Chapter 6: Tragedy to Come
Mycroft was curious when Sherlock first started housing the woman he initially called mentally unstable. Then the government kidnapped her, just as he did with everyone who he thinks the detective will associates with daily, and began an interrogation he found that she, much like John, was different from the other goldfish.
"You must be Sherlock's elder brother," Leotie greets as she exits the car. "Strange, I would've thought you'd be bigger from how Sherlock's talked about you." Mycroft only gave an annoyed huffing noise.
"Why don't you have a seat, we are going to be here for a while," Mycroft suggested, gesturing to the only chair in the warehouse.
After the interesting conversation with her, the elder Holmes brother searched for her file only to come up empty handed. He was certainly intrigued by her, especially when she figured out his secret relationship with Greg Lestrade. His monthly talks with her became weekly when Moriarty showed his head and changed from Sherlock and John to how to improve his relationship with his goldfish. Mycroft found that she was wise, resourceful, and playful depending on what was needed at the time. She even had different ways of being playful depending on who she is with at the time.
He had also willingly supplied the metal claws for her use when the assassins surrounded Baker Street and the top of the line armor that hid under the sweater she had used at the time, after he had asked her to help keep his brother safe. Even when Sherlock went off to destroy Moriarty's web she protected Sherlock by hand picking fighters that were loyal to her and stealthy at the same time. Mycroft would occasionally see how she would mother the Baker Street boys when Mrs. Hudson was out of the flat and how Sherlock respected her like he did Mrs. Hudson. Mycroft would even, grudgingly, admit that he liked it when she would walk him through how to fix any bumps that Lestrade and he would have and how she would mother him from time to time. He remembered talking to his goldfish one night to discover that Lestrade had a slight fear of Leotie. Something about her nearly scratching his officers' eyes out and, more recently, threatened his life should he hurt Mycroft and Sherlock. He also found that John was there for that particular conversation too.
The government man could also see how careful she was with how she worded her sentences every time she would give out little bits of information that she really shouldn't, or couldn't, give out. She could tell you that someone was still alive just by saying that they were 'not with them at the moment'. She would tease with the truth, showing that she could see what has not yet been said aloud. Leotie can easily predict the future, having requested the armor and claws long before the first assassin moved in near them. It was because of these reasons that Mycroft was surprised with her latest out-of-the-blue request.
They had just gotten through the security gate to the lab and Sherlock and John, who was trying to help Yiska walk still due to the smell of blood, were farther away and out of earshot. Leotie had stayed behind with the car door open and Mycroft patiently sitting inside, even though he did not know her reason for waiting. Her mind was still distant in thought but she was determined. The elder Holmes brother could tell that she knew how this would end for the lab.
"Cub, you recall my armor and claws that are currently stowed away?" Mycroft didn't answer as she whispered this out, but she knew he remembered even though she continued to stare out to her other cubs and kitten. "After Sherlock and John return to Baker Street, find a newlywed couple by the name Ryhill. You will give them my armor and you will know them when you see them." Without receiving a confirmation, Leotie raced after the boys and left a wide eyed Mycroft in the car. During his visits with her, he has learned to see through pieces of her messages. He deduced her retreating figure over and over but could not see her plan for what is to happen, he could never fully deduce her unless she willed it. All he knew that is to come was the fact that Leotie and Yiska will not be returning to 221 B Baker Street again. As the car began to drive away, he hit his speed dial. After several rings, Greg picked up but before the DI could get a word in Mycroft interrupted.
"Leotie will not be joining us tomorrow for dinner," Mycroft states, a sore lump forming in his throat without permission. "I believe that she and Yiska will not be attending anymore invitations again."
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"What took you so long?" John asked as Leotie slung Yiska's other arm over her own shoulders. She fought down all her urges to make a disgusted face when the smell of blood mixed with cleaners grew. An employee, a short and stubby man with light brown hair that was thinning, came running by with a wheelchair and she helped John set Yiska down in it so that she could wheel her kitten around.
