Tygeara's grotto

I'd just finished feeding my Kaiju self when the alarm Adam had set up in my private grotto buzzed in the back of my head. Cursing I rushed back to my cove and surged out of the water. I shed most of my size as I went but I still topped 20 feet as I landed on the rock shelf that served as my "patio".
A flurry of white limbs caught my eye as the intruder scrambled backwards across the floor before catching up against the futon. She(?) huddled against the cushions, clutching a plush to her chest. A small duffle bag and a shipping box lay on the floor a short distance from her. Red stained her left temple, matting her hair, and as the sounds of me exiting the water dwindled I could hear the sobs that were shaking her body.

"My God she's just a child." While trying to look as unthreatening as a giant, jet black, white striped, humanoid cat with a spiked tail could, I started shedding more size as I moved closer. When I reached my non-human minimum (just short of 10 feet tall), I crouched down in front of her.

Incredible blue eyes looked back at my green ones. "T-tygeara? P-please d-d-don't be mad at me."
I blinked "Tygeara? Who..?" The child chose then to shift her grip on the plush she clutched and it's tail worked free. It was...me? "No way." It'd only been three weeks since I'd fought the two Kaiju outside of Melbourne. I'd kept a low profile since then so, "How was there already a plush of me?" I blinked, "Why would I be mad at you pequeña?" Ack! Less than a minute and the child had me sounding like my mother!

"I d-didn't ask p-perm-mission to come. B-but I was s-so scared. M-mother was so mad when she s-saw I had a little you. Sh-she started screaming at me, and when I wouldn't let her take you she grabbed a s-stick and…" her hand reached up to where she was bleeding. "Aunt Beth came in and t-told me to run. She tried to keep her away from me but Mother s-started hitting her too." She sniffled and took a ragged breath, "I ran, I wanted to get away and then there was burning and my s-skin started to itch and bright mist and then I was here and you jumped out of the water looking angry and..p-please don't send me back."

"Oh niña no. I won't send you to where you are not safe." When I moved to pick her up she didn't shrink away. I gathered her up in a blanket and carried her over to a bench, where I set her on my lap as I sat down. Looking at her head I could see fresh blood seeping from the split.

"Cachorra? I need to call some friends so they can clean this up for you. Is that ok?"
She sniffled and looked at me with worried eyes, "Are they good people?"

"They gave me somewhere to stay so I could get used to the new me. They didn't demand anything in return. So yes. They are very good people. In fact, Tokki is many good people at once."

She nodded, "OK."

I reached out with my mind. "Adam?" As I expected, he was waiting. His mental 'voice" was dry as he answered me.

"It's about time Ms. Botes. What do we have?"

I flinched. Procedures. I knew better. In the event of an alarm I was supposed to contact him first, then go and see what had set it off. Simple number one instruction and I'd forgotten it. "I'm sorry Mr. Brock.

She's a young breakthrough. Her appearance is of a white, fuzzy, anthropomorphic, cachorra de puma measuring about six feet tall. According to her she ran here through a 'white mist' after her mother attacked her with a stick. She was hit hard enough that her scalp is split at the point of impact. It's still bleeding so if you could send Tokki with a medical response kit? And if she can also find out how the child has a plush of me named Tygeara it might help determine who her family is."

Adam sighed, "Apology accepted, Ruth. We both have to remember your having gone through such a non-standard breakthrough puts a lot on your plate already. Tokki is on it and on her way. Alarm off."

"Thank you." I sighed and looked down, "Mr. Brock is a Dreamweaver. Those he knows can call him from anywhere in here. Tokki will be here soon."

The niña sniffed and rubbed her nose. Stiffening she slowly raised her hand and looked at it, turning it over and looking at her claws. She reached over with her other hand to pluck at the fur that covered her arm as if to check that it was real. Then she opened her mouth slightly and I could see her run her tongue over her teeth. I felt her tail twitch and watched as her eyes widened in terror.
"Nononononono. What have I d-done? M-monster. Animal. Br- breakthrough. D-dangerous. C-can't go back. C-can't b-br-breathe. C-c-can-n-n't…." the child's body started to convulse as her diaphragm locked up.

