Loose Ends, New Friends

It had been a relatively quiet time for Isis. Ever since Bathound had seemingly disappeared out of the blue, the Siamese cat found herself feeling bored from her latest heists, the thrill of the chase and messing with her canine adversary just didn't feel the same without him present. So it was on this day that she did something that would normally seem out of the ordinary for someone like her; taking a walk through Metropolis with no intention of doing…anything really.

"To think I've got all the cards stacked in my favor, no one to interrupt my plans, the most priceless items in the palm of my hand…and yet, it's all so boring…" Isis murmured, leaning against a wall, "haven't seen Wonderdog in a while, suppose he's forgotten all about me…what a drag."

Isis kicked a pebble on the ground and watched it flick about on the street, trying to think of ways to entertain herself.

"A trip to the museum, could snatch up some precious valuables…no, been there, done that…perhaps sell fish to the black market…too second rate…turn myself invisible, I dunno, anything, please", Isis groaned as she looked up at the sky, "this city's too quiet, I can't get any proper action…"

It was then, out of the corner of her eye, that the Siamese cat thought she saw something, or somethings, that resembled Mammoth Mutt and Brainy Barker, heading into the nearest alley.

"Weeeeeell, if Bathound's preoccupied, perhaps I can have a little fun with a couple supergirls", Isis purred as she slinked over to the alley, stopping before the corner before slipping in, "hmmhmmhmm, after all, who says I can't go after other targets…"

As the feline thief slowly made her way through the shadows, she hopped over a set of crates blocking her path…and instantly sweatdropped when she saw what was on the other side.

"What the…?" Isis couldn't believe her eyes, there in front of her were indeed Mammoth and Brainy, but instead of being a chihuahua and Afgan hound respectively, one was a small pink cat and one was a taller purple cat.

"Well, I see cat's got your tongue", grinned Mammoth as Isis shook her head to regain her senses.

"Okay, I've gotta know the story behind this, how do two supergirls end up looking like yours truly, not that it isn't an improvement mind you", quizzed Isis.

"We were turned into cats via another one of Mechanikat's 'schemes' per se, but in actuality, it's given us a whole new perspective on the felidae specimen. In a way, I've grown used to it more than I thought", replied Brainy, examining one of her paws.

"Sooooooooo, would this happen to go for the rest of your little gang?" said Isis, rather amused.

"Yeah, we've got the whole gang as cats now, even Bathound joined the ranks", replied Mammoth, catching Isis' attention.

"You don't say, how'd the big guy take being a lil kitty cat, did he have a nervous breakdown?" Isis grinned, picturing the ordeal in her head.

"Why don't you see for yourself?" asked Brainy, looking up as a spaceship hovered overhead before opening its bottom hatch. Isis felt herself being picked off the ground as she, Mammouth, and Brainy.

"Woa-woah, okay, I guess this is happening", Isis murmured as she entered the ship with her cohorts and found herself surprised once more at the sight before her. There were the members of the former Dog Star Patrol all abound in the ship, one in particular caught her eye.

"Wonderdog?" Isis quipped, smirking as Ace turned his head and then turned the other way with a blush.

"Isis…" The former Bathound murmured, still not looking at the Siamese cat.

"Hey, I can hardly knock you down when you look like that, talk about imprrrrrrrovement", purred Isis before looking back at Brainy and Mammoth, "if you'll excuse me, I think I've got some unfinished business to attend to…"

Ace watched as the Siamese cat went over to the female members of the former patrol, occupied by Deliah who gave Isis a grin. The grey feline turned his attention to Mechanikat, having watched the exchange with bemusement.

"Well, talk about a reunion before old associates", the metallic feline teased, "didn't I hear something about a potential interest?"

"Hmmmmmprh, that was a long time ago", Ace blushed, "and even then, I'm sure she knows I don't swing that way."

"Evidently, seems she's got her own agenda, hmmhmmhmm, got those ladies wrapped around her paw, just like me with you…" grinned Mechanikat, giving a scritch to Ace's face.

Meanwhile, on top of a tall building and inside a glamorous room stood a large grey canine sat down on a red couch, meticulously looking at himself in the mirror.

"HmmmmmmmmmmmRPH! What do they know, can't they see proper beauty with their own two eyes, I'm a star, a shining icon, and then they give the role to some…some…jeh, street jockey!" Thundermutt ranted, feverishly applying powder to his face, "I swear, they're making me more into a prop than a star, the very nerve!"

