Okay, where do we start? Well, let's start at the beginning. 200 years earlier. Zach was overjoyed to hear his wife, McKenzie was pregnant. He met McKenzie in High School, and they took off from there. Zach actually disappeared from the Wild Kratts Radar for quite some time. McKenzie was a lover of nature, and she was determined to get Zach into it too. For the first time ever, Zach actually had a SMILE on his face. And this smile wasn't of evil. It was of happiness. Then tragedy struck, and struck Zach hard. Although his daughter was healthy and strong at birth, it was too much for McKenzie, and she died that night. Her last wish was that her daughter's name be Katherine. The loss of McKenzie was nearly too much for Zach to bear, but at least he had his daughter for comfort, for now. As Katherine, or Kate for short, grew, her green eyes sparkled, her dark brown hair shimmered, and her attitude shown. She was the spitting image of McKenzie herself. Just before McKenzie died, she placed a small butterfly doll in her daughters hands. Kate still has that doll to this day. The death of McKenzie was a coincidence too because dad went to see them when I was in my first year. Zach ran away with Kate away from the hospital that night. One time, when everything would seem alright, Zach would act like he returned to his evil self. But he took it a little too far. Anyway... Kate grew up around Zach's addiction of capturing animals and turning them into robots. Since McKenzie's death, he acted like returned to himself, and maybe even a little eviler. Kate was used to it all, and figured everything was right with the world. Until she was four. Zach had to go on an animal collection trip, and took Kate with him. He figured no one is too young to take on the family business.
****
"Oh, hurry up! I'm boiling out here!" He shouted at his Zachbots, poking his head out of the newspaper he was reading. Kate turned around to see her father yelling at his Zachbots for their insignificant digging skills. Kate silently giggled, and went back to holding Anna. (her butterfly doll). Suddenly, Kate heard a,
"Hold up, Martin!"
"Daddy? Who was that?" She asked.
"Hm, sounds like those animal loving Wild Kratts." He replied, smiling evilly.
Kate, Zach, and two Zachbots peek behind the bush, and then she saw them, the Kratt brothers. She was a little frightened though. She had been told all her life to NEVER EVER go near them!
"Okay, the Best Digger in the World's hole should be right around here, somewhere." The one in the green shirt said, looking around.
"Best digger?" Kate could tell a light bulb went off in her father's head. "THAT'S the kind of animal I need working for me. Alright, Kate, Zachbots, stay close." He said. Then being the 'bolts in the brains' they are, the Zachbots took it literally. Kate stayed well hidden, she didn't want those Wild Rats, or Kratts, to see her, for fear of the worst. What she didn't know that a 5 year old, time lord/human hybrid, boy in a purple shirt had notice and seen her in the bush. In this case, Sam.
"Zach? What are you doing here?" The guy in the blue shirt, who was still in the jeep asked. Then he gave a glare, along with the other man.
"Spying on us again?"
"No." Her father started. "I'm just, uh...I took a wrong turn in my jet. I was just leaving."
The 'Blue Boy' gave him a glare. "Well okay then." he suddenly started acting really jumpy. Then Sam's sonic screwdriver was beeping silently, which meant that an alien life form was nearby. He was thought it was a malfunction. "Oh! Hey look at the time! Got a head poppin there. I MEAN gotta head out." He nervously laughed, as the other man got back in the jeep and they both buckled up. "Uh, yeah, have a good trip back." The green one said, as they drove off. Sam wondered who she was and why was she with Zach. Since then, he has been wondering.
A little while later that day. Kate learned how to make a robotic digger with a 'piggy thingy'. At least she thinks that what her father called it. Then, out of the bushes, here they came again! The 2 men from before! Kate had little time to hide, and hid behind her father's legs.
"Whoa, Zach! C'mon, let that aardvark go." The blonde haired man demanded.
The three began to quarrel, and Kate just wanted them to leave. Then suddenly, the man in the green shirt said something that opened Kate's eyes, to what her father was doing was wrong.
"She belongs in the Wild. Animals depend on her, None of these animals would have a place to live in and raise their young, if it weren't for he aardvark." He said.
