MISSION 12
Disguises
Ethan groaned as he felt fatigued and clutched his knees as he stared at the ground. After a moment, he looked around the nice day outside towards the rising sun. It was cold, but his kat body gave him warmth when he usually needed a sweater in the cold mornings. Not only that, he would obtain the attributes of kats, allowing him to make up for his lack of physicality in human form and be at the same level as kits his age. However, there was a drawback to this.
"Shadow Gateway," Ethan muttered to check again. However, nothing appeared, and he sighed, wishing to have this body and magic simultaneously. "Maybe….once I become a better wizard, I can do both….though that seems so far away."
"Lil' bud, you okay?" Chance shouted, running into view and checking on him, wearing some workout clothes himself. "Need a break?"
"Yeah…..I still feel so far back compared to you," Ethan sighed, sitting near a tree and watching the sunrise. "It feels like this body is at the level I would be if I were born a kat…..It still throws me off how real it feels."
Chance nodded, leaning against the tree and watching the sun with Ethan. He recalled how the rest of the team reacted to this new ability.
Benson was shocked but quickly got intrigued and studied Ethan's expressions, noting how Ethan expressed himself as a kat, like folding his ears when sad or snarling when arguing with Jason. Mike was in awe, poking Ethan and feeling how real everything felt. Jake was thrown off for a bit but quickly told the kit to jump, which was the first indication that Ethan had acquired the physicality of kats. Finally, June stayed silent and only smiled at the new development.
Eyes drifting to the kid, Chance would recall Evelyn staring at the boy at times, while in this form, with sadness and almost as if she was seeing her kit alive again. Evelyn would act differently with the boy, practically worried and overly cautious when Ethan did something. The tabby held his tongue, not wanting to upset her or the boy near him.
"Crud, what should I do," Chance mumbled, seeing Ethan's ear flick and look at him.
"Something wrong?" Ethan said.
"It's nothing," Chance said, crouching and looking at the ground below. He sighed, looking back at the boy and re-examining Ethan's new look, seeing a bit of his mom. It brought him a bit of comfort, but he shook his head. "Let's wrap up for today. It's the weekend, so let's enjoy your time off and do something other than training."
"Like?"
"First….can you take off the disguise for now?" Chance said, getting a groan from Ethan but doing as instructed.
"Shit!" Ethan shouted, closing his sweater up and putting his arm around himself. "You want me to die from the cold?"
Chance laughed, standing up with the boy and heading toward the direction of a nearby entrance. "I'm sorry….I forgot about that. Let's-"
Ethan quickly jumped behind Chance, wrapping his hands around the tabby's neck and taking refuge in his fur. Chance nearly stumbled forward, growling in annoyance, and was about to tell the kid to get off when hearing Ethan laugh behind him.
"So warm!" Ethan said, putting his head near Chance's neck, "Consider this a fair trade! Now onward T-Bone, for this critical mission. You must carry the great wizard to safety!"
Chance rolled his eyes, glancing at the kit and seeing his grin. He looked away for a bit before holding on to the boy's legs to support him, shifting Ethan a bit so he could be more comfortable.
"Oh no, what will we do without our great wizard," Chance joked, proceeding to move. "Who will destroy our kitchens? Who will score low for us? Or give the team a headache every day?"
"Hey, the great wizard takes offense," Ethan laughed, looking around for a bit, "So…..what are we doing today?"
"Oh right….first we need to shower since you stink."
"So do you!"
"You want to get off?"
"Nah, I'm good for now," Ethan said, chuckling with Chance. "So….are we watching a marathon of Scary Kat again or another round in the arcade? What's the score again? 40 to 0?"
"You know damn well that it's 40 to 39!" Chance growled, wishing there was a body of water he could dump him. He sighed and laughed, recalling the first time Ethan challenged him, and they had been going at it ever since. Chance would bond with the kit over the arcade, comics, or watching Scardy Kat. "You still haven't beaten my score in Space Kat!"