"Niña! No. Breathe pequeña. BREATHE!" I forced my body back to my human frame. I was still far stronger than a non-breakthrough but not so strong I'd risk breaking bones as I tried to keep her from thrashing.
The sound of multiple pairs running feet preceded Tokki as she ran up. "Ruth! What's happening?"

"La Niña realized how much her breakthrough changed her appearance and I think it triggered a panic attack. She isn't breathing."
April crouched down next to us and cupped the girls face in her hands. "Look at me sweetie. You're NOT a monster. You are NOT an animal.. " Four more of her were behind us. Two were going through the bag and box the child had brought with her. The other two were setting up communication consoles in the "office space".

Tokki Kim

I could feel April straining to not grind her teeth. While Ruth struggled to keep the panicking girl from thrashing and hurting herself. "I'm glad I'm a Redux. I just hope I brought enough of me. But what could have her so terrified of a transformative breakthrough? "Talk to me, we need the information now." I thanked whatever quirk of my breakthrough that gave me short range telepathy with myself; it was going to be very useful right now.

May responded, "Okay Kim. Package is addressed to a Sydney Scott. Sender is listed as one Alice Scott, Chicago address."

I dug through the bag, "Ok. Clothes, shoes, epad… YES phone. June, sync to outside line?"

June hit a few keys before confirming, "Sync to outside line secure… Incoming call."

Julia called out, "Chicago number. Registered to Alice Scott."

April responded "Ok It's a start. Take the call." She tried to make eye contact with the girl, "Sydney Honey, look at me cutie. Let me see those pretty eyes of yours." At the same time she gently rubbed her thumbs across the girls cheekbones hoping it would help sooth her.

I took a deep breath. 'Ok, here goes.' "Hello?"

A tense voice responded, "Who is this? Where is my grandaughter?"
"Ma'am, My name is Tokki Kim. I am with N.U. Investigations. We are trying to trace the origins of a young breakthrough that suddenly appeared in a co-workers living space. Did your granddaughter have any personal items that might help verify that this is her?" I could hear the sounds of typing in the background. Suddenly I heard her gasp as the sounds behind me were echoed through the connection.
"I can see and hear her through the 'Journal' plush of the creature that fought off the two godzillas outside of Melbourne Australia a few weeks ago. What's wrong? How badly was she injured when her mother hit her?."

I replied, "The blow she received was strong enough to split her scalp. She was alert and coherent but she started panicking when she realized she'd undergone a transformative breakthrough. We won't know the full extent of the damage until we can get her to calm down enough for a close look." While I talked I went over and picked up the plush from where it had fallen when the girl started thrashing. Spotting the concealed camera lenses in it's eyes I held it so it faced the child.
"Sydney and I were using it to video chat when her mother arrived early to pick her up from her aunt's house in Portland. I saw the argument, the attack on her and her aunt. Sydney glowed white and dove at a hall mirror…. and then the signal cut off. Please. I need to talk to her. Sydney's mother is a member of Humanity First and her posts have been getting more and more radical. I need to let her know that I still love her."

I said, "Yes of course." I activated the video and speaker on the phone and turned it to face the girl. "Humanity First? My god. No wonder the kid is so terrified." I managed to hold the phone steady despite the shock and rage I felt.

Tokki April

It had been over a minute and the child wasn't responding. Her lips and nose were starting to pale from lack of oxygen. Nothing was working. Suddenly an older woman's voice came from over my shoulder.

"Sydney! Oh Sydney my beautiful Rionnagh please don't be afraid. Your father and I miss you, please don't leave us. I have so many more hugs and snuggles to share with you my lovely granddaughter." Her voice faded to a whisper. " Please breathe."

Suddenly, "GAAASP… Gra- Grandma Scott?"

"Thank god. Finally." I breathed a sigh of relief as the girl's grandmother continued to croon assurances at her while Ruth gently kissed and nuzzled her forehead opposite the split. Slowly Sydney's color returned and her breathing returned to something resembling normal. I picked up the scanner and held it up so she could see it. Here goes, "Sydney? I need to take a closer look at your head. This will let me see how hurt you are without having to poke at you. Is it ok if I do that?"

Sniffle, "It won't hurt?"

