"How on earth did you mange to produced a kitten out of a hat," Munkustrap asked, holding said hat and looking down at Mistoffelees, who was sitting on a cracker box, "let alone seven."

"I don't know," Misto repeated, burying his face in his white paws, "I don't know how I did it."

"Munk," Tugger said, walking up and placing his paws on the black and white tom's shoulders, "It was a fluke. He was showing us his latest tricks, tripped and he hit the hat. They just fell out of it. We don't know how or why. Let up on him, will ya?"

"Tugger we have no idea where the kittens came from," Munkustrap reasoned, "Their parents must be worried sick. We need to find out how he did it and reverse it."

"Just wait until Demeter gets back from Jennyanydots'. Maybe the kittens woke up, they can tell us where they came from and you can be all noble and bring them back to their loving parent's arms," Tugger rationalized. "Just let Misto go outside. Mungo and Rumpel are looking for him, anyways."

Munkustrap looked down at Misto, who peeked out from behind his paws, "Fine," he sighed in defeat, "Don't go far though. Jennyanydots is going to want to talk to you."

Misto nodded, standing up and walking towards the door. "Thanks Tugger," he whispered, Tugger giving him a smile in return.

"What are we going to do Tugger," Munkustrap sighed, throwing down the top hat, "We have seven kittens appear in our Junkyard from who knows where. We don't know how to get them home, where home is; I mean what if they're from Canada? I can't go to Canada! What with going across the ocean; you know I get seasick. And their parents must be furious, their kittens just disappearing, right before their eyes. What if some human saw it happen? They'll come storming into the Junkyard. None of the Jellicles will be safe. What with their machines and camera crew; the camera puts on ten pounds Tugger; ten! It'll look like I got love handles! I need to find a gym and-"

"Munk, for Pete's sake get a hold of yourself," Tugger commanded, slapping him across the face. "First of all, they probably don't come from Canada; we'll find out when we get news from Jenny and Jelly. Secondly, why would the humans assume that if cats are disappearing, that it's because of a Junkyard; ours at that? Third, you don't need to be shot through a camera lens to make it look like you have love handles, they're larger then life!" Munkustrap stared at the maned Main Coon in disbelief, before curling up on the hat, face hidden in his knees, "Would you look at you; to think that Old Deuteronomy wanted the likes of you to follow in his paw prints. You can hardly hold yourself together. What does Demeter see in you? You're a pathetic coward."

"No I'm not," Munkustrap sulked.

"What's that? I don't speak 'coward'," Tugger sneered.

Munkustrap stood up, grabbing Tugger by the mane, pulled him close and yelled, "I am not a coward!"

"That's right! Now you march up to Jennyanydots' and you demand to know what's going on with those kits," Tugger cheered, steering Munkustrap towards the door of the oven.

"Yeah," Munkustrap said, à la war cry, marching outside and towards the car. Tugger leaned next to the door, a large smirk on his face, not daring to watch Munkustrap strut across the way. He'd get Misto to tell him all about it later. He could hear Munk banging on the door of the car and yelling at the two queens inside. There was an odd thwacking sound followed by the laughter of Mungo, Rumpel and Misto. Tugger laughed quietly to himself; trying to think of what form of weapon Jellylorum had hit him with today. Munkustrap swaggered in, with the air of being nipped, holding his nose tenderly.

"What happened Munk," Tugger asked, acting as concerned for his brother's well-being as possible.

"I forgot that those doors swing out," Munk said, sitting down awkwardly, "Jelly opened it and got me right on the nose. Told me to keep it down, the kits were sleeping. Oh, great - my nose is bleeding."

Tugger looked amused as he walked over to the grey tabby tom, "Pinch the bridge of it and lean forward."

"Okay, thanks," Munk said, doing as Tugger instructed, "How do you know this?"

"Bomb has a pretty mean right hook when she's mad," he sympathized as Munkustrap cringed. "It'll take a few minutes."

Munkustrap nodded absently, he could hear the three outside reenacting the scene that was just played before them. Demeter jumped into the oven, "Munkustrap?"

"What," he asked, still pinching his nose. He lifted his head, banging it off of Tugger's in the process, "Ow."

"Honestly," Demeter sighed as they rubbed the sore spots on their heads, "Jennyanydots said that one of the kittens are awake. Do you want to talk to her?"

"Sure," he said, "Can you send Misto in here too?"

"If you promise to take me out before the week is over," she replied with a coy smile.

"Sure thing beautiful," he agreed, not looking as suave as he sounded, one paw on his head the other over his nose. Demeter laughed quietly as she slipped back out.

"Smooth move," Tugger commented, "Like butter."

"Oh hush up," Munkustrap said. Mistoffelees climbed back in, sitting next to Tugger, who removed his paw from his head. Demeter climbed in, a white queen, the first to tumble out of the hat, was holding on to her paw. "Hello."

"Hi," she responded pleasantly.

"Have a seat," Munkustrap offered as he checked to see if the bleeding has stopped. One of the great things about Munkustrap's oven was that there were plenty of seats inside, while still having plenty of room forhim to pace. Seeing that his nose was healed, he dropped his paw and turned to the queen, "My name is Munkustrap. I'm the Protector of this Jellicle tribe, and who may you be?"

"My name's Victoria," she smiled, sitting next to Demeter and Mistoffelees.

"I suppose that you're wondering how you got here…"

"Where?"

"This Junkyard or do you know how it happened?"

"Oh no, I don't know how it happened," she said shaking her head.

"Well, we'll get into that later, we find it's a little fuzzy," he said, looking at Misto, "Can you tell us where you're from?"

"No."

"And why not?"

"Because I don't know where I'm from," she said simply, Munkustrap massaging his temples. "It's quite weird, I know. Me and all the others were always together. Don't know where though. When I woke up in the car, mind you, it felt like home; this was all that I could remember."

"Maybe we should find someone older to talk to," Munkustrap said, thinking out loud.

"Well that'll be Plato, I'm the second oldest," she said with a bright smile; Tugger and Mistoffelees both laughing at Munkustrap exasperation. He looked up at her, obviously out of practice of dealing with kittens and took a calming breath, "He's two years and I'm nearly two."

"So is Mistoffelees," Demeter remarked, piquing Victoria's attention.

"Who's that?"

"Me," Misto said, the white kitten whirling around, "Hello."

"Hi," she smiled brightly, "I'm Victoria."

"I know," he smiled back, nodding his head. "Do you think that we should take a break from this Munk?"

"We're not getting anywhere," Munkustrap said, defeated, "Bring her to meet Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer will you? I'm going to check on the others."

"Munkustrap," Tugger called as the tabby neared the exit, "the car doors swing out."

Munkustrap nodded, "Thanks."

A/N: Okay, so Munkustrap's a little OOC... They way I see it is: he's still a little young, slightly unsure of himself and everything else that comes with youth.

Mystitat – Yes, it is a sad thing to trip over; but to them, it's bigger in scale. And boredom – like being sick – does suck.

Eponine – The way I envisioned it, he walked past the handle/stick and tripped over the led/banging piece of it. I'll try to watch out for it – thanks.

And galoshes – and hot water bottles! No you were never a soldier, you have to be strong... you have to be tough –ohmygosh... I thought I just saw a bug. Please tell me there's no bug there. Is there a bug? If there is one get it the heck away from me!