What was he saying? That making animal robots is...wrong? Is her father's hobby...wrong? She had to find out. Oddly enough, Chris didn't even see Kate until the slowly and cautiously came out around her father's leg. She looked up at him with great curiosity. Chris looked down at her, more than a little surprised. A million questions were running through his mind. Who was she? Why was she with Zach? Why was she afraid of him and Martin until now? Kate was about to ask him something, when she heard her father say,
"OH! Home. Shmome. She works for me now." He pressed a button, and the two brothers fell into the hole. Kate became very concerned and ran to the hole to make sure they were alright, which they were, but a little dazed. She looked down at them, communicating silently through her eyes, "I'm so sorry! If only I knew. I'll make things right, I promise." Sam, however, was able to decode the message with my own mind. With that, Kate walked away from the hole, and the bros didn't see her again. Until about three episodes later. Kate had finally gotten the courage to confront her father, and tell him that what he was doing was wrong and that he needed to stop, unaware that Sam was spying on them to get more info but that component was going off again. But soon he know that it isn't a malfunction. It's coming from one of them. He kept wondering then.
****
"You've got to stop dad!"
"How dare you say that to me?!"
"But, Chris said that..." With the mere mention of that name, Zach grabbed Kate's pink dress by its collar lifting her off her feet.
"Who said what?!"
Kate realized she'd better tone it down.
"No...no one." That was the word that made Zach put Kate down.
As soon as she was on the ground though,
"You can't keep it from me forever."
"Keep what?"
"I know the truth! And I know who I am."
"You're a Varmitech, and it's a science of what you're learning."
"NO!"
"Excuse me?!"
"Using animals as slaves is NOT a science! It's mean! And I'm no Varmitech! I can't be! I must be a Wild Kratt!" With that, Kate covered her mouth. Did she just say what she think she said? I did and know who was she and why she was with Zach.
"You're...WHAT?!" Zach asked through his teeth. Sam looked worried
"I'M A WILD KRATT! I KNOW I AM FOR SURE!" No sooner that Kate screamed that, everything went black. Sam was shocked to see what happened.
****
Kate's head throbbed on the cold, hard, gloomy floor. Her face hurt, and her eye felt numb. She opened her eyes slowly, to find herself on the black floor of her gray, gloomy room, with the door locked. She turned on her side, and rose off the floor. She turned to her side mirror in her room and silently gasped. Her face was red and blue with bruises, as were her arms. (her dress is a strapped sleeved) Her left eye was black as well, that explained why it hurt so much. She was a little woobly, but she was able to stand up. She couldn't believe it! How could Zach, HER FATHER, had done this to her?! She thought he loved her. She knew what she had to do. She took off the knob on her bed post, and hit her side window as hard as she could. It was just enough to make it shatter. As soon as all the sharp, glass that was lose was removed, she jumped out the window. (her room was on the first floor) But no sooner had she ran to the side, she had Zachbots starring right at her! Frightened, she ran as fast as her legs could carry her into the forest. She could hear Zachbots right behind her, but she refused to turn around. She zigged and she zagged for what seemed like hours. Just when she thought she couldn't take anymore, she ran into someone! They both went down with a thud. Kate rubbed her already sore forehead, then realized what happened seeing the man she had run into. She was about to jump and run, worried she just ran into Zach, but then she saw his pointy hair, and rich brown eyes, and she couldn't believe she found him! (It was nighttime, sorry, I forgot to add that, by accident)
Chris had been thinking a lot about that girl he saw with Zach, and tried to get as much information as he could about her, but even though it had been weeks, she was still on his mind. Even when he was fixing the beaver dam earlier that day, she just wouldn't leave his brain. Sam had the same thing, too. He was also wondering why my alien detector component was going of like mad when we first met. While Kate ran from the Zachbots, Sam followed. Tonight she was on our minds more than normal, so much so we couldn't sleep. Chris decided to go for a walk to clear his mind. And a good thing he did, too!
"Ouch. Who...?" Chris looked at the girl as he got to his feet and he swore she looked familiar. Then he remembered...the girl that was with Zach a few weeks ago! But then Zachbot beeps broke his train of thought, as Kate ran to him, and hugged his legs, crying out of fear.
"There...THERE RIGHT BEHIND ME!" She wailed in his shorts.
"The Zachbots are...?!" Before Chris could answer, he felt an all too familiar grasp of metal on his arm, as it pulled his arm behind his head. Chris quickly pried it off his arm just as three others came right at him and Kate! The Zachbots knew that they'd have to take down the Wild Rat first, so they charged right at him, and eventually overpowered him!
Kate couldn't DARE let that happen!
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" She screamed as she jumped on one and started hit its head as hard as she could. The Zachbot then turned and twisted its head violently. Kate couldn't hold on forever, and the Zachbot bucked her off, and bucked her hard!