Thundermutt picked up a chewtoy and chucked it across the room before throwing his handmirror into his pillow.

"Dooooooh, it's just not fair, I'm Thundermutt, movie star of Metropolis, a prime breed, how can they not see such perfection? Is it because I'm simply too beautiful? It must be that, they're just jealous that I'd outshine their staff", the light grey canine huffed and crossed his arms, "let them give my contracts to some low rate rookies, they know I'm the best of the lot."

Thundermutt reached over to the table to grab a treat from the tin…before it turned into snacking as he gouged down several treats.

"Oh, look at me, reduced to gluttony, must a star's life be so difficult?" Thundermutt moaned dramatically, burying his face in a pillow, "what must I do to catch my big break…hooooooo, I need some air…"

The canine hopped off the couch and headed out onto the balcony, before putting his head down onto the railing. His moment of solitude didn't last long as he squinted his eyes at the sight of something up in the air, it was faint, but steadily approaching.

"Just a plane, what else is new…?" Thundermutt muttered as he slumped once more. He waited for the aircraft to go by now, not caring what it looked like. That was until he noticed something was hovering right above him and the canine turned his head up.

"What on Earth…?" He murmured up at the strange vessel before the bottom hatch opened and he was surrounded in light. Thundermutt felt himself being lifted up off the ground and feverishly tried to grab onto something.

"Oh no, not again! I refuse to be abducted once more! You can't do this to me!" Thundermutt cried out, but found himself moving farther and farther away from the balcony. "Oooooooh, of all the days, why must turmoil rear its ugly head in my direction?!"

There was nothing Thundermutt could do, but helplessly flail about midair as he got closer and closer to the ship before finally being dropped onto the ground.

"Why, this is an outrage, don't you know who I am, I oughta…" Thundermutt trailed off mid-rant as he looked over his surroundings. He blinked twice to make sure he wasn't going crazy as he found himself in the same position as Isis before him.

"Glad you could make it, Thundermutt", said Krypto, pulling up alongside the slightly shellshocked movie star.

"S-Superdog?! What happened to you? In fact, what happened to all of you?!" Thundermutt exclaimed, his eyes darting about the ship, his gaze catching that of Ace. "Okay, either I just walked into a monster of the day plot, or most of you are all cats now."

"Well, you're not going crazy, surprisingly enough", replied Ace as Thundermutt huffed indignantly, "it's a bit of a long story."

"Wow, is that really Thundermutt?", Streaky asked as he flew over the group, "We were never properly introduced, I'm Supercat."

"Hmmm, I guess I met the entire trio at last, I was told a few things about you", replied Thundermutt.

"Oh, good things, I imagine, cuz I heard the same about, among other things", said Streaky, giving a wink.

"Well, you're a true actor for one thing, could easily see you in a comedy routine, presumably with all those staged accidents", said Thundermutt.

"Yeeeeeeeah, staged, that's me", Streaky sweatdropped before shooting a look at Krypto.

"I didn't give anything discreet", the white feline waved his paws up innocently as the Somali gave a long "hmmmmmmmmmm."

"But, the better question to ask is; why am I here? Surely you didn't all gather for an autograph, not that I would mind, of course", Thundermutt boasted.

"No, we picked you up to add to the roster", replied a familiar voice. Thundermutt had to doublecheck as he caught the first glimpse of Mechanikat.

"Heheeeeeeeee, um, you must be Mechanikat, I've heard about you…" Thundermutt sweatdropped, but tried to appear composed.

"So I've gathered, well, you'll be glad to know that I've arranged a little treat for you, fit for a star", Mechanikat purred, grinning at he watched Thundermutt's tail swish eagerly.

"I mean, of course, why wouldn't you, after all, I don't mean to brag, but I am of-" Thundermutt didn't get to finish his sentence for he'd been distracted enough for Mechanikat to shoot at him. As the film star tried to recuperate, he noticed that there was something different about him.

"Wha…what the…?" Thundermutt surveyed his paws and looked down his body. Instead of a tall light grey canine, he was now a modestly sized feline.

"Hmmmm, now that is what a star looks like", Mechanikat grinned.

"Am I…really that perfected now…I mean, I was perfection before but this…" Thundermutt continued to examine his new body before stretching it out, "aaaaaaaaaah, that's the good stuff…anyone got a mirror around here, I'd like to see more of my new figure."

Far deep in the Amazon jungle, there was a black panther prowling about the ground, before looking straight ahead as if he were addressing someone.