I shook my head. "Unless your breakthrough makes you sensitive to it you shouldn't feel a thing. I'll start and if you feel anything you let me know, Okay?"

"Okay, but.." Sydney looked up at Ruth. "Tygeara? Could, could I get a bigger hug first?"

"Bigger hug?" I was confused until Ruth, Big. Tough. Take no prisoners. Top of her league mixed martial artist Ruthelma Marie Botes, gave a start, smiled, relaxed into her near 10ft tall furry self and then cuddled Sydney in her lap like she was her own cub. The girl closed her eyes then so she didn't see the tears forming in Ruth's eye's. I used the link Adam had provided us, "Ruth?" She thought one word back at me.

"Lucía."

Oh. I gave a nod of understanding. Lucia had been Ruth's little sister. Several years back she and a playmate had been killed by stray fire from a intergang shootout blocks away. Ruth had been on her way home from work to pick them up and blamed herself for being late. She never talked about how she'd gotten from there to being one of the most feared fighters in the mixed martial art scene.

I just followed Adam and Evelynne's lead on it. Who Ruth was then only shaped who she was now. If she was going to be protective of Sydney I wasn't going to stop her. She'd talk to us when she was ready.

"Alright then. Hold as still as you can." I held the scanner in place and synced its tracking to Sydney's head. The device was something of a portable MRI with software that let it compensate for small movements. The image built quickly. "You're doing great Sydney. Just one more minute."

Sydney's phone buzzed with a received text. [Ms. Kim, would it be possible for you to contact the Portland PD? I'm worried about Sydney's Aunt Beth. [ ]]

Kim gestured to May, "Take over for me would you?" handed her the plush and stepped away. "Mrs. Scott? We can but would need a copy of the recording covering the attack."
Grandma Scott responded, "I understand. The access code is ********."
June verified, "Okay, Code is good. 'Tygeara? This is what Ruth asked us about?' Accessing relevant video logs….oh shit.. S-she attacked her own daughter with a Hockey Stick?! Over a toy?"

Kim had to clear her throat before she could continue, "Mrs. 'cough' Mrs. Scott? We need to contact Detective Fisher in the CPD and send him the file. He should be able to get things moving more quickly. Do we have your permission to do so?"

"I,.. Yes. Of course." Grandma Scott responded with calm resignation. "Could you also check with Legal Eagle and see if he will extend his firm's services to family of active Sentinel team members? We can't let Sydney's mother or anyone associated with her anywhere near Sydney without supervision."

Kim Nodded, "We can do that." To the rest of us, "Hell if the Sentinels won't cover it, I'll pay the retainer. That she'd do that to her daughter is just….." she shuddered.
Julie spoke up, "On it Kim. June and I will handle this end, I think you're needed by the munchkin."

The scanner finally pinged done, and I started going over the images. "Okay let me move this, zoom in here, rotate and..hissss. We need Ms. Harte here. We need her here NOW!"

June informed us, "Ms. Harte is already on her way... How is that poor girl even conscious?"

I answered, "I, I don't know." The girls skull was fractured. It was a miracle that her thrashing hadn't injured her further. No swelling as yet and the internal bleeding seemed to have stopped. With nothing to do but wait I set the scanner aside. "Our lead healer is on her way. Is there anything you'd like to talk about while we wait?"

Mrs. Scott, "I have something. Ms. Kim if you could retrieve the box and open it for her?"

Kim asked, "Box? Oh right. She brought one with her." She picked it up and handed it to me to open. (Ruth reached and lent a claw to cut the tape.)

The title on the label was F3 Fantastic Fantasy Felines "Wait. What?" I opened it and stared.

Mrs. Scott, "Now Sydney I know that no matter how often I tell you what a wonderful and talented young lady you are you might be tempted to think I'm exaggerating because I'm your grandmother. However the plush May is holding and, more importantly, what is in the box prove that at least this time that I am right." Her eyes twinkled as she paused. "Would you like to see?"

Sydney's eyes widened as she nodded. "Yes Ma'am."

I pulled the first item out. It was a cat Astra (catstra?)plush! It was in white and blue with the blue making it look like it was wearing a half mask and two piece outfit. Astra's star was a white blaze on its blue chest and it wore a white cape that had the crest in blue. She held it out and Sydney hesitantly took it from her. Being very careful of her own claws she turned it over to take in all of the details. She froze when she came to the tag on the collar. "T-tag zero point zero? They picked my design for the pilot?"