"I was asking Mycroft for one last favor," Leotie informs, finding it amusing when Sherlock makes a sneer for a split second. She leaned in closer to John to whisper in his ear. "If you don't tell him about your feelings, I will," she whispers threateningly. The doctor doesn't jump or flinch, he only gives her a terrified look. Sherlock and the scientist, who was tall and thin with red hair, were speaking to one another while they walked a few paces ahead of them. Leotie, who was still pushing Yiska's wheelchair, and John continued their conversation in hushed tones so the detective could not hear their conversation.
"I can't just tell, Sherlock," John panicked, think of the various things that could go wrong if he did. "He's married to his work. I-"
"John, you are apart of his work now. Not only that, but I have seen how you two gravitate towards each other. During the entire time Sherlock was away and taking out Moriarty's web, he cared more about my updates on you than anyone else. Cub, have I ever pushed you to do something if it wasn't for the best?" She and John had stopped walking as Leotie waited for a reply. John soon lowered his head and mumbled something about hands before walking ahead of her and entwining his fingers with the detective's fingers, causing him to pause mid sentence to stare at his blogger's red tinged face with surprise. Sherlock turned to Leotie with a panicked look in his eyes, causing her to giggle at his innocence before she waved her hand for him to continue forward. So he did. Sherlock tightened his grip on John before he continued talking to the scientist.
"I really don't see why the government is so interested in our little lab. We don't even have much to show. We've been trying to create a way to reach into other dimensions, find new resources that can be used and possible new life," Leotie stopped listening after that because the he started to get into the science of the portal and it's construction. As they entered, Leotie took in the hospital like structure, it's cool greys and flickering lights giving it a more menacing feeling than a hospital normally would which caused a shiver to run down her spine. She could hear all of the cats that were captured and still alive moan for her to free them, to allow them to return home. She wanted to cry from the heart wrenching sounds until she heard one particular voice that made her stop in middle of the hallway. "Miss, come along. I haven't showed you all of the experiments that came through the test runs yet," the scientist calls back, making Sherlock and John look back at the cat. Leotie ignored them in favor of staring at the dull grey metal door to the side.
"Look at you, always getting yourself tied up, my restless one," Leotie says to the door. The scientist looked as if he is considering her sanity while John and Sherlock shared a knowing look. No human could hear the reply as every cat that was imprisoned became eerily silent. Leotie allows a smirk to form on her lips. "I only bail you out because you are useful." There was a pause as she listened to the reply and a genuine smile formed on her face. "I love you too, my Ahote." The scientist was interrupted from his analysis due to his radio cutting through and someone talking to him. His eyes widened in surprise and flicked back to the cat.
"You're one of them!" The scientist shouts with horror and fury. Leotie turned to him, more markings beginning to glow around her body along with her crown and her golden-green eyes become cat like. There was a sudden wave that emanated from her that cause all of the humans to fall backwards with the exception of Sherlock and John, unlock the cells that her kin were held in, and release the chains that held Ahote back. Yiska let out a gasp of air as the smell of blood mixed with sanitation wiped itself from existence. The kitten stared up at the cat as she began to walk over to the scientist, a glare forming on her face and fear etched into his.
"Come my kin, for it is time to rebel against the two leggeds that have harm you so," she says with calm certainty as another wave is let out. Screams from security guards and scientists alike could be heard in the distance along with various cat like hisses and screams. Sherlock and John watched as their hallway slowly filled with various crouched bodies, both coming from farther into the lab and from outside where they had recently entered from. Sherlock quickly recognized some of the new faces as those from the homeless community that have recently shown up out of nowhere. Everyone stilled, creating an eerie silence as Leotie hovered over the fallen scientist.
"Leotie?" John asks, only to be hissed at by the majority of the humanized cats population. Leotie growled at her kin, show authority amongst the crowd, before turning to the startled doctor.
"What is it, cub?" Leotie asked as a small girl, maybe three or four years old, looked up at John with interest and curiosity in her dark blue eyes before turning her gaze to Sherlock and examining him similarly. She had long black hair that was a mess of curls, dirt covered tan skin, and bruises all over her arm.
"What's going on?" John asked as the little cat reached her arms up to the doctor, wanting him to pick her up. John didn't pay her any mind as he listened to the cat's reply.