Next thing the Zachbot knew, it's head was bashed in from a large stick that Chris had picked up to protect himself. He bashed another one, and stabbed the other one. The others retreated, leaving their robot fellows destroyed on the ground but half of them were decimated when I used my dad's sonic screwdriver on them and the other half gotten sliced and diced by Brandon's kunai. No sooner than they were gone, Chris saw a small girl that seemed to hit a tree when she was bucked off the Zachbot! He ran to the girl, asleep beneath the tree she ran into. Sam was right behind him and Brandon covered them both.
"Hey, are you okay?!" Chris asked frantically, picking up the girls limp head. Idiot! He didn't even know her name! He shook her gently, trying to bring her back.
"Hey, wake up. Wake up!" He tried a little harder, but still nothing. He refused to give up! She was still breathing. She was still there! He tried one more time.
"Wake up!" He touched her red, bruised cheek with his hand this time, and she responded! She winced a little then opened her eyes slowly to find eyes looking into Chris's worried wide brown eyes.
"Thank goodness!" Chris exclaimed, and hugged her tightly, highly relieved. Everything started to catch up with Kate, and it was all too much. Chris opened his eyes as he could her muffled sobbing and irregular breathing from the small girl. He hugged her tighter.
"It's alright. Everything's okay now. Nothing's gonna happen." Chris said, trying to comfort her. She eventually slowed down, then she just rested her head on his shoulder. Chris then realized, she was asleep.
"We need to get her back to the Tortuga before more of them come back here with Zach", Sam said.
"Right, on it.", Chris replied.
"I got your backs.", said Brandon. Chris slowly picked her up, and they ran back to the Tortuga. She was so tired, she didn't even twitch.
They walked back into the Tortuga, the small girl in his arms.
"Hey guys, there you are." Aviva said walking into the room with her eyes looking over some data.
"Martin was starting to...O MY WORD!"
"What is it Aviva?" Martin asked, and he stopped in his tracks, seeing the tired, beat up toddler in Chris's arms.
"That's the same girl that was with Zach in the aardvark adventure!" Kitty Exclaimed.
"Who...How...What...?" Martin was speechless.
"She ran into us in the forest. Those good for nothing 'bags of bolts' were after her." Chris said, and little concerned, but more than anything, outraged that Zach would do such a thing.
"Why does her face look so beat up?" Aviva asked with great concern.
"I can only wonder." Chris replied. Sam wanted to tell them but hesitated.
Everyone could tell this girl was exhausted, like she had been running for forever!
"Here Chris! Set her down over here." Aviva said, standing next to a small pink hammock she set up. Kate had a death grip on Chris's shirt, and since she was deep in sleep, Chris would hate to wake her. He laid her down as gently as he could, and slowly pried her fragile hand off his green jacket. Once she was in the hammock, Aviva put the blanket over her, and Kate turned over in a deep, safe sleep. Brandon was shocked to see the injured girl, so use an old healing technique to help heal her up a bit. He kept doing this all night.
While she slept, the Wild Kratts tried their best to figure out things like...who she was? Where did she come from?
****
In Kate's mind, she dreamed. Her dream was about hearing the telepathic field Sam produced into her mind. She heard the song of captivity where she saw dozens of animals being slaughtered and captured by evil humans, one of them was Zach. In a cry, her chest gave a bright pink light to give her the touch. Other lights started to appear, singing the song of freedom. They circled Kate frequently, giving her flight. Then the touch of Kate's freedom turned her dark world into what was supposed to be the garden of Eden. Then, all she sees is a board that says, "All of nature's creations are equal." Then all of nature's beauties are prosperous and free. After that, a bright light appeared to bring her into the real world. Thus her dream ended as soon as it begun.
****
Kate awoke the next day. At first, she had no idea where she was. All she knew was that she wasn't in her room anymore. This place was white and had all kinds of plant life around. She turned a little further to the right, and found Chris sitting at one of the desks looking at something on the screen. Since she didn't know how to read yet, she couldn't make out what he was doing. What was that foreign language on the screen? Chris must've noticed her head moving, because his train of thought was broken to seeing Kate's curious eyes beam right into his.
"Morning." He gently said.
Kate nodded and smiled back.
"You alright?"
"I...I guess so." Kate replied, trying to touch her black eye.
"Ow."
Suddenly, the man in the blue shirt walked in.
"There you are Chris. Please don't tell me you were in here all night."
"I was."
Martin slapped his forehead, and gave a pity groan, seeing that his brother was both tired, yet awake with concentration. Then, he turned to Brandon.
"Hey Brandon." He was interrupted and fell down on a face-plant.
Then he looked up to Kate and said, "Oh, hello."
"H...hi." Kate tried to introduce herself, but she still wasn't so sure.
"Well, hey there." Martin replied as he waved hello. He started to walk to the small child in the hammock, but then he realized as he got closer, she started to tense, like she was almost...afraid of him.