"Design singular? Do you think a granddaughter as wonderful as you would only have one design chosen?" Mrs. Scott teased.

I could see Sydney's lip trembling as I reached into the box and pulled out a gray, tusked, leonian plush wearing banded barding (designed so it looked like a tux of all things) and had its mane done up in dreadlocks. "Really? A cat Grendel plush too? Not Fair!" I watched as she gently set the first plush down on her lap before giving the second plush the same once over. She looked at the tag and mouthed zero point zero before touching it behind both ears. Puzzled I watched as she turned it over and pressed a catch in the armor over the shoulders. A panel popped open and Sydney pulled a slip of plastic out and moved a switch before closing it. Then she started to rub the ears again. After the third rub I could hear a rumble start low and then build, it's rhythm matching the rubbing. You could make it purr? And damn it if they hadn't used some serious tech to give it a DEEP rumble.

"Is something wrong Tokki?" Sydney's hesitant query jolted me and I realized I was glowering.

Ruth gave a rumbling chuckle and flashed me a toothy grin. "I think you may have made her a little jealous pequeña."
I blushed furiously, "Envy is all I have. I can't be mad at her, her defense of monstrously adorable cuteness won't let me." and so I did the only thing I could think of. I pouted.

Sydney's nose and the inside of her ears turned a deep pink as she blushed.

"Ahem."

All of me here nearly jumped out of our skins. Evelynne had arrived sometime while we'd been talking. Of course she'd used her parasol to float on the air so we hadn't heard her, the sneak. Between the parasol and her white medical satchel Dr. Evelynne Harte looked, and often acted, like she'd gone to the same finishing school as Mary Poppins but had gone into the medical field instead of becoming a nanny.

Evelynne had Kim hand the phone to May to hold with the Tygeara plush and tasked her with cleaning and sanitizing the wound as she worked. Meanwhile I picked up the scanner to record the session.

Evelynne settled in and began, "Alright, young lady, let me introduce myself. My name is Evelynne Harte. For now you can call me Ms. Harte or even Dr. Harte. Okay?" She waited for Sydney's nod before continuing. "I am what is called a Merlin class breakthrough and, so you know what to expect, most of my spells are used to heal my patients and aid in their recovery from injuries. So I am going need you to hold still while I start knitting your injury together from the bottom up. Are you ready?"
"Yes, Ma'am."

Evelynne smiled, "Good. Let us begin." Blue eyes watched her face while soft white light emanated from her palms as she placed them gently on either side of the split. Kim swabbed away the old blood as it started oozing from the wound. As Evelynne worked Sydney closed her eyes. I could see them moving beneath her eyelids while her ears swiveled back and forth as if searching for something. Suddenly three things happened: Sydney's ears halted, Evelynne's eyes widened in surprise and the scanner showed a sudden increase in the rate of healing.

Evelynne smiled and crooned, "Oh very good Sydney. That's it. Steady. Wup, tut tut tut. Too fast. Gently does it." She kept gently guiding Sydney as the girl apparently started adding her own energy towards the healing. Very quickly both the internal damage and the skull fracture were healed and they started knitting her scalp back together. They were almost done when Sydney's tail started lashing back and forth while she began squirming from the shoulders down and kicking lightly at the cushions with her digitigrade feet.
"Ooooo. It itches!"

Evelynne laughed softly, "Just a little bit more young lady aaaaand there. All done." She adjusted the position of her hands to massage the new scar tissue. It would slowly fade and in a few days there would only be the thickened bone of the fracture to show she'd been injured at all. For now Sydney arched her back, stretched her limbs and flexed her hands and feet as Evelynne rubbed the scar to sooth the itch of fresh healing.

Suddenly Ruth had a puddle of kitten in her lap as Sydney collapsed into a boneless heap and started purring. Ruth almost melted into a puddle herself while I laughed softly and Evelynne's eyes sparkled with delight.

This went on until it Sydney's stomach gave a growl worthy of a grown lion. Her ears went flat and she buried her face in the plushies to hide her blush.