"It is time for my kin to return home," she states as she easily picks up the scientist and tosses him, knocking him unconscious. The little cat whimpered when John still didn't pick her up, making him look down at her. The doctor sighed and released his detective's hand reluctantly to pick up the small child, who cuddled into his shoulder as Sherlock pouted. A door, the same one that Leotie had been staring at before the chaos, slammed open and a blur of black, green, and blue practically tackled Leotie. She was lifted off of the ground with a delightful cry before she was placed back on her feet and nearly snogged to death. She finally pulled away from her 'attacker' and nuzzled his cheek.
"Hello my flower," he says, nuzzling her back. Yiska, who was still in the wheelchair, looked away from the intimate scene. "I always knew my lady in gold would come save me." Leotie chuckle and rolled her eyes.
"As wonderful as this would be to just stay like this, we seem to be missing an heir," Leotie comments, trying to pull away. The playful look Ahote's eyes vanished and he grabbed her hand.
"The science two leggeds must have gotten a hold of her," Ahote says before turning to the kitten in the wheelchair. "Follow," he ordered. Yiska nodded and quickly got up to follow Ahote and Leotie through the winding halls, deceased security guards and scientist laying around like forgotten trash, with the doctor and detective, along with the rest of the cats, following along. After ten minutes of running, they entered a room of dying or dead cats. As they walked, Leotie's tattoos lit the way until Yiska gasped in horror, running ahead of the group to kneel in front of a blond girl. Her hair was matted and long, her creamy skin was pale and bruised, her chilling blue eyes barely opened as Yiska gently petted her hair away from her face. The cat sighed and knelt next to Yiska as the kitten was pulled up and away.
"No! I have to be with her! I can't leave Zorina!" Yiska protested, tears beginning to stream down his face. Ahote turned the kitten to him.
"Will you protect her with your life?" Ahote asked. "Will you protect Zorina, beginning dawn, from all dangers for the rest of your nine lives?"
"Why wouldn't I?" Yiska asked, still wanting to return to his old playmate.
"Can you speak, kitten," Leotie asked the dying girl, who nodded. "Will you lead and protect our kin, create peace among creatures to the best of your ability, and to love our kin?"
"Yes, your highness," Zorina chokes out. Ahote and Leotie shared a look as she carefully pulled the lynx to her feet.
"My kin," the cat called, allowing a wave to carry her voice. "Witness as our heirs are created and rebuilt!" The four glowed to the point that they were no longer seen. When the light faded Yiska was dressed in black, prince like clothes with his usually messy hair slicked back while Zorina was fully healed and dressed in a slim and elegant dress, her hair bright yellow and curled to perfection. The kitten and the heir turned and looked at each other before grinning and nearly tackling each other in a crushing hug. Ahote and Leotie did not change with the exception of the fact that Leotie's tattoos were more dimmed than before. The cat turns to her mate before she spoke. "You know the turns of this structure better than I, my restless one. We must find the portal that will return our kin home. We do not have much time left." He nods and takes her hand before running through the facility again, this time going to the farthest room from the entrance. Sherlock had to take the girl from John, since he had longer legs, just so that the two could keep up with the speeding cats.
"What does she mean by not having much time left?" John asked Sherlock, who shrugged. He could see that she was blocking him, refusing to allow him to deduce her. This never happened often, only other time was when she broke the handcuffs when they were on the run, but when it did, something bad is soon to follow. In this case, her words only confirmed the tragedy to come.
John and Sherlock were panting by the time the hoard of cats finally stopped in a nearly empty room. There was a circular metal machine on the far wall and a control panel near the door the pack had just raced through. The detective and doctor joined Leotie, Ahote, Yiska, and Zorina by the panel as they discussed how the portal is meant to be turned on. Sherlock and Leotie were the ones that actually analyzed the device and within moments figured it out. Sherlock pressed a button one of the corners as Leotie flipped a switch in the middle, successfully turning it on.