Martin gave a small laugh.
"Don't worry, I'm not gonna bite." He reassured with a comforting smile.
Kate calmed down a little, as Martin came closer. He knelt down to the small hammocks level. Then I said, "Well, look who's up. I'm Sam by the way. I, my pink little friend, am at your service." Kate smiled a bit more.
"So..." Martin became curious so he started, "What's your name?"
That's right! They didn't even know her name!
"My name's...Katherine, but...my...Dad calls me Kate." She said, looking away as if it were a bad thing.
"Don't need to look so down, I like that name." Martin replied.
"Really? I thought it was kind of ordinary."
"No, not at all. When you think about it, every name is different, because it describes a different person, every time." Martin said.
This made Kate's eyes sparkle with her smile as she looked up at him, even if one looked a little darker than the other at the moment. And that reminded Martin.
"Um, Katherine..." he placed his gentle hand on her strong, but sore shoulder. How did her phrase this? Just the right wording should do it.
"Yeah?"
"Um, what happened...to you?" Martin asked, scanning over all her small bruises that would go away eventually.
Kate looked at the floor. She tried not to cry, but Martin still saw a tear fall from her face onto the floor. Chris was finished with his research, and was right next to Martin now, when they heard her mutter, "I...I can't believe he did that."
"Who did what?" Martin asked.
Chris looked away. Martin could tell Chris kind of knew the answer to this question. And sure enough,
"It was him, wasn't it?" He asked.
"What?" Kate asked, still looking down.
"It was Zach, Zach did this to you, didn't he, Kate?" Chris clarified, a little edge starting to cut at his voice. "And he was your father, am I right?" I asked.
A small pause followed, then more tears started to fall from Kate's face. I knew that was going to happen.
"IT WAS HIM! ALRIGHT?!" She screamed. She didn't understand. WHY?! Zach was her father, why would he ever want to hurt her?! Then she accidently hit the hammock which had a rock. Then the rock hit the trap system which, I putted up just in case of a Zach attack, shooted out a ninja star, which had light stick of dynamite in the hole. It was going to Kate, so I deflected the ninja star, which went out the window and exploded in a green flame appearance. During that, a pink light made a wave to the outside of the universe making plants grow twice their normal rate.
"I...I DON'T KNOW WHY HE DID IT!" Kate rose her head to meet the Kratts eyes. They watched in pity as Kate continued to cry, tears of pain, confusion, and fear streaming down her face.
"I TOLD HIM I WAS A WILD KRATT AND THEN EVERYTHING WENT BLACK ON ME! WHY?! WHY?!" Kate was now hyperventilating, now clenching her head fiercely as her screaming left her head throbbing. Chris felt the worst of the two. He didn't know why, but, there was something about Kate that was...different, from other kids. Chris picked the shrieking toddler out of the hammock, and held her close, trying to calm her down. She buried her face in his shirt like she did the night before and muffled her sobs. Right then and there, Chris made a promise to himself, he would make sure no one, ESPECIALLY ZACH, would hurt her again. He would always protect her, no matter what. I thought of the promise too, directly through my telepathic field.
Kate even eventually began to slow down, and her wailing sobs soon became silent tears. Once she was quiet, Chris said,
"Don't you worry, okay? I'll never let anything happen to you. I promise." Kate had never heard anyone make a promise to her before.
"You...promise?" Kate asked, looking up at Chris and wiping her teary eye.
"I promise." Chris repeated.
Kate looked down for a minute, then put on a best of a mischievous smile as she could.
"Hmmm...Pinkie Promise." She demanded, which wasn't much of a command at all.
Chris gave off a small laugh.
"Alright, I pinkie promise." Chris replied, extending his pinkie.
Kate giggled a little at this.
"Me too," Sam said. "Oh and about the thing that Zach did to you last night, I saw and recorded it all. And I got your promise on the day we first met."
Then Kate said, "Thanks, Sammy."
"Hey, what's all the ruckus going on in here?" Aviva asked, walking back into the main room. Seeing Kate, she knew what must've happened.
"She's fine, Aviva." Chris replied.
"What was that pink light anyway and what caused the plants in the universe to grow twice their normal rate?" asked Koki.
"Sorry, that was a time wave. So much for the efficiencies of 'being bullet-proof'." I said, apologizing.
Suddenly, a faint, but just loud enough sound to hear sound of Zachbots rang in Kate's ears, and she tensed, sending a death grip to Chris's sleeves on his jacket.
"What's wrong?" Chris asked, noticing her eyes were wide with fear.