"I'll get there eventually," Ethan mumbled, seeing Chance's arcade insignia 'TB' in many breakroom games. He did see other names on it, but it seemed Jason and Mike would be the other kats frequently played there. "Just wait…. I'll sweep the top spot from you!"
"In your dreams!" Chance said, "Say, is there anything you want to do? Like, see a movie or something?"
"Hmm….I haven't seen the breakroom's collection, so I'll look when we get there."
Chance stopped, giving the kid a smirk and shaking his head. "I mean like a real movie theater…. You know, popcorn and a big screen in front of you."
"Wait….how are we supposed to," Ethan stopped, thinking for a bit before realizing something. A small smile appeared, and he gripped the tabby's neck, "You're using a free day so we can go out?"
"Hey, ease up, kit," Chance chuckled, feeling the kit's excitement, and continued walking, "Of course…..unless you don't want to-"
"NO! I mean, yes! I uh fuck….want to go," Ethan said, putting his head near the tabby's head, hugging his guardian's neck, and grinning. "You sure? I know June approves free days here and there….so are you sure you don't want to check up on someone or spend time with your family?"
Chance halted so fast that it made Ethan move forward a bit. Chance stared at the ground and thought about it for a good minute before moving on.
"My ma was my only family…..from what I recalled, she excommunicated herself from the rest of the family. I never met my family, nor was I ever interested in finding them…. never mind about that," Chance said, leaning his head against the kid and biting his inner cheek. "As for old friends….not really. Funny…..getting kicked out of the Enforcers showed me who my friends were, and it really showed when I went to jail…..I didn't get a lot of visitors…..they are fine without me making a surprise appearance. So I've decided….why not show you around? You must be dying to see the city without focusing on a mission or having someone order you around."
Ethan had felt the tabby tense up when talking about his family and ex-friends, making the boy frown as it felt like deep wounds. He decided not to ask questions about those subjects, focusing on the last part and nodding at his guardian.
"Is….Evelyn coming?" Ethan asked, seeing the tabby shake his head.
"Not today. She's currently on a task with Benson and Tina," Chance said, "I'll try to see if we can work out a day so all of us can go out…..how does that sound?"
"It sounds great! So…movies today?"
"If that's what you want to do."
"Yes!" Ethan said, looking towards the vast city and imagining what he could do.
June would not let Ethan go out alone, so free days were not an option unless someone wanted to bring him along during their free day. It was precious to the team, wanting to check on things in their free time or have a relaxing day away from the Strays. Evelyn had offered Ethan to take him out one day but had been busy with missions, or she had to visit her family she still had contact with.
June cracked her neck and muttered her annoyance as she finished a meeting with the council at City Hall a while ago and now was at Enforcer HQ. She had a meeting with Feral, knowing the tom wanted to check up on her and Ethan. Of course, June could have blown him off, but she felt generous today, and the council did not ruin the mood. She glanced at Mike, who kept fumbling with his phone and reviewing some files that needed addressing.
"What would I do without you?" June mused, getting a snort from the caramel kat, who did not break away from his duties.
Both stepped out of the elevator once reaching their desired floor.
"How about a raise?" Mike laughed, clicking his tongue and responding to the text for June. "Thank the higher gods you did not cancel on Feral. I was not ready to hear another rant from the Commander…again."
"Oh hush, it's good to have a conversation with your old superior," June said, smiling when hearing Mike groan and shake his head in dismay. She raised an eyebrow when noticing Mike eyeing the time, almost like he was eager to wrap up today but kept the thought to herself.
"You call those conversations? I could barely hear after getting screamed at because you decided to play hookey one day!"
"You gotta live life, Mike! However, you have gotten looser than when you joined me. You had such a yes-sir attitude and were very anal about the rules. I feel like a proud mother. Sometimes you gotta have some fun with what you do!" June laughed, ignoring Feral's secretary and heading toward the door, much to the dismay of Mike and the secretary. "Like this! Hello sourpuss! Oh….am I interrupting something?"