"Olá meus amigos, it is I, the cunning and charming predator of the jungle, currently on the hunt for my next meal", the pale black feline purred.

Seriously, who is he talking to…AHEM, anyways.

The feline noticed a couple of monkeys flying by on the branches above, scowling as they screeched by.

"Malditos pedaços de merda, arruinaram minha refeição da última vez…" The panther cursed under his breath, "what I wouldn't give to show my unbridled position as the superior, I am meant to be unopposed, feared, revered, the nightmare that crawls under everyone's beds before I sink my claws into their fleshy faces even."

"RACK, copycat!" A toucan cawked as he flew by.

"Piss off!" The panther snarled back, "I swear, no respect with this lot, for you see, after word spread about my embarrassing encounter with a stupid mutt, I've had to live with the shame of being bested by a…a…euuuuuuuuugh, I can't even say it, oh, woe is me, I deserve better", the feline pouted as he slumped down on the branch. He was so distracted in his own self pity that he didn't notice the spaceship from above, nor the light that shone down on him until the large feline was picked up into the air.

"What the?! Ai, pelo amor de deus, not again, hey! I demand you put me down…on second thought, maybe not, just please do not drop me, I don't want any more damage on this beautiful figure", the panther pleaded as he saw the ground get farther and farther away before it was replaced by metal, dropping onto the floor.

"O que na Terra…what is this…?" The jungle cat murmured, turning his head from left to right.

"You'll make a nice addition to our collection, I guess I'll give my superior one thing, he knows how to pick 'em", Snooky smirked as he watched the larger feline trying to make sense of his surroundings.

"If I went that way, maybe I'd go after you, buuuut I've got other plans in mind", Deliah purred, "go on, big boy, have some fun with your new playmates."

The panther was still confused as to what was going on, and he was more surprised at seeing what lay before him, much like Isis and Thundermutt.

"Well, if it isn't the theater cat, wanna run by another one of your monologues?" teased Krypto as he flew overhead.

"You look…different…" The panther replied, trying to piece together that this was the same Krypto from before.

"I had a bit of a makeover, so now we're on the same-" Krypto felt himself suddenly dragged onto the floor by his tail, landing with a thud, "OOF!"

"Consider that payment for launching me several miles across the rainforest and nearly breaking my neck", the panther huffed as Krypto regained his senses.

"Oh, right…that…" The white feline replied awkwardly, "um…is it too late to apologize?"

"Hmmmm…since I got you off-guard, perhaps I can let it slide, just don't try anything like that again", the larger feline warned.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that, we're not looking after children at present, so I'd say we're even…right, um…I don't think I caught your name?" Krypto asked.

"My name is Antonio, the prrrrrride of the Amazon", replied the panther in his usual theatric tone.

"Hmm, suits you, a handsome name for a handsome cat", Krypto cooed with a wave of his paw. Antonio looked down at him in surprise.

"Are you…flirting?" The panther quizzed before putting two and two together. "Well, it is no surprise that I would grace this room with my appearance, I am what they call, irresistível."

"Hmmmm, that's some fancy language you got there", Streaky purred as he pulled up alongside, "you wouldn't mind giving me some of that?"

"Ah, I see I have an audience, mmmmmm, I like it, well, being an exotic feline like myself, I know all about…" Antonio continued to brag as Krypto and Streaky rubbed on either side of him. Mechanikat watched from a distance with Ace by his side.

"Seems they're getting along just fine, mmmmmm, that panther's got a way with words…" Mechanikat purred with a paw on his face.

"Well, you picked him out, so you'll have plenty of time to pamper him", replied Ace, "never thought I'd say this, but for a dastardly mastermind, you got good taste."

"Of course, though the fact I'd be sharing it with those I once considered being the bane of my existence, bit of delicious irony, isn't it?" said Mechanikat.

"Could say the same for me…" replied Ace before feeling his chin scratched once more, "haaaaaaa, that's it…"

"There you go, someone's a pretty kitty…just wait till we reach our home planet…" Mechanikat cooed, booping his nose to Ace's as the two looked back at the rest of the crew. It might have been a strange sight to some, unbelievable to many, but to the current occupants, that didn't matter. Especially not to Streaky as he sidled up next to Krypto, purring into his neck.

"Mmmmm…it doesn't get any better than this…" Krypto purred.

"Couldn't ask for anything more…" concurred Streaky, as the two rested by one another contently. Whatever lay ahead, they would look forward to it. For now, all that was on their minds was a nice long rest while traveling through the stars, heading to a familiar location to which they would call home.