In Fact, I Liked Her Better Before

A/N: Why hello, my lovelies. It's rawrrkitty with yet another story. This is just for fun-it's not a major project. Forever Until Now is still my main priority. However, I got this idea in my head and just couldn't get rid of it.

This is quite an unusual fic. It's set years after the Jellicle Ball shown in the play, and the Jellicles have changed with the times. It's quite dark in some places, and there'll be a lot of OOCness. Some personalities will be entirely different from normal, in fact. Rated T for sexual themes, possible violence and swearing.

Disclaimer: I don't own CATS or any of its characters. If I did, I really wouldn't mess with them like this. ;)

Prologue : Ruined

The Jellicles were known for having a fondness for 'The Good Ol' Days'. In those days, they'd been known as a proud, prosperous and spectacular tribe. They'd have their Jellicle Balls and many other parties and celebrations in between. They'd been truly a tribe to envy.

But as time passed, their reputation diminished-their cats with it. The Jellicles faded away, quickly replaced by other tribes.

The change came about with the death of Old Deuteronomy. The Jellicle Leader of old had carried the weight of the entire tribe and its reputation on his shoulders. With Munkustrap in charge, it just wasn't the same.

The Jellicles became ruthless. They let themselves go. They were disorderly, like alley-cats, yet at the same time, they stayed together in a mockery of a tribe. They were tempting, they were vicious. And though their reputation became tarnished, the Jellicles remained beautiful-the lot of them.

They attracted quite a lot of 'business'.

"Jellicles," Munkustrap barked out. "Get your slow butts over here now." He was perched precariously on a mound of rubbish, assuming his high position as Jellicle Leader. Of course, that wasn't really such an honor those days. It was an overcast day; the dull grey light of the morning sun filtered weakly through the clouds, giving Munkustrap's grey coat a sheen of silver.

Muttering, the Jellicles emerged from their dens, rubbing their eyes and pulling their fingers through their mussed fur. "About time," Munkustrap sneered at them. "Lazy bastards. How can you sleep when you know that there're customers?" He gestured towards a tall tabby tom patiently waiting at the entrance to the Junkyard. He was quite a handsome young thing. Purring, the Jellicle queens slunk over to him, their movements flowing and seductive. The tom's lips turned up in a smile.

"Take your pick," Munkustrap ordered flatly. Then, he smiled cruelly. "Don't forget to pay afterwards…you know what happens if you don't, yes?"

The tom nodded vaguely, his attention on the queens. They lined up before him, and he swept his eyes over them, smiling appreciatively. "That one," he decided, indicating one the younger queens-though, they were all past their kitten-hood stages.

"Well, well…are you quite sure? That'll be quite a price." Munkustrap bared his teeth in a smile. "She's our best," he added with a wink.

The chosen queen smirked. She was really something to look at.

"I'm sure," the tom affirmed, eyes greedily taking in every detail of his choice. She offered him a dainty paw and sent him a brazen look out of the corner of her eye. He grinned in anticipation.

"Very well," Munkustrap chuckled, rubbing his paws together. "Our best you shall have."

A/N: Not the Munkustrap we know and love, huh? If you can guess who the 'Jellicles' Best' is then I'll dedicate this story to you. Just a warning: I'm weird, so it's probably not who you think it is. The fic centers around this certain queen.

Review, please? ;D