There was the noise again, and it was coming closer! Chris, Brandon and I heard it too.
"He...he's coming back for me! I'm really in for it now!" Kate studdered.
THAT WAS IT! It was time for the moment of truth.
"Here, Aviva, take Kate for a minute." Chris said, holding out his arms so Aviva could grab her. Kate was starting to breath a little faster now, and hugged onto Aviva's neck as they both waited for Chris, Brandon and I to return from outside to meet the noise. Kate, Martin, Koki, and Aviva watched the door, looking for any signs of it reopening. Meanwhile outside, Chris Brandon and I were quarreling with Zach, and it looked like they were winning.
****
"WHAT ABOUT THOSE BRUISES ON HER HUH?" I demanded, narrowing his eyes straight at him.
"What?! Those? She likes to play around a lot. you know kids."
"I might now know kids, Zach." Brandon said, bring him closer to his face, "but I do know what abuse sounds like!" Brandon threw Zach to the ground. I grabbed and cornered him before he could escape.
"If you EVER come near or hurt Kate again," Chris started, looking as threatening as ever to Zach, who was in my tightening hand, "I'll see to it myself that it's not a 'calm conversation'." Chris turned around slowly, I dropped him, Brandon putted his kais away, and we returned to the Tortuga, while Zach laid there on the ground, defeated. After a Zachbot helped him to his, they all staggered off. Right then and there, something snapped in Zach's head. Kate was one of 'them'! She was now...an enemy! He lost McKenzie, and now he lost her! He wouldn't just drop it. He wanted Kate back. He wanted the daughter that was interested in everything he did. If he couldn't have her back, he...wanted revenge. He'll never stop! Not until Kate becomes a Varmitech again, or until his thirst on Kate's suffering is satisfied, which is one thing I will not allow to happen.
Chris, Brandon and I walked back into the Tortuga, to Kate's relief.
"Was..." Kate asked, pointing to the door.
"Yeah, but don't worry, he won't hurt you anytime soon." Chris reassured with a smile. Kate smiled back.
Aviva let her down, and she started exploring the Tortuga base. There was one thing that stood out in the shop above the rest.
"Hey, Chris?" Kate asked.
"Yeah?" He replied, walking to her side.
"What's that vest thing in the case?" She asked, pointing to a blue vest with a paw print on it.
Chris knelt down to her level, and answered,
"Ah, that's called a Creature Power Suit. I gives us the ability that the creature does."
"How?"
"Well, you put a disc in that is for a certain creature, like, a butterfly for example, then you touch the real butterfly, and you can get that butterfly's power to fly by pushing the paw print in the middle." Chris explained.
Kate, even though a little confused, tried to sort this out.
"I like it." She said innocently as she smiled to Chris's face.
"Would you one day like have one of your own?" Brandon asked.
"Yes! But..." Kate looked sadly at the ground.
"But what?" Chris asked, putting his hand on the top of her head.
"I'm sure only you Wild Ra...I mean Wild Kratts can use it. I'm no Wild Kratt." Kate said returning her gaze to the floor.
Sam thought for a moment, then smiled, whispered to Chris about his thought, and he said,
"Do you want to be?"
"What?"
"Do you want to be a Wild Kratt?"
"You...you mean you...want me to...be part of the team?!"
"Sure!"
"Why not?" Martin and Chris both added.
"Besides, since you are Zach's daughter, inventing is in your blood. And I would love to show you even more." Aviva put in.
"And I'll get your welcome gift ready as soon as I can", Sam said, deciding to make and give Kate her own sonic screwdriver.
"And can teach you self-defense against Zachbots and other notorious villains." Said Brandon.
Kate looked around at the team. There was something about this team, that, they just weren't a team, they were a family. Finally, for the first time in Kate's life...she was home. She grinned from ear to ear, and ran into Aviva's arms. Her way of saying 'YES!'
"Welcome to the Wild Kratts Team, Kate Corcovado." Said Aviva, as if she wants be a mother for the 1st time.
"Corcovado?" We all asked in surprised.
"Aviva, you sure you..." Martin was cut off as Aviva gave him a glare.
"I've taken care of WILD animals before by myself, this little one is no troublemo." She said looking into Kate's green eyes that were sparking the brightest yet. She was overjoyed. She...had a mother!
"And it will be my duty to look out for her." Said Sam. This will be a big time job for him.
Aviva hugged her again tightly and whispered in the little girl's ear,
"Welcome home."
After that fateful time, Kate and I got used to each other very well. I promised to protect her, no matter what. but nothing could've prepared us for what happened next. it was the day we met Mina the nymph.