June headed inside, ignoring Feral and the many captains eyeing her, taking a seat in one of the available seats and making herself home. June yawned, pretending to be oblivious, seeing familiar faces and many new ones. Of course, she eyed them all, knowing which department they ran and had already planned her next move.
Feral was pissed but held himself from shouting at Evelyn and saw Mike putting his hands together to apologize for his boss's behavior. He watched Mike sit beside her and attempt to ignore the captains glaring at them. Feral coughed to get everyone's attention back to him and signaled his following Captain to report on things their department was dealing with.
Captain Chambers was the next to go, a she-kat responsible for the International Peacekeepers Unit, deploying her units worldwide to protect traveling important figures or aid neighboring allies with issues. She looked like a LaPerm cat breed, with blue-piercing eyes, dark grey fur, and long curly hair similar to her fur's color.
"Sir, some minor disturbances in the East countries but nothing too severe. Some Northerners, specifically Bashal and Paska, are playing nice with each other for now. We are monitoring them in case either decides to move. The storms are calm all around…except," Chambers sighed, scratching her head in annoyance at that one little spot that has been causing a stir recently. "There have been some disturbances in the Broken Isles of the World. Some of our allies and non-allies are getting impatient. Hopefully, it dies down soon, or there will be issues later."
Feral nodded, sighing as he recalled the report, "Anything we can do to help prevent that from happening?
"Unfortunately, not at this time. I've been working with Captain Mccoy to see if we can have someone infiltrate the school. However, it seems someone is being extra cautious with new staff showing up…..so were are looking at different alternatives." Chambers stated, eyeing Captain Mccoy.
Mccoy was a lion with a black mane with some grey lines, scars on his face, red eyes, and tall like Captain Softpaw. He was the Captain of the International Covert Unit, dealing with external situations where kats needed to infiltrate or gather information about neighboring countries. He nodded at Chambers and was about to speak until he heard a cough behind him. A slight smile appeared, and his cold exterior softened. He was glancing back at an old colleague that interrupted the meeting earlier.
"Something you want to say, Tundra?" Mccoy asked, knowing June had something planned.
"Oh, Pride, I'm just enjoying the show, but if you are interested in hearing little old me, then I'll be happy to lend a paw," June said, "Just need to ask nicely."
"June, there be a reason for the interruption," Feral growled, his patience running out and anger getting the best of him.
"Feral, it's alright," Mccoy said, smiling at the pair, "We would be glad for any help at this moment. As Chambers has stated, this is a tricky situation, and we must act fast to stop these trigger-happy leaders from starting wars. So what are you proposing?"
"First, what do you need to be able to act? Captain Chambers, if you would be so kind as to explain the situation," June said.
Chamber nodded her head and proceeded.
"Kits have been attacking their parents when they return from that school. They all chanted the same thing as if they were under some kind of manipulation though there's no evidence of a device when inspecting them. We need eyes inside, cameras installed, and someone to report things to us while avoiding suspicion from the guards inside. Once we have solid evidence of something occurring inside the school, we can act. However, we can't send an adult inside, so what are you….."
Everyone slowly realized where June was going with this, and Feral rubbed his head, wishing June had bailed their meeting today.
"Lucky for you, our little invader picked up a new trick and can accomplish what you need. Just need you two to get him inside," June laughed, seeing the multiple kats already voicing their concerns and dismissing the idea.
Chambers sighed, willing to go with it and just wanting results as fast as possible. Mccoy gave a weak laugh, worried about the potential problems but excited to finally meet the alien.
Ethan sneezed, rubbing his kat nose and hoping he was not getting sick. He tapped a finger on the bar table, looking towards the bathroom and wondering what was holding Chance. Ethan sighed, returning to look at his pancakes and eat the remaining pieces while eyes glancing around the restaurant. Kats of all sizes were inside, in different shapes and bodies, enjoying themselves as they ate their food for the morning. Ethan and Chance decided to eat inside today, thankful they could enjoy fresh food rather than waiting until they got home or eating inside the truck.
