The day was proving a quiet one for the Dopplers. Amelia was laying in a hammock and sketching a few pictures. Her children were playing a game of marbles, and her husband, Delbert, was reading a thick book on astronomical physics.
From seemingly out of the blue, a shadow fell over the Doppler family. Amelia paused in her sketching to look up at the shadowy figure standing before them.
"Yes?" Amelia asked the strange fellow. "May I help you?"
"You might," the figure answered. "I am looking for one Captain Amelia Doppler," the shadow added.
"Well, you are in luck, my good man, as I am she," Amelia answered, putting her feet down out of the hammock and sitting up.
"Well, then, ma'am… this would be for you," the shadow replied and gave Amelia a letter. He bowed politely to her, and then turned and left.
Amelia lifted a graceful eyebrow, shrugged in acceptance, then opened the letter with her thumbnail. She quickly scanned the letter, reading it over a couple of times, her green eyes wide. Delbert noticed his wife's shocked appearance, and the fact that she was as pale as a sheet.
"Amelia?
What is matter, my love?"
Delbert asked, moving over beside
her.
"Yes? What?" Amelia stammered, not paying attention. She then regained her composure, and looked up at her concerned husband. "Sorry, darling, I was thinking. Delbert… have you ever heard of a Kitty Petro?" Amelia asked.
"Well, funny enough, Amelia dear," Delbert answered, somewhat surprised. "I take that you are referring to the teenage girl with the remarkable powers, who is known to take animated and literary figures from their own universes to her own home to train them in some mysterious regimen?" Delbert asked.
"Yes, her," Amelia replied, and looked back down to her letter.
"Amelia, you're as pale as a ghost!" Delbert observed, laying what he hoped was a comforting hand on his wife's shoulder. "What ever is the matter, dearest?"
"Here, read this," Amelia said and gave him her letter. "It will take me far longer to tell you, sweetheart." Delbert took the letter from her hands and began to read it.
Captain Amelia,
I certainly hope that my messenger was able to find you and give this letter to you. First off, I am Kitty Petro, and I know everything---and I do mean everything---about you. And I regret to inform you this, but I'm rather bored at the moment, and need someone to train here in my world. As you undoubtedly have guessed by now, I am intend to train you, my dear Captain. I will give you a week to say goodbye to your friends and your family. Please understand that my people and I are watching you… day and night.
Sincerely,
Kitty Petro
PS: If you should try to escape me, I promise that I shall transform you into a three–month-old feline child, and turn your care over to one John Silver, who I can assure you will take care of you like you were his very own.
Delbert gasped, and Amelia sighed. The Dopplers' dismay was then interrupted by the sound of a harmonica being played. Amelia got to her feet, and went in search of where the sound was coming from. As she rounded a nearby corner, she saw caught sight of something she would not soon forget.
Two people were sitting together, and singing with one another. One of them was a cyborg ursinid, while the other was a felinid, a most familiar looking felinid. The felinid turned and saw Amelia and smiled before looking back to the cyborg. "You may cease playing your harmonica, Silver, I believe she has heard you."
"O' course, Amelia lass," Silver said back. Then he looked to Amelia, who was, without a doubt, absolutely stunned. "Just wanted to let you know, Cap'n, that me an' me friend here are watchin' yeh, day in and day out," Silver assured her, giving her a flippant yet friendly salute.
Then, without so much as a whisper, he disappeared from view. "And, we are not the only ones," Future Amelia relayed to her past self, and she too abruptly vanished, just like Silver.
When Amelia regained her composure once more, she suddenly felt as if someone was indeed watching her. She shuddered at that thought. This was not good… not good at all. Then she made her way back to Delbert, very much shaken.