Disclaimer;
Not mine
Of course, Acacia and Behemoth are
So is the plot
That original kid-changing into a feline idea, MINE! -places big stamp on it-
I'm feeling a bit possessive. XP
RAWR! I've decided that there is a telivision show I just can't watch. It makes me feel uncomfortable and awkward...
Secret Life of an American Teenager...or Secret-Teen...
No offense to anybody who likes that show or anything like that.
My sister happens to adore it.
But I've noticed that not a single episode I have seen of it has passed without me feeling incredibly uncomfortable.
Some of the things they talk about. -shudders-
To each their own I suppose :3
Anyways, after that random speal, on with the next chapter!
My goodness! It's in the double-digits! -claps paws-
Ps.
YAY 2/5! XP
Chapter 10- Face Fear
It was like a physical thing, striking that water. It surged around the bars of the cage and slammed Wally onto it's side. Pain flared inside of him, his body automatically attempted to suck in a breath of air only to fill his lungs with water. Panic swirled around him. I'm going to die!
Then teeth met his scruff, and he was somehow pulled out of his metallic death-trap. His head burst through the water to the surface and Wally gulped at the air in desperation. His claws hooked Behemoth's pelt (clearly he was the one who had rescued him) and Wally suddenly found himself on the massive tom-cat's shoulders. Behemoth's head was soaked, and his massive paws churned desperately at the water. A miserable meowing sound escaped his friends mouth, "I hate water, hate it, hate it, haaate it. You know, I've heard that some cats actually LIKE swimming!? Blech."
"Behemoth! Kuki!" Wally meowed, looking desperately for the concrete slab. He heard his friend grumble something about 'ungrateful little' but the big cat began swimming, albeit a little awkwardly, towards the place Wally's friend was. As it was, Father had no idea where the two cats were. The evil man was cursing rather loudly and staring in the water.
"Where'd they go!?" He roared, Wally jumped off of Behemoth's back and crouched down against the concrete. Fury pulsed through him. That man WOULD pay for taking Kuki and scaring her like this. Behemoth snuck over to Kuki, and began to gnaw on the ropes that held her to the chair.
And Wally stood frozen with fear. His green eyes locked on the gun, and his heart pounded in his ears so loudly that he felt he couldn't possibly hear anything else. He had to distract Father, or the man would notice Behemoth trying to get Kuki out. He had to distract Father, or the man would shoot the girl he loved. He was afraid though. The guy had a freakin' GUN for cryin' out loud.
Father turned and Kuki squealed with fear. The man had lost his patience, and he was levelling the gun at her. Wally's mind screamed in terror. Do something you cruddy idiot! MOVE!
(Five's Turn)
Abby grimaced a bit as they entered the grounds of the Delightful Mansion. She hated this place. Way to prim and proper for her tastes. She gripped her weapon, an object that slightly resembled a hair-dryer with a chilly pepper in a glass case on it's top (writer doesn't know, or remember the name of this weapon. Anyone who does feel free to tell her so she can get it right in future fanfictions) and looked over at Numbuh One. The leader of their team was watching the yard critically.
After a few moments they spread out, crossing the yard stealthily and being careful to shoot at any traps they set off. Once their backs were pressed to the wall of the mansion they glanced at each other. Numbuh One whispered, "Alright, on the count of three we take the door down, one...two..."
"Hey Numbuh One..." Numbuh Two said, making both Abby and the said team leader glare at the pilot. The boy blanched under the look and he glared a little defensively at them, "I was just going to point out that there was a window that's already been broken over there, we could probably get in through there a lot easier and quieter than busting a door down."
Abby felt badly for glaring at the kid, and shot a glance at Numbuh One. To be honest she could have kissed the kid at the moment for figuring that out. The element of surprise was something crucial while getting back her friend. Yet she couldn't help but wonder why the window was broken either...
