians. I am very happy to be able to tell you that another magician wants to become a member. We had not any new magicians during the last years and so I am very happy. I am also very glad to say that the new one is a female."
My heart beat! It was me. The handsome cat was talking about me and I adhered to Mistoffelees. Mistoffelees patted me reassuringly, but he was very fidgety, too. I could feel his body's tense.
"So I say welcome to Mistoline."
The magicians clapped and I sat there tensed. Waiting for anything happening.
"Hey, Mistoline! Teleport yourself to the stage!" Mistoffelees whispered to me.
"Teleport?" I asked, "Now? In front of all these magicians? I'll fail, I just know I will!"
"Do it!" he hissed back, "they are waiting for you, don't hold us up for ridicule."
Although I was frightened what might happen, I teleported myself to the center stage and appeared out of a yellow cloud to the handsome cat and he bowed. Everybody clapped again.
"Hello, Mistoline," Mallestico greeted, "I know you are Fellow Jeen's daughter and we now know why she is not here. I am sorry, but Fellow Jeen died before she could tell me about her daughter so I would have cared for you when your mother died. I am very sorry for you, Mistoline." The magicians kept quiet for a moment. A lot of them had known my mother and the message that she had died did hurt a lot of them.
"We have to thank the Jellicles that they gave Mistoline hospitality and made her a Jellicle. She had luck that there is a magician among Jellicle tribe and so she now has the obligation to become a real magician. Thanks to magical Mr. Mistoffelees!"
Mistoffelees flew down from the ceiling which caused the magicians to smile because it's so typical for him.
"Now, we'll take Mistoline with us and we will hopefully return with a new magician." Mallestico nodded at Mistoffelees and they lead me from the stage. I knew that now the test would begin Mistoffelees had spoken about. Mistoffelees looked uncomfortable and Mallestico looked serious. I did not know anything about the test and I did not know whether to be excited or to be frightened.
"Mallestico, would you leave us for a while. I want to tell her about the test. I did not yet." Mistoffelees bowed and Mallestico left us.
Mistoffelees sighed and than took my paws.
"You really should think about whether to do the test. I cannot advise you and do nothing else but tell you the facts. If you do not agree with the test, I am not allowed to have closer relationship to you because it must be prevented that I tell you anything about magic. It is a cruel rule, but it ensures that no cat receives help from the magicians that could attack them because it is not under our oath. Every magician in this hall is under the others force. They can banish him and take away parts of his facilities if he endangers anyone. Only a cat who did the test and agreed to the oath is under this control. If you do not agree with the test it will be very hard for me but it will be my duty to banish you from the magicians and it will probably be my duty to banish you from the Jellicles because it is difficult to live in the same tribe with a cat you are not allowed to be related to.
If you agree you have to pass the test and one the one hand you can become a real magician on the other hand you can be lost forever.
Mallestico will take you to a deep trance. It is very deep so that it might be dangerous for you. You need to come back to consciousness,m that's the task, although you are taken to trance. To become conscious you have time until the end of this ball and if you do not achieve it, you will be banished from the "real magicians". Inside the trance-world you slip in, you will be completely on your own and it could happen that you never find out of it again. That means, that you will stay in another world."
"That would means as much as if I was dead." I said, "You could also kill me!" I could not believe that. I thought doing a test was showing some magic in front of the magicians and not being away from this world.
"No, you won't be killed. You just will live...another life." Mistoffelees walked a circle.
"How...how could you be this cruel to let me chose between this. Never seeing you again, or maybe be lost...?" My eyes watered at the thought of it. "What is it like, being in this world? Is it cruel, lonely or does it hurt?"
"I am not allowed to tell you." he swallowed.
"Who made those rules? Please, Mistoffelees, tell me!" I could loose so much and I could loose Mistoffelees and the Jellicles.
I said I am not allowed!" Mistoffelees was in desperation because of my instant pledge. "Don't make it worse for me, Mistoline, please!" he begged.
Mallestico entered. "Does she know everything?"
Mistoffelees nodded in silence.
"Did you already choose? If not, make a decision." Mallestico glared at me with deep blue eyes.
I was confused. It was a difficult task to chose. I could be lost forever or banished. If I never had gone here! If I just was not a magical cat! I begged someone would give me an advice but there was nobody. Mallestico stared at me.
"You loose time," he said, "the Ball will soon be over."
I nodded and swallowed, "yes, I agree to the test but let me ask you a single question, Mistoffelees. Why all this treatment about teleporting lessons, flash-throwing, voice-throwing...? What has that to do with the test?"
"I am not allowed to tell you!" I think this was the only sentence he could say in this moment. It took him a while to say "I...I think I'll go dancing. I cannot watch you, sorry. I cannot see this. Mallestico will stay here. I did my very best on you." and than he dashed away leaving me and Mallestico behind. I frowned, how many seconds would my mind be still in this world? Would I come here again to Mistoffelees?
"Ready?" Mallestico asked awaking me from my thoughts.
"Ready!" I said with a strong voice but down inside I was afraid.