We now get to see the goings-on of some of the other Jellicles!

By the way, Rufus is named after and based on my own cat, who is sitting on the scanner, his favourite perch, next to my moniter as I write this. He just got in from the snow and is feeling abnormally affectionate.

Misto hadn't been expecting such a rude awakening from restless dreams of Rumpleteazer, when loud music pounded, resonating from above him. He leaped with a yowl to his feet, his tail inflated to about three times its width.

"Hey!" he heard a shout over the music. "That weird cat's finally awake!"

"Oh come on, you don't even know him."

"Well, what kind of a weirdo sleeps at a night club?"

Misto saw a large group of festive looking cats watching him with amused expressions as they gently rocked drinks in their paws, held in egg-cups.

The room was still dark, but lights were now flashing orange beams on and off onto the floor, illuminating the rainbow of dry paint splotches. The area was full of cats decked out in fancy collars, as well as other decadent ornaments, all of them laughing, dancing or drinking. Misto blinked, trying adjust. His head still hurt.

"I said I'd let you rest for a bit." Rufus was standing at Misto's shoulder, looking bored. "You've been out for hours."

Misto frowned. "I haven't had many chances to sleep."

Rufus shrugged, yet again. "Well, welcome to Rusty's. Make yourself comfortable." He then wandered off. Misto looked about, feeling awkward.

"Hello there!" He jumped, turning to a Siamese queen who was purring at him. "I don't think I've seen you around here before!" she said.

"Uh…" was all Misto could manage, feeling a bit stupid.

"What's your name?"

"Uh, Mistoffelees."

"I'm Himalaya! Do you want to dance, Mistoffelees?"

"Uh…not really."

She laughed. "Oh, come on!" She grabbed his arm, and dragged him onto the dance floor.

Disoriented, Misto barely managed to keep in time with the beat as he reluctantly twirled the queen around. She didn't seem to notice though.

"You're a very good dancer!" she shouted over the bass.

"Um, thanks," he said.

Himalaya appeared to enjoy herself greatly, but as soon as the song ended, Misto excused himself, escaping through the crowd of cats who all seemed to tower over his small form. He noticed one tom raise his eyebrows and mutter, "Aren't you a bit young to be here?"

He looked desperately for an escape, and then spotted the hole that he'd seen Rufus come through earlier. He quickly crept through.

He found himself in a tiny room, underneath a staircase that also had a hole through it. The room was mostly bare except for a pale-coloured carpet and chalk drawings that adorned the walls, all of which portrayed the faces of smiling kittens.

Misto stared in wonder.

"I thought I'd find you here."

Misto whipped around. Rufus was watching him calmly.

"I…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude-"

"But you did."

Misto felt himself warm with embarrassment.

Rufus shrugged. "I don't really care."

"Do you…do you actually enjoy all of this?" Misto asked.

"All of what?"

"I mean, running this club. It's just, you seem so quiet, like…"

"Like you? Yeah, I'm kind of antisocial. And no…I don't like the club very much. But it makes plenty of other cats happy. So why should I stop?"

Misto considered this.

"By the way," Rufus pointed to the hole above them. "That staircase leads up to the roof. You can go up there, if the party's too much for you."

"Thanks, but…I should probably get going."

Rufus shrugged. "Please yourself. I have to tend to the patrons." He squeezed back out the hole.

Misto watched after him thoughtfully. Then he looked back up at the inverted stairs above him. He climbed up into the hole.

The dawn was just breaking when Rufus joined Misto on the roof. He glanced at the amber cat, before turning back to the sunrise.

"This is a strange place," he said.

"I would've thought you'd be used to music and parties with the Jellicles. Don't you all have some grand ball every year?"

Misto shook his head. "It's not the music and dance that makes this place different." He turned to Rufus. "It's something you do."

For what may have been the tenth time, Rufus shrugged. "Most people who come are friends. And friends of friends."

"Sounds like it could be the Junkyard."

"I wouldn't know."

They were both silent as sunlight peeled over the city.

"You're welcome to stay, Mistoffelees."

Misto started. "How do you know my name?"

Rufus raised his eyebrows. "Someone told me, of course."

"…Oh," Misto said lamely.

"It's not as if I'm magic, Mistoffelees."

Misto's whiskers twitched at this.

"Anyways," Rufus said. "I'll see you later…perhaps."

He climbed down the crack in the roof, leaving Misto to wonder at all that had occurred.

Tugger lay sprawled out on the floor, with his mate, Etcetera, resting her head on his chest. Her eyes were closed, and his breathing was steady. He stared upwards, not looking at anything in particular, lost in thought.

"I miss him too," Etcetera spoke suddenly.

"Huh?" Tugger mumbled, confused.

She lifted her chin, looking at him. "Misto. I miss him. He is my brother, you know."

Tugger's lip twitched. "I know, Etcetera."

She sighed. "He's kind of a dope to just leave like that…but then again, it's not my mother…I guess I couldn't know."

"Yeah…it's always kind of hard to see from someone else's point of view."

"I wish I could understand him better," she said. Tugger glanced at her.

"Not for my sake," she added. "But for his. I think Misto really needs someone who understands him…I thought maybe Rumpleteazer did, but I guess I was wrong."

"Well…Rumpleteazer's parents tried to help her and Mungojerrie, didn't they? But they died. Maybe Rumpleteazer feels more ready to have a kitten than Misto does because she wants to be there for it, when her parents couldn't be. Misto, in a way, may as well have been an orphan, but wasn't…his mother had to abandon him to protect him from Macavity."

"Is it…is it difficult for you? Talking about him?"

"Misto?"

"No, Macavity. Or…both, I guess."

Tugger sighed. "Macavity's got a second chance. I'm happy for him, because I think he'll lead his new Jellicle life better than the first. And Misto…I just wish things weren't so hard for him."

Etcetera lowered her head again, listening to Tugger's heartbeat. She realized something.

"He…he was able to forgive Macavity and his mother…but he just can't forgive himself, can he?"

"I think that's always the hardest person to forgive."

The lovers lay in silence.

"I wish Victoria was better," Etcetera sighed.

Victoria hadn't been seen outside her den for some time. No one really knew what was wrong, as she rarely accepted visitors, but many speculated it was because of Mistoffelees' disappearing, an event which had unsettled everyone, especially those who had been close to him.

Victoria hardly even spoke to Plato.

"Vicky?" he said, peering into the room. Victoria had her back turned to him as she lay on the bed. She didn't answer at first.

"Yes?" she finally said.

"Is…is there anything I can get you?"

"No, Plato. I just need to be alone."

"Victoria…what's wrong? You say you're not sick, but you hardly ever get out of bed."

"I'm just tired."

"Victoria…" he moved over to sit next to her form on the bed. "Is…is this about the kitten?"

"Plato…"

"Because…I know how unhappy you are about it. I am too. But…we've got to move on at some point."

"Plato," her voice was devoid of emotion. "Please…just leave me alone. Just for a bit."

Plato felt stung, but didn't show it in his tone when he answered, "Sure. OK. I'll come check on you later. Maybe you'll feel a bit better then."

She heard his exiting pawsteps and rubbed her forehead with her paw.

She hadn't told anyone. She couldn't bring herself to. What if this time something went wrong again? Something worse than before? What if she just wasn't meant to have kittens?

Victoria was pregnant again.

She didn't want to go through this alone, but she just couldn't think of anything that anyone else could do. Except for maybe one person…

"Mistoffelees," she whispered. "You stupid tom…"

Even though she felt so much anger towards him for abandoning his unborn kitten, Victoria would've given anything just to have her best friend back.