"I didn't think that would actually work," the cat mumbles under her breath. She then turns to her kin as Yiska and Zorina ran to the portal to help their cats through. "My kin!" She announces, a weak wave flowing lazily through the room. "It is time to return to whence we came. Go, do that which you are called to do." Groups of cats began to run through, five by five, as John and Sherlock tried to get the little girl to follow the other cats without success. Noticing this, Leotie walked over to them, her back facing the door. "Cubs, do not force her to leave," the cat informed. The doctor and detective gave her a confused look but waited to hear her reasoning. "She was born in this world from a fellow cat, one who is unfortunately deceased. She is a runt but strong. I sense that she will not have the ability to be reincarnated due to the fact that she was born here. She will have no one if she were to go to my dimension. She chose to trust you two for a reason, she most likely feels a connection to you two." The cat could sense Ahote shift to stand behind her as a chill raked through her very core. The last of the cats had gone through and Yiska and Zorina now waited for Leotie and Ahote to follow them. The time had come. Leotie gave the two young kittens a look that screamed to leave and not look back.
BANG!
Two screams were heard, one of pain and one of heartbreak, followed by a single thud of a body against the cold hard floor echoing through the horridly silent room. Yiska wanted to run toward the wounded but was stopped by Zorina, who could see the danger to come, and pulled him through the portal.
BANG!
The small child hid behind Sherlock, who was glaring at the now wounded scientist. The same scientist that Leotie had merely thrown unconscious. John was glaring, too, at the scientist, except his view followed the barrel of his hand gun. Another thud was heard, causing John and Sherlock's attention to change to the sad scene that had been created by the reached scientist. The doctor and detective watched as Leotie, whose markings were faint now, hovered over a fallen Ahote. John raced over, snatching Sherlock's scarf from around his neck, and went to place pressure on the bullet wound in the tom cat's chest when his hand was stopped by a slender one. He looked up to Leotie's tear stained face, questions dancing across his own.
"We knew this was to come," Leotie choked out. "We knew we would not be returning to our dimension." More tears poured out as retracted her hand in favor of running her fingers through her mate's dark locks. "I love you, my restless one," she whispers out in their cat tongue.
"And I, you," came his weak reply before releasing a shuttering final breath. John turned to Sherlock with a sad look to find that the detective was mirroring his look while Leotie began to ball her eyes out with heartbreak. John returned to Sherlock when Ahote's body began to fade away into nothing, as if he never existed. The cat's cry of despair grew as her hands touched the cold tiled floor and her marking began to return ten fold. John and Sherlock began to get worried as the building itself began to shake like an earthquake, bits of ceiling already falling. A light fell from above Sherlock, John, and the little girl but before they move out of the way, a barrier formed around them. Soon, the three lost sight of Leotie due to bits of building crumbling around them, her cries they could still hear. Even after everything around them went black.
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Mycroft was out having an early lunch with his boyfriend at a nice restaurant. It wasn't fancy but it also wasn't a place for fast food. It was right in between, and similar to where they had their first date. The lighting was low, only being lit by candles from all of the tables and the few chandeliers from above, and a single red rose was in a slender vase on their table. A plate of Alfredo sat in front of each man, one nearly gone and one barely picked at.
"What did you mean earlier?" Greg asked, knowing that Mycroft knew exactly what he was talking about.
"Leotie had asked me to give one of her belongings to a couple with the last name Ryhill. She was very specific, Sh doesn't want me to look for them until after Sherlock and John return to Baker Street. The way she said it indicated that she and Yiska will not be returning again." The sore lump returned to his throat so he cleared his throat and took a drink of water.
"You're going to miss her," Greg states with a smirk. Mycroft merely rolls his eyes and huff air out through his nose. "Despite her scary nature, I will too. She somehow kept your brother and John out of too much trouble. Although I still think she switched my coffee to decaf." Greg grumbled out the last sentence, causing a smirk to form on his boyfriend's lips. The government man may or may not have helped with that little detail. The smirk faded into a frown and the officer's shoulders slumped when a ping was heard from Mycroft's jacket. "Duty calls?" Mycroft nods when he reads the message before rising to his feet to walk over to Greg and giving the officer a small peck of the lips. He then begins to walk away, Greg's eyes following, only to stagger a few steps before falling to the floor. The last thing he heard was not the shout of his goldfish nor the movements of bodies that began to swarm his limp one. The last noise he heard was the cry of a heartbroken cat.
Hey! AlwayzHuman here! We are getting into the sad part of the story! My thanks to my cousin/Beta, AlexisJames92! I have already started on the next chapter. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Remember: Reviews help fuel the motivation to write!