Evelynne chuckled, "Don't be too embarrassed young lady. You spent a lot of energy helping me heal you. That is just your body letting you know what you need to recover." She looked at Ruth, "If what I sensed when I healed her is accurate, her dietary needs will be similar to yours. Some things will taste different to her now so you may have to try a few things to see what she'd like." She turned to me. "Tokki, a few of you are going to get to test your tailoring skills. Take the clothes in Sydney's bag and make duplicates of what you can. Also, have her pick two or three of the designs you've come up with if she's interested, or come up with something new if you're inspired."

"Th-Thank you, Dr. Harte." Mrs. Scott sounded stunned, "Sydney? Could you switch to your epad? I would like you to leave the phone with Dr. Harte for now so she and I can talk. Would that be okay?" Sydney peaked from behind the plushies and nodded. Mrs. Scott smiled and gave a wink, "Good. Now go with Tygeara and remember your manners. I love you my little Rionnagh."
"Yes, Ma'am. I love you too, Grandma Alice."

Ruth looked down at Sydney, "Are you ready?" At her nod Ruth stood and then set Sydney down on her own feet before taking her hand to help her balance as she got used to her new feet and leading her to the kitchen.

We watched them until they were behind the wall. Then Evelynne raised an eyebrow, "Now then, Mrs. Scott. What do you wish to discuss?"
"I've been reviewing your company's site and I see that you do protective services and defense escorts. I would like to contract you for those services. How much would the charge be to bring her to Chicago and how long would it take?" She sighed, "That's assuming of course we can get a legal ruling that would keep it from being considered an abduction."
Evelynne frowned, "I feel I should inform you that that ship may have sailed. Your granddaughter is actually far closer to Chicago than she is Portland. NU investigations only has three offices and none of them are west of the Mississippi."

"Wait. You're saying Sydney moved 2000 miles herself? Through a…." Mrs. Scott's eyes widened as she whispered. "Through a looking glass." She looked at us. "NU. New Underland?"

I was so startled I almost missed Evelynne's look of surprise. Almost no one in the modern world used that name for the old stories.

Mrs. Scott smiled wryly, "Believe it or not I was a young girl once. I loved sharing my collection with all my grandchildren. It's still here in a closet somewhere."

Evelynne frowned, "It may explain why she thought of it but not how she managed to get here. Regardless. We can't return her home before morning ourselves and I don't think we'll be able to talk her into going back if she realizes she could travel to you as easily. We need to find a way to get everyone involved together without raising suspicions."
Mrs. Scott looked thoughtful, "There may be a way. Take a look in the box. After seeing her with Tygeara I don't think it will take much to convince Sydney to share the bonus. It's just a matter of getting everyone there at the same time."
Looking in the box I found two gift certificates, TWO, for outfits from the best rated designer for hero wear in Chicago, courtesy of the Sentinels. It was only four blocks from our branch office. I pulled them out and showed them to Evelynne.

She scanned them and looked thoughtful. "Well this changes things. How available is Sydney's father?"

"Actually he should arrive any minute. He was giving Sydney and me time for 'girl' talk before joining me here for a long distance family game night. You found her within ten minutes of us getting cut off so I haven't called him yet." Mrs. Scott's tone turned bitter, "Her mother wasn't supposed to pick her up for another three hours." She turned her head as a door chimed.
We watched as she broke the news to Sydney's father. He took it well considering. She didn't even have to box his ears once before he calmed down enough to talk to Sydney. During more tears and promises of love and hugs, June signaled us from where she and Julie were coordinating things with the CPD, Legal Eagle, Andrews Designs and the plush company. Evelynne smiled and within a few words they were deep in conference knocking out the details for the next day.

Just under an hour later they were finished enough the family was able to get their game night, ("they" included Ruth) and went until Sydney started nodding off. She'd already changed into the sleep set Donna (another me) had managed to whip up for her so her tail wasn't giving her fits. So all Ruth had to do was to carry her over to the bed wrap her back up in a blanket and hold her till she fell asleep. We left the Tygeara plush standing guard with the Catstra (Sydney refused to let go of the Grendel) and everyone that didn't have tasks turned in for the night. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day.