"Why is it broken?" Abby wanted, very much so, to kick the person who had spoken right in the teeth at the moment. She glared angrily at Numbuh Eighty-six, who returned it with a look that held an equal amount of irritation and loathing to match Abby's own. The Irish girl added with a not-so-quiet whisper, "I was just askin' Numbuh Five. No need to get testy."
"Testy?" Numbuh Five hissed. She had never realized how much she valued Numbuh Four until this moment. The kid was like a little brother to her, and about thirty-eight times better at being quiet (which is really saying something, as the kid is usually an idiot in most situations) when going into a sneak attack. Then again, if there was anything Numbuh Four knew it was how to deal with fighting. "Numbuh Five is about to get testy all over your butt if you don' pipe down!"
"W-" Numbuh Two's hand slammed against the Irish girls mouth. He placed a finger to his lips and shushed her a little angrily. Kudos to him, even Abby wouldn't have done that. For a moment Numbuh Eighty-six teetered between following this irritating order and blowing the entire mission by screaming. After awhile Numbuh Two released her, the girl hissed between her teeth at him, "Numbuh Two, might I remind you that I am higher on the chain of command-"
"Might I remind YOU that we are in the middle of a mission?" Numbuh One snapped irritably, Abby actually felt a little bad for the girl because of the way she looked away. Numbuh One kicked the rest of the glass down, somehow managing to do it quietly. He jumped inside, Numbuh Eighty-six followed him, and so did Numbuh Two. Abby climbed on the ledge and actually slipped. SLIPPED! HER!
She almost hit the ground, if it hadn't been for Numbuh Two she would have gotten a face full of glass. As it was, the boy caught her by the shoulders almost gently, and pulled her to her feet. Abby was glad for her dark skin, she was blushing furiously with embarassment and surprise at the situation. Numbuh Two laughed a little nervously, "Sorry..." He whispered, she glanced at him confused. What was there to be sorry for? He'd just saved her from messing up the entire mission and probably getting pretty hurt to.
"No, it was Numbuh Five's fault. Thanks Numbuh Two." She said, giving him a geniune smile. The boy seemed a little startled by this, and she glanced curiously at him. Ooookaaay...
"Come on you two." Numbuh One said, something like faint amusement lacing his tone. That was slightly confusing, Abby grunted something that even she couldn't understand in reply and headed for the first open hallway. As they rounded the corner Numbuh Eighty-six squealed with surprise, cutting off the sound with her own hands as she wrapped them both around her mouth.
There were dogs, about twelve of them. Big dogs. With LOTS of teeth. Abby aimed her weapon at them and fired some strange green mystery ray at them. It hit one in the shoulder and it yelped with surprise. Her friends followed suit, Numbuh One didn't even have to call them to action this time. Soon the last dog was yelping away with it's stump of a tail held tightly to it's rear.
"I guess we can say, Dog-GONE! Haha!" Numbuh Two said, not very loudly but still enough to make Abby smack herself with the wall nearest her head. "What!? I thought it was funny..."
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Kids Next Door." The monotone voice that sounded behind them made every single one of her friends tense up. Slowly they turned around to find the Delightful's standing at the end of the hallway, holding a radio. Abby grit her teeth. They'd been caught. So much for the element of surprise. The five children laughed evilly and pressed a button on the wall. The ground started to rumble ominously...
(Wally)
Everyone in the room jumped when a crackling sound split the air. At first Wally thought the gun had been fired with some kind of muffling thing against the noise. (Which actually exists Wally, nice thinking but no...) It was, however, the radio that Father had been holding in his other hand. Something Wally had been too distracted to notice at first. "We've found the other intruders Father."
"Good..." Father said with a grin, "Bring them here, after you detain them. Do not fail me children, this is something they have to see."
A few moments later, much too soon for the top operatives Wally knew so well, the door burst open at the end of the hall. He had been wrong though, his friends were all locked up in a cage. It had wheels, which is how the Delightful's had dragged them in there. They stopped near the very edge of the water.
