"I'll be your assistant," Victoria offered, after Rumpelteazer, Jemima and Exotica had left. "What do you want me to do?"

"I'll need the cloth over there by the car," he instructed, pointing at the red tablecloth, "And some of the twigs."

"Do you want me to get the water," Plato offered as the white queen went off.

"Sure," Misto nodded, as he began to gather some small sticks to use. "So... who are you staying with, Victoria?"

"Um... Jennyanydots and Skimbleshanks," she said after a moment's thought, "Pouncival's with mewhile Plato's with Tantomile and Admetus. What about you, do you stay with anyone?"

"Sometimes I bunk with Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer," he said offhandedly, "We always stay together during storms, it's a tradition of ours. I usually just go in the pipe near the Heavyside Tire; it's a great little niche."

"Niche," she repeated, placing the cloth down.

"Yeah, it means 'place'."

"I know what it means, I just didn't think that anyone still said it," she said with a laugh. "So why don't you just always stay with Mungo and Rumpel?"

"I used to, but lately they've just been..."

"What; vague, aloof, snobbish," she asked gently, helping him picking up a stick.

"No, intimate," he corrected.

"Oh," she said, mouth agape, "I was way off."

Mistoffelees laughed as Plato returned, carrying a container filled with water from the last rainfall, "What's the water for?"

"It's in case I can't put out the fire," he said with a sheepish smile. "I'm a magician, not a firefighter." He suppressed another laugh as Plato took several steps back. "Assistant, would you be so kind as to place the twigs and cloth in a pile."

"Like this," she asked, fixing them.

"Yes, wonderful; that's all I needed you for."

"Why couldn't you do that?"

"Because I'm lazy; now how about a paw for my lovely assistant," Misto asked, Plato clapping in reply. "You can sit now, Victoria; if you want. If not, just move back a bit," he advised, sending a bolt of lightning at the kindling, setting it ablaze. He closed his eyes, putting his paws in front of him, he brought them down; an unseen force snuffed the fire. "I guess we don't need that water," Misto said, whiskers twitching. He looked down at the ashes and scooped up as much as he could in his paw and closed it. He blew on his other paw and waved it over the closed one; with a flourish, he opened his paw to reveal a small plush mouse. He extended it to Victoria with a smile, "Pour vous."

"Merci, Monsieur," she beamed, taking the mouse in her paws and giving it a small squeeze. "Very nice trick"

"I thank you," he nodded, sitting on the other side of her. "So what do you want to do now? I need to take a break before I can do any more magic."

"Tired," Plato asked, seeing the weary expression on the tom's face.

"A little," he shrugged. "Victoria, you're the odd one out, you pick what we do."

"Well, this may sound a bit juvenile but, can we play Hide and Go Seek too?" She gave them a charming smile, looking between the two.

"I thought you'd never ask," Plato said, nodding along with Mistoffelees.

Munkustrap watched the kittens below, they had been here for not even two weeks and the already had them pinned. Tumblebrutus yearned to be older and took to mimicking the other toms on a daily basis – more then once Munkustrap caught him copying his pacing around the oven. Pouncival, on the other paw, loved being a kitten and took every opportunity he had to take advantage of his age. The queens, whenever Tugger happened to pass by, would flock to him – Rumpelteazer would be in tow, needing to keep an eye on the young ones. Between the five of them his ego has grown to an alarming size and could be found strutting throughout the yard with a jealous Bombalurina under his arm. Etcetera was easily his biggest... dare he say, fan? Whenever she would see him she would scream as loud as she could and lavish him in her kittenish hugs. If there was a kitten more energetic then her – he didn't want it in his Junkyard. Electra found no insult bigger then being dubbed 'weak' on the sheer fact she was a queen, and was found play fighting with the toms every now and then. Jemima could be found singing or – if luck was on her side, with Mistoffelees – being treated with one of his magic tricks.

Plato and Victoria... they were still a mystery to him. They'd keep to themselves, and Misto, but were more then willing to help Mungojerrie and Rumpelteazer with the younger kittens if the need be. The two calicos were beyond thankful for the help...

Mistoffelees walked up the path to Jennyanydots', nearly being plowed over by Pouncival on his way into the den. He poked his head inside, seeing Victoria curled up in the corner – hugging the pink mouse she had conjured for her earlier. He smiled, glad that she seemed to enjoy it so much. He bent down beside her and gave her a shake, "Victoria, rise and shine."

She growled into her pillow, clutching her mouse even tighter, "I'd rather sink and be dull, Jenny."

"I'm not Jennyanydots – nowhere near her size." Victoria slowly peeked out to see who it was exactly that had woken her up. Her face grew warm upon seeing that she had missed the mark again with her guess, "Morning, Victoria."

"Morning, Misto," she greeted, sitting up across from him, "What time is it?"

"It's... nearing high sun," he said with a smile, "You slept most of the morning away; must have been having a good dream."

"Oh, it was," she smiled, hugging her toy.

"What was it about?"

"Uh," she swallowed, looking rather embarrassed, "I can't remember."

"There's a load of rubbish – suitable for a Junkyard - but nevertheless. Tell me what it was about; I know that you didn't forget."

"Well... me and you were dancing and... you gave me a kiss," she added quickly, burying her face.

Mistoffelees laughed – more at her embarrassment then anything, "Must have been quite an awful kiss if you forgot it."

"No, it wasn't," she cried, looking up. "I mean... it wasn't bad but... It was a dream," she yelled, burying her face once more.

"Hey, no worries," he comforted, putting his arm around her. "Relax. Forget about – I already did... and you did earlier."

She threw her head back, laughing, "Alright... it's gone; completely left the memory bank."

"Wonderful, now, the reason why I came here," he leaned back, "Is lunchtime."

"You woke me up for lunch?"

"Aren't you hungry?"

"... Yes."

"Then don't complain," he advised. "Come along now, while the getting's good." He pulled her to her feet, "You can leave the mouse if you want."

"Good idea," she said, tenderly placing the mouse on her pillow.

"So," Mistoffelees started, walking down the path, "Did you ever have a dream like that about you and Plato?"

"A dream like what?"

"I don't know – I forgot."

"I forgot too," she claimed, "and no."

"Really, well I must say that I'm honored... for a reason that I can't seem to remember."

"Nor can I... but – if I did happen to have a dream that would make you feel so honored, and I didn't forget. I wouldn't mind if it wasn't a dream." Misto looked over at Victoria who was rubbing the back of her neck embarrassedly, "Just saying, is all."

"Well," he said, slightly uneasy, "Maybe someday... something like that might happen."

"That would be nice," she smiled, "Now, give me some food."

A/N: I don't know what happened with me but I wrote two rather short chapters. Luckily, they were in a row so I could combine them but... still, it was odd. Well, back off to painting my room, but first:

Chimmy-Lava – Way to mention my two favorite parts, lovey.

Eponine – Yes, it should be like that, and I added them in this chapter. Next time around, though, I might forget. If so – forgive me. And it did snow that day, left the next. It's been a cold may this year, it's bugging me. I'm in Nova Scotia (Cape Breton really) and I'd much rather Spring. As for the things at the bottom of the page, they're just stuff from my life.

Does everybody remember the berries we tested last week on the big brown dog? How many ate the berries simply because the dog didn't die that day? Quite a few. Well, I got bad news. The dog died last night. Apparently it was slow actin' poison. Yes, Laszlo? You didn't eat the berries? But this mornin' you ate the dog. Well, Laszlo, ya got about a week. By the way, anyone who's gettin' into that new cannibalism stuff --- I won't mention names--- I'd strongly suggest not eatin' Laszlo--- or anyone else for that matter.