"Want a refill, hon?" a young female server asked. Getting a nod from Ethan thus, she refilled his cup. "Would you like something else, or should I bring the check? Or I can wait to bring it till your pa returns."
Ethan almost said, 'Who?' but recalled Chance had instructed him beforehand. If anyone asked about their relationship, Ethan would say that the tabby is his father, and Chance would, in return, respond by saying Ethan was his son. Both were thankful to practice at the base, awkwardly saying it out loud and stumbling as they said it.
"I'm good, and I think my dad is also done. You can bring the check, please, and thank you," Ethan blushed, oddly calling the tabby dad. He watched the server smile at him and leave to get it, and he looked around until he spotted a family in the corner.
The family of five was enjoying their day, with the father laughing as he played with the youngest, and the mother kept the oldest kits to behave. They seemed happy as they enjoyed each other's company and were getting ready to leave. The father held the youngest kitten while talking to his wife about their plans and telling his eldest kittens to stay close.
Ethan looked away, seeing the foreign interactions he was seeing. His ears went down, and he stared at his coffee briefly, recalling his biological father. His father would never go out with him, hug him, or smile around him. Ethan was somewhat thankful his father only once hurt him physically with the broken arm from the push and would only verbally attack him.
"Useless? Never going to achieve anything? A waste of space? Motherfucker look at me now," Ethan whispered to himself, gritting his teeth and wishing his father could see him now. Ethan's anger quickly dissipated as he felt another feeling, "Why couldn't you…love me?"
"Everything okay?" Chance said, putting a hand on Ethan's head.
Ethan glanced away momentarily, pushing all his feelings down before looking back at Chance with a smile.
"Yeah…..just getting used to this, you know?" Ethan lied, ignoring the tabby's questioning gaze and laughing. "You good? You were in the bathroom for a bit. Age catching up to you?"
"Very funny….no, I had to step outside for a bit. Evelyn wanted to check up on us…..jeez already worrying, and we just barely started," Chance grumbled, seeing the server approach him with his check. He quickly paid it and told the she-kat to keep the rest as a tip, getting a smile of appreciation. "Come on…. let's head out for now. Do you want to go to a mall and explore a bit or see what they are showing at the movie theater?"
"Are you okay with me picking? I'm good to go wherever you want."
"A bar isn't for a kit," Chance said, chuckling as both exited the restaurant, walked to the truck, and hopped on. He glanced at Ethan, ensuring the boy was alright, especially seeing him stay quiet. "You sure nothing is wrong?"
"What?" Ethan said, breaking away from his thoughts, "Oh, I'm cool with the mall if that's what you want to do."
"I'm asking you….whatever….fine, let's go to the mall," Chance said, turning on the engine and heading out of the parking lot.
The drive was quiet as both focused on different things. Chance would concentrate on the road but occasionally look at the boy looking out the window. At first, the tabby worried that he had done something to upset Ethan, but nothing came to mind as he scratched his ears to think. Slowly, the tabby began to look around. Something that he could say to start the conversation, but nothing came to him at the moment.
"Hey, Chance…..um….." Ethan began, shaking his head, "Never mind, it's nothing."
Chance grimaced, stopping the truck at a red light and wishing the boy could be straightforward with him. 'Does it really take a tragedy or a mission for us to talk?' the tabby thought, tapping the steering wheel and reflecting on all the times they would have THOSE conversations. The light turned green, and it finally hit the tabby.
"Say….." Chance started, getting Ethan to look at him. "Zoe, right? How was she?"
Ethan blinked and stared at Chance, thinking for a moment before smiling. "She was awesome….a bit wild at times and odd….but she was great. Zoe was the first person ever to see me, you know? She taught me many things and tried homeschooling me when I refused to go to school…I was such a brat."
