Two o'clock in the morning. The crescent moon shone across the rubbish and baubles that littered the expanse of the junkyard that resided on the outskirts of London. The dumping ground looked a lot less impressive this time of year. There were no lights or decorations like there are during the Ball. Instead, it looked like a normal waste dump, full of trash and less than impressive old antiques that were thrown out long ago. While it wasn't pretty, it provided a nice refuge for stray animals to shelter in.

The brisk night air blew around any stray debris that littered the premises. It being mid-October, the air had begun to get colder as the days grew shorter and shorter. Days filled with the warmth of the sunlight, children playing in the schoolyards, and couples walking hand in hand in the parks were almost non-existent.

It was a lot less noisy in the junkyard as well, in fact a little too quiet, as every other Jellicle cat was either home with their humans, slumbering in their dens, or out about the city.

Except Mistoffelees.

He was wide awake still, not having slept for the last three nights. Some grotesque feeling had been keeping him on high alert for what seemed like an endless amount of time. His eyes were bloodshot, nearly unblinking, and it was almost as if he had gone completely nonverbal, except for the occasional whimper or moan. The mere look on his face was enough to make anyone worried for his health, but he hadn't seen another cat, or even a human, around this whole time. He knew something was wrong but didn't have the energy to move more than ten feet at any given time, or even the voice to scream for any sort of help. The strange feeling wasn't just present, it was draining. It would be a miracle if anyone were to even recognize him.

He tossed and turned in the small cardboard box he sought refuge in for the night, but no position was comfortable, nor was he able to close his eyes for longer than ten seconds without jolting awake, his heart racing every time.

This was no simple intuition; it was a presence of some sort.

Every so often, he felt a bizarre surge of energy throughout his body, the glimmers of light shining through his fur, but not like it had before. Before, he had been able to voluntarily bring his magic to the surface of his being, changing his appearance at will, from the young, playful tomcat to the confident conjurer he wished he could always be. But now, his appearance changed at random, the once euphoric feeling of magic flowing through him now made him feel sick to his stomach. He couldn't eat anything without throwing it back up, his body rejecting any sustenance he attempted to offer it.

The left side of his head ached, as if a flash of lighting were striking his brain every minute. The funny thing is, cats had this uncanny ability to hide any sort of pain they might be feeling, but Mistoffelees had reached his breaking point. With not a soul in sight for the last three days, he thought this is how he would eventually die. With this affliction, this torment he didn't know how to explain. He had never truly understood how to harness the powers he possessed but felt like he was making progress on understanding the true nature of it. The Rum Tum Tugger, probably his closest friend in the tribe, had been helping him. Being there with him every night, trying out new spells, studying, practicing. Tugger didn't offer much other than moral support but that's exactly what Mistoffelees needed.

Until he came across a symbol in an old book he found tossed away in the junkyard. Maybe it was tossed away for a good reason.

It was now nearing three o'clock.

The only thing Mistoffelees could focus on was the past. The good moments. Becoming a Jellicle when he was just a kitten. The pure luck that must have been bestowed upon him to find somewhere that accepted him. Bringing back Old Deuteronomy. The showers of praises he received. The rush of joy he felt after pulling off that trick. How he was proud of himself for the first time in his life. The exploration of what else his powers was capable of. The long nights of studying and practicing, all with Tugger there to cheer him on as usual.

His first kiss.

Their first kiss.

Tugger and Mistoffelees had been hanging out nearly every night the past week, entertaining themselves with all the new tricks Mistoffelees had learned how to do. One night, he had managed to manipulate the light from the sunset into a show of fireworks.

Tugger was beyond impressed. He had always taken a strong liking to Mistoffelees' magic but hadn't seen anything as beautiful as the lights currently illuminating the sky.

He looked down at his friend, who was smiling the most gorgeous and genuine smile. And it was true, Mistoffelees felt even more accomplished that he did at the Ball.

Tugger couldn't help but admire the sparkling light glimmering through the tuxedo cat's fur. Oh, but his eyes. He couldn't resist Mistoffelees' differently colored eyes. One a striking violet, and one as bright as the sun.

They were so full of joy.

Mistoffelees, being proud of himself, looked up to Tugger with a 'I knew I could do it' face, sardonic and cocky. Two traits you wouldn't ever normally attribute to him.

Tugger lost control over his actions. He knew what he wanted, and he was going to seize this opportunity.

In the heat of the moment, he kissed Mistoffelees; a quick, but passionate kiss on the lips.

Time froze for just a split second.

Tugger abruptly pulled away, his brain finally processing what just happened.

The two carried on with the rest of their night, never mentioning it again.

Where was Tugger when Mistoffelees needed him most? Was it a fluke? Was he just at his everyday playboy games? Was Mistoffelees just another catch for Tugger to brag about later?

Every paranoid thought about the swaggering tom crossed his mind all at once. Maybe Tugger didn't actually care about him as much as he thought.

Three o'clock.

For a moment, there was relief. The headache subsided, there was no strange feeling or presence lurking beneath his skin, and Mistoffelees felt like he actually might be able to fall asleep if he just closed his eyes for more than ten seconds. Maybe he would be able to decipher this mess after a good night's sleep.

Until the eleventh second ticked by.

Mistoffelees' appearance altered once more, this time with severe wrath, with frightening ferocity. The glimmering sparkles morphed into rays of light, attempting to escape his physical body, singing his fur. The pain in his head intensified, nearly ten times worse than before, nearly making him go blind in his left eye. A scream escaped his lips before he blacked out from the sheer agony.