"My friends! HIIII FRIENDS!" Kuki yelled, perhaps forgetting the tension in the room at the moment of spotting those familiar faces. Behemoth growled something low under his breath at that.
Numbuh Five whistled a low whistle, "Wow, Numbuh Five knew you were crazy but this is ridiculous!" She was clearly stumped by the water that filled up most of the room they were in. "You'd think a guy that started on fire wouldn't fill a room with WATER..."
"Yeah, WATER-you thinkin'! HA! Get it, WATER you thinkin' and there's water..." Numbuh Two said, Numbuh Five smacked him with her hat. It was, strangely enough, Numbuh Eighty-six who noticed the man had a lethal weapon first. She pointed with her mouth slack-jawed, the three of Wally's friends regarded her with looks of curiousity before she yelled.
"Oh my God, he's got a gun!" Wally's friends turned and stared in shock. Wally could see this registering, the fact that this wasn't one of the weapons usually used against them. Not those pistols that shot out ice-cream, or even one with lollipops (that could really HURT when it hit you...) a real gun.
"You crazy!" Numbuh Five yelled, this was done in a different tone of voice. One of worry, "If you shoot any of us you'll get in trouble! You'll..."
"Do you think I care!?" The man roared, turning and slamming the butt of the gun against the chair Kuki was sitting in. She jerked against the ropes in surprise and Wally hissed in fury. "I don't care anymore! I'll get rid of you brats, this time for good! But first I'm going to make the whelp that decided it would be fun to dig his claws in my face PAY!"
"NO!" Wally yelled as the man pressed the barrel of the gun to Kuki's head. The girl was trembling with utter terror now. Wally's heart pounded in his ears. I can't move...I...I don't want to die...
But...
"Say goodbye!" Father screamed maniacally. The old woman behind him cowered against the floor, sobbing with fear. Even the Delightful Children were watching the scene in wide-eyed horror.
If Kuki dies...
"Let us out!" Numbuh One yelled at the Delightful children, "Let us out or our friend is going to be killed!"
If...she dies...
"Say goodbye to your pretty little girlfriend!" Father cackled insanely.
It will...kill me anyways.
Wally hurled himself at the man, his fangs dug deep into the hand that was holding the gun. His body slammed painfully against the barrel. Father jerked back with surprise, yelling and shaking his hand. Wally's claws slid against the metal of the gun, and he lost his purchase. He was sent soaring in the air, and before he struck the ground a sound like thunder tore through the room. Numbuh Eighty-six screamed in terror, and pain exploded in Wally's shoulder.
(Behemoth)
Behemoth watched in utter horror as his friend thudded to the ground. For a moment the thought he was dead, then the little tabby staggered to his paws. Hope soared for an instant in Behemoth's chest, until he noticed the blood rapidly pouring from Wally's side. The little cat stared at it numbly for a moment, then his back paws slid off the concrete slab into the water. The rest of Wally soon followed, his eyes rolling back in his head as he passed out.
Or died.
Behemoth wasn't sure, but if his friend wasn't dead yet he would drown. Behemoth yowled with fury and launched himself after the man. The evil monster spotted him, and kicked him so hard that Behemoth heard his ribs crack. Agony spread down his side and he slid to a stop at the Kuki girl's feet. "TIGER! TIGER!"
Behemoth gasped painfully, "Wally...oh Wally..."
(Acacia)
Acacia's heart leaped in her throat. Would it work? Would it matter if it worked if he was in the water and couldn't swim? Acacia hissed in frustration and gathered her haunches. No way to tell where the water was but...well, she had to didn't she? The silver she-cat plummeted down. She could guess what had happened by the sound of the gun, the splash of the water. Wallabee had been shot, she was sure of it. The stench of blood seemed to hang in the air.
She was shocked by the impact of water. Acacia floundered in the water until her muzzle somehow found it's way to the surface. Now for the hard part. One couldn't smell for others under water, how would she find Wally.