"Eh….you still are one," Chance piped in, getting a light punch from the kid, making him laugh. "Just kidding, she sounds like one great she-kat…..err, female."
"A woman…..it's still wild to see this world and see no humans around except kats and the occasional canes," Ethan said, looking around and seeing all the kats around them, on the street or driving next to them. "It trips me out sometimes. Knowing I'm the only human here….sometimes it makes me feel like I'm alone."
Chance snorted, reaching toward the kid and pulling him close.
"What do you mean?! You got me and Evelyn…..and the Strays."
Ethan rolled his eyes but smiled, enjoying the hug from the tabby.
"You know what I mean?" Ethan said, chuckling and breaking free from the tabby's arm. "It's funny….now that I think about it….."
"What is?"
"It's stupid….but my second year with her, I accidentally called her mom, and she rolled with it. She told me, ' If you are going to call me mom, then I'm going to start calling you son.' I thought she was joking at first, but…the way she looked at me…I could tell she was serious. So stupid…..my mom…..I wished she was still….." Ethan stopped, letting a shaky breath and rubbing his eyes as if he did not want to remember that night. He felt the tabby touch his neck and gently knead it, making the boy let out a small purr which surprised him. "I'm fine…..just need a moment…..god, I keep forgetting how real this body feels! Right?"
Ethan shifted, indicating with a grin that he was okay, and shyly looked away as he could tell his guardian was not buying it. He sighed, wondering how to change the topic, and thought about something.
"Hey….how was your mom?" Ethan said.
Chance turned on a street.
"She was stern, strict, but a very lovely she-kat. My mom would support me as much as she could, even though work was sometimes a lot back then. I miss her so much," Chance said, frowning and gripping the steering wheel. He lessened his grip and smirked at a memory, "By the higher gods, she would let me have it when causing trouble for others. She could be chewing your ass one moment and then be gentle like an angel."
"I think your mom and me would butt heads," Ethan laughed, seeing Chance shake his head. "No?"
"She was strict with me but a complete saint with other kits. Of course, she would speak up if they were doing something terrible, but never at the same level as me. Those kits would wet their pants if they dealt with the Furlong temper for a second," Chance said. "All the adults were scared of her, and I would feel bad for them when they would argue with my ma."
"It would have been nice to meet her," Ethan said, seeing the mall coming to view. "What was her name?"
"Freya Furlong"
Jason sat in a nice restaurant, eyeing the door occasionally and his arm watch, wondering what was holding up a certain kat. Unlike his usual self, he was quiet and nervous as he tapped his foot in suspense. He was dressed up, almost semi-professional, and had a blue bow tie. Jason groaned as this was foreign to him, hoping Benson did not dress him like an idiot.
"Tina…..I'm going to strangle your love interest if he laughs," Jason mumbled, taking a swing of his shot and taking a deep breath. He felt a knot in his stomach and was questioning everything as he put a hand on his cheek and closed his eyes.
"Is this seat taken?" a voice said.
Almost making Jason jerk as he saw Mike standing next to him. The smaller tom laughed, getting close to kissing Jason before moving to the opposite chair. Mike sighed in relief, messing with his tie a bit and grumbling something before grinning at Jason.
"Huh…" Mike said, re-examining Jason and scratching his neck. "I'll admit, I've never imagined you like this. Always wearing flannels, a jumpsuit, or that jacket you wear sometimes."
"I look stupid….right," Jason grumbled, ears flattening and already mentally prepping to strangle Benson.
"No! You look good! I like it," Mike said, waving his arms to apologize before blushing away. "It's nice that you would dress up for me. I like it, and your usual bad kat get-up. I can't decide which one I like better."
Jason smiled, thanking Benson and planning to get him a gift. He reached towards Mike's hand and grabbed it, getting the same response. Jason's worries flew away, and he chuckled, grateful for this.
"I mean for our first official date….of course, I would! I'm just happy that you agreed to go out with me," Jason said.
