I don't own Antonia Young nor Kane Withersands they belong to my friend: chipmunkgirl213 on deviantART. I own Rose and Axcemite.
Chapter 9: The Cat Banditos:
"I came back here after a few years, and noticed Tony and Bruno gone. Along with the other cats they held as prisoners or slaves." Axcemite added as he was beginning to come to an ending.
"I've decided to stay here. Where I last saw my loving family...since I felt like I belonged no where else.." Axcemite finally finished.
"That's a very dark and cruel back-story, Axcemite. I'm sorry for your lost..." Rose sympathetically said to him.
"Eh, it's alright...but that's why I want to help you and your friends. To put an end to those cat bandits, so no more cats have to lose their loved ones! Which is why..I'm gonna tell you were they reside now..." Axcemite grinned.
"You will!" Rose's eyes widened in surprise.
Axcemite turned to Antonia.
"Do you know what your parents look like?" Axcemite asked Antonia.
Antonia nodded. "My dad is a dark gray, with brown eyes. My mom has green eyes, and has light orange fur. Which explains the orange spot." Antonia pointed to the orange spot on her left eye.
Axcemite thought for a moment, remembering a couple similar to Antonia's description, praying that their little girl, they mentioned they had, was okay.
"I...I remember them.." Axcemite's face soon got crossed with the looks of sadness.
Axcemite didn't need to say anything, in order for Antonia to already understand what he was going to say just by reading his face.
"No!" Antonia yelled as she held back tears, and she clenched her fists.
Rose immediately rushed over to her friend's side and placed both her paws on each of Antonia's shoulders.
"I'm so sorry, Antonia...We'll get back at them...we'll get back at those bandits who killed your parents, and killed Axcemite's family, and for what they've done to who knows how many more cats..." Rose comforted Antonia.
Kane was still being quite throughout the entire ordeal. Until now...
"So, do you think you still know where Tony and Bruno are now?" Kane asked.
Axcemite nodded. "I don't know much of direction, but all I know is that...it's that old abandoned Clothing Factory that's near the San Ricardo Orphanage..."
Rose gasped a bit. "That's where my Papa was raised..."
"Do you think you can find out where it may be?" Kane asked.
"Well, I haven't been here, in forever. Last time I was here, I was entering into the world...I was an infant..." Rose reminded him. "I have no sense of direction when it comes to where's what in this town..."
"Just ask anybody around here for Imelda...anyone whose anyone knows who she is..." Axcemite insisted.
"That's the thing, Axcemite...I look a lot like my father, whose Puss in Boots, and since I look a lot like him. The Commendante and his guards will mistake me for him...I have no chance out there. We were barely able to come here..." Rose mentioned.
"Hm, that's a good point, and I know Antonia's wanted too...I've seen her posters..." Axcemite added.
"Oh, well, I know she is too I just didn't know you knew, and I didn't want to tell you cause why would you tell someone that you know a wanted criminal?"
"Rose...we get it.."Antonia said.
"Sorry.." Rose nervously muttered.
"Oh! I almost forgotten...here use this instead...a map of San Ricardo..." Axcemite said as he used his paw to push over a few pieces of wood and picked up a piece of paper into his mouth and gave it to Kane.
Kane eyed the paper.
"The only problem is that half the map is torn, and it only shows where we are and it ends with the location of the Orphanage itself.." Axcemite mentioned.
"What luck!" Kane claimed.
"The orphanage is just a few streets up...we may be able to make it without neither of you girls being seen..." Kane added.
"Really.." Rose looked over his shoulder and found out he was right. The orphanage was up the street by 2-3 blocks.
"Nice job..Senor Withersand!" Rose complimented as she rubbed her fingers through his fur.
She and the others began walking out the door. As they all said goodbye and thanks to Axcemite as they walked out the door.
"Hola, how may I..." A woman with her black hair in a bun welcomed until she gasped as she saw Rose.
"Pequeño...?" Imelda said looking into Rose's eyes. Which to Imelda, her eyes looked green like Puss'.
"No, I'm not Puss...he...You may not know me Senorita Imelda...but I'm his youngest daughter...Rose..." Rose explained.
"How do you know my name?" Imelda asked, knelling down to Rose.
"My Papa's told me about you...a lot about out. And how badly he wants me to meet you.." Rose answered.
"Why is he not here with you?" Imelda asked once more.
"Well, him and my mother Kitty...got catnapped..." Rose answered.
Imelda gasped. "No, not by those cat banditos..."
Rose nodded.
Imelda almost started crying until Rose continued speaking to her. She understood why Imelda would be crying. She loved Puss as a son as much as Rose loved him as a father. It'd tear both of them apart if anything horrible happened to him. Rose would also feel the same if anything happened to her mother, to any of her parents.
"Imelda..the reason I tell you all this now, and the very reason me and my amigos are here. Is because...we learned that the banditos have moved into the old clothing factory near here..." Rose claimed.
"And we were wondering if you may have any idea where that may be?" Rose added on.
"Oh, si, si. I know exactly where it is.." Imelda said.
Imelda walked Rose and her teammates to an old building. Much like the first one, this one looked deserted. Though it was bigger by an added story.
"If they're in there. Then their doing a good job in hiding it." Imelda commented as she looked at the building.
"Gracias, Senorita Imelda..." Antonia said.
The trio walked in but Rose stopped at the door and looked back at Imelda, "Adios..." Rose said.
"Por favor. Please, save my Pequeño..." Imelda held her hand within her other and placed them over her heart.
Rose nodded. "I will...I promise...abuela. (grandmother)"
With that Rose walked in with the rest of her teammates.
Even though both buildings were deserted. This one the trio were recently in, was bigger. The main floor was larger than the first building's.
"Holy frijoles...this place is way bigger than I expected..." Antonia commented as she looked around her.
The trio saw a door which lead upstairs, they went up the stairs, and walked down a long hallway. Finally after walking through a long hallway with rooms all on the right side of the hall, and windows on the left. Then there was one door that was right in front of them.
"That's probably where they keep the cats.." Rose said, gesturing to that door.
"It's our best bet." Kane agreed.
The trio went to the wooden door, and Rose turned the metal doorknob, and was surprised with what she saw.
There was two rows, one on top of the other. Of nothing but cages, each consisting a living breathing cat who wished nothing more but the freedom they had before this cruel life in a small restricting cage.
Antonia pointed to one of the cages. "Look Rose, it's your Mama and Papa!"
Rose gasped. Could it really be them?
"Mama? Papa?" Rose asked as she slowly walked up to the cage Antonia pointed out.
"Rose?" A familiar warm Spanish accent questioned behind the bars.
"Papa..it's me..." Rose was on the close edge to tears of happiness to realize her parents were alright and not burning into a fiery pit.
"Oh mi hija..We thought we'd never see you again.." Puss said as he caressed the side of his daughter's face.
"Come on, we got to get you guys out of here, then you can do the bonding stuff later!" Antonia whispered to the recently united family.
"Right! No worries Papa and Mama. We'll get you out." Rose assured her parents.
Then she looked among the other caged cats. "And we'll rescue the rest of you guys.." She added.
"I can't find the keys...anywhere.." Kane said, looking around the room.
"You didn't think they'd make it easy for us would you?" Antonia asked, as both her and Rose looked over their shoulders to the only male in the group and showed him their claws. As they began unlocking the cage doors with them.
"Now use your own set of keys, and unlock the rest of the cats." Rose instructed as she successfully unlocked her parents' door.
"Come on, guys we've got to work fast. Tony and Bruno can arrive at any minute!" Antonia claimed as she released a Russian Blue female cat.
"Too all cats who've just been released. Find a cage cat, and unlock their doors. It'd really help the process here!" Rose announced.
With that announcement said, every cat found another caged one to release and within the next few minutes. All of those who were held against their will by Tony and Bruno were freed.
The reunited family were hugging one another and were grateful too see each other again.
Unfortunately, though the embracing came to an end. Do to a disgusting odor in the air, and too two gruesome and cruel men walking into the door.
"Uh, guys..you might wanna turn around.." Antonia mentioned to the family pointing to Tony and Bruno.
Before the men could say anything or try to attack and re-trap all the cats back into their cages.
"You might want these, Papa," Rose handed her father a belt with a sword, a hat with a yellow feather, and a pair of dusty old boots.
"Bad gatos escaped their cage...you know what happens to bad gatos that escape their cage?" Bruno asked. As if he was talking to a child.
"Si...I do know..." Puss replied.
"Yeah? And what do they do?" Bruno growled.
Puss drew his sword, and in a firm tone said. "They fight..."
With that the battle broke lose. Puss dueled with Bruno as Kitty took care of Tony. As more of Bruno's workmen came charging in. Rose, Antonia, and Kane took care of them with their own swords. As the freed cats, were able to sneak their ways to freedom.
During the battle. Rose gestured her dad for her and him to switch enemies.
At first he wondered why, but then Rose gestured toward her friend Antonia and quickly mouthed the words as she was stabbing and dodging Bruno's workmen's attacks.
"She wants to be you!" Rose mouthed quickly.
Puss nodded, as he did a quick boot attack, by kicking Bruno in the face, knocking him out cold.
As he and Rose switched places.
Antonia was surprised at what Rose did, but more surprised to see who was fighting by her side.
"Senor Puss, I am your biggest fan and follow in your footsteps! I do everything cause of you, I'm here cause I followed your footsteps." Antonia exclaimed and the added to herself, "And in thieving too".
"And I just can't believe I am fighting with my hero, this has been my dream since my parents were taken and I saw your poster!" Antonia continued on. As if she had rehearsed it.
"And..." Antonia said loosing her train of thought, thinking of the dreams she had about this moment.
"Look out, Senorita!" Puss said, as Antonia ducked her head and Puss blocked the workman.
"So mom what was it like being stuck in a cage, close to dad, for the past 48 hours..?" Rose asked teasingly. As she blocked a workman's sword with her own.
"What are you suggesting Rose?" Kitty looked over with curiosity and laughing, but still focused on fighting with her opponent.
"Anything...really...it is Papa we're talking about. Am I right?" Rose shrugged as she stabbed the workman in the stomach.
Kitty couldn't find herself responding, she was still laughing from it, until another group of workmen came hurdling into the room.
"Senorita, I appreciate your kind words, but please, may we get this battling stuff over with first?" Puss dodged one workman's sword and was able to kick it out of his hand and into the concrete wall.
"Si!" Antonia said as she stabbed a man in his chest.
"Gracias, uh, duck!" Puss alarmed as he blocked another workman's sword, from hitting Antonia.
"Gracias!" Antonia said as she jumped over the sword, before Puss blocked it.
Puss grinned at the young female and tipped his hat to her as he quickly slashed his sword through a one workman's thigh. Without even turning around.
Even though Antonia had no hat to tip. It didn't stop her from showing off to her hero.
"Adios amigo!" she shouted as she grabbed a swinging rope and swung around, knocking all the swords out of the workmen's hands. Leading them to being stuck in the hard cold concrete floor.
Puss turned his attention, back to Bruno and Tony, who were knocked out through out the majority of the battle.
"Whose been a bad gato, now?..Or should I say hombre?" Puss asked them teasingly as if they were little boys. As he slapped the handcuffs on both Tony and Bruno, the handcuffs were originally to be used for the cats, but not this time. Not anymore..