Inspiration. She opened her muzzle and lapped at the water until the coppery taste of blood coated her tongue. Joy spread through her and she dove down. I'm coming kid, just hold on.
(Wally)
In case you were wondering, getting shot HURTS. Very badly. It felt like something was burning it's way through his shoulder, embedding itself there. He would have been instantly killed if he had still been holding onto the gun when he was shot, but he had been in the air. The bullet tore it's way through his body but didn't kill him...yet...
Wally was sinking deeper in the water. Had he failed? Hopefully he bought enough time for Kuki. He could hope that. He was going to die though, right? There was no way he couldn't now, sinking ever deeper into the water. His lungs burned for air, what was the point in holding his breath? Because Kuki was still in danger?
Wally struggled to churn at the water, how had Behemoth done that? Teeth met his scruff, and he was being hauled to the surface. Not fast enough, some part of him was saying. The world spun, and it all went very dark. Black.
(Acacia)
Wally fell completely limp. Panic gripped her, she could taste it, sense it in him. The boy had died. He was gone. Her heart thudded with sadness, but some part of her continued hauling him to the surface. She had to, at least bring him up. Even if he was starting to get really heavy...
(Wally, yes, Wally, are you sitting there going WHAT!? I's confused he's DEAD!)
Everything HURT. Yeah, how lucky for him. Wally opened his eyes and everything was painfully bright. Everything. The tom shook his head, and looked around. Oh yeah, he was still a cat too. So was he dead? Confusion swamped him. He certainly didn't feel dead, he hurt just as badly now as he had a moment ago. Suddenly he felt a soft muzzle pressing his side, Wally jumped away and stared in shock.
It was him...or...not him. It was a cat that LOOKED like him, but it couldn't quite be him because it was very gentle. Very shy too, from the way he flinched away from him. "I-I'm sorry, I'm just healing you Wallabee."
"Who are ya!?" Wally blanched.
"Part of you're gift of course." The cat said in surprise, "Didn't you realize that you got one? I'm a part of you Wallabee, a part of your soul. Kindness. I'm not that brave, but I really like helping people y'know? I don't need to be too brave though, since the rest of your personality makes up for it."
"Ah'm...very confused..." Wally meowed.
"Yeah, intelligence isn't very strong among us. I don't even think he counts as a life. I'll still be with you of course, you can't get rid of us. You see...hundreds of years ago cats figured out how to work a very deep magic. It was a magic that has since died, but it has been resurrected within you. The magic of life."
"I give you the gift of life..." Acacia had said.
"Ummm..." Wally meowed, staring at the cat, "So what you're sayin' is tha' Ah've got a loife? Doesn't everybody?"
"No, haven't you heard the old wives-tale Wallabee?" Kindness meowed softly, "The magic that these cats discovered was the ability to tap into their souls. They sought out the strongest parts of the soul, and gave them the knowledge of life. The chance to actually feel as individual beings. In a sense, you're soul is now made up of other souls that can think and feel too. There are nine of us in all..."
"Noine..." Wally meowed softly.
"Yes. You have nine lives Wallabee Beetles." Kindness grinned, "Well, eight now, but you get the picture. I think you've been healed enough now. Don't worry, you won't loose the parts of your soul if you loose a life. They just...won't have the power to heal you again. I don't think we'll ever be able to talk Wallabee, but remember that I am with you."
"Blech." Wally said, but he actually felt a little relieved. And still incredibly confused. Suddenly the ground vanished from under him, his body ached even MORE than before. It was a familiar ache actually though...
Dun, dun, duuun! Cliff-hanger! That's right!
Lawl. Hope you guys didn't get too confused.
That's right, I couldn't kill Wally either. I'd have an easier time killing Behemoth...
Soooo...
Yeah...
Hope you guys are on the edge of your seats! :3
Totally forgot about Numbuh Eighty-six for awhile there...sorry Fanny -cuddles-