"Well, I'm surprised it took you this long to ask," Mike said, leaning close to whisper, "Though I did not mind all the nights you came to my room for fun."
"Oh…" Jason purred, closing in, "I'm definitely making you remember today for sure."
Mike shivered at the thought, pulling his tie to breathe and losing the game of sexually bothering the tom before him. He blushed and pulled back, already imagining Jason on top of him. Mike chuckled, focusing on the menu and distracting himself to cool down.
Jason chuckled, enjoying watching Mike squirm, and also looked at the menu. He could not stop glancing at the caramel tom and would reflect on them.
The Strays formed years ago, with Jake being the first recruited, followed by Tina, Jason, Evelyn, Benson, and then Mike joining in. Jason remembered butting heads with Mike the first years due to the tom being so damn annoying with rules and still acting like a Golden-Kat even though he left the Enforcers. It pissed him off since Mike willingly joined the Strays, unlike the rest. Their banter lessened over the years, but they would argue about things from time to time. A playful fight turned into something else in the showers near the end of last year.
"What are you smiling about?" Mike spoke up, getting Jason to look at him with a toothy grin.
"Oh, nothing…..just remembering how it all started…..me, you, and the showers," Jason said, getting Mike to pull his tie as he recalled it.
"Ass….I remember you coming back from a mission covered in gunk and throwing that shit at me," Mike growled, shaking his head but grinning at the memory.
"Hey, if you didn't get on my ass about it, then I wouldn't have…though I'm happy that I did," Jason said, "Sorry again…..for making you upset that day….I was just so stressed out."
"It's okay…..I should be apologizing since I was the one that started it," Mike said, sighing and shaking his head. He let out a rumble in his throat and created a fist, "It's just…that freak….."
"Hey, let's not think about that for now. You can't let him-"
"I know!" Mike growled a bit too loud. He got a couple of kats staring at him and waved apologetically to them. Mike saw Jason looking at him with sad eyes, making him flatten his ears. "Shit, I know. By the higher gods, I know. Sorry….. let's just move on."
Jason frowned, seeing Mike trying hard to distract himself from his thoughts. He wanted to grab Mike's hand but knew better and to leave him be when he got like this. Jason just needed to let Mike cool off momentarily before approaching the tom. He just hoped their date today had no bumps in the road.
Benson, Tina, and Evelyn groaned as they returned to base after a tight mission. In short, Benson's disguise failed him during a critical moment, and then the she-kats went in to support their teammate when the bullets started flying. They got what they were looking for, stealing missing files from the criminals and dispatching anyone in their way, but the Nikko family will surely respond to this with more security.
Tina was driving the Stealth Kat down another ramp for vehicles towards the hanger. The Stealth Kat was their black van-like vehicle that contained the latest and experimental tech for eavesdropping, intercepting, and scouting. Created by and with love, Jake.
"Help me," Evelyn said to Tina, opening the Stealth Kat's side and revealing a wounded Benson. She put Benson's arm around hers, and Tina did so on the other side.
Jake had watched them arrive and brought the gunnery towards them, helping them put the tom on it, making sure it was slightly elevated. He growled and saw that the tom had suffered a head injury and a gunshot wound to the chest.
Benson was a bit loopy. However, he survived thanks to their field medic and smiled at them like an idiot.
"Aw….back home…..I feel a bit tired," Benson said, almost closing his eyes till Tina lightly tapped his cheeks to stay up. "Stop hitting me for once…..I'm not going to sleep."
"Is he going to be okay?" Tina said, ignoring the tom and almost saying how worried she was.
"He's talking fine. I just need to do some tests to ensure no internal bleeding. Hopefully, this is only a concussion, but the more important thing is this?" Evelyn said, indicating with her eyes towards the wound, pushing the gunnery towards the door.
TWO HOURS LATER
It happened so quick, with Evelyn inspecting and addressing the wound with the assistance of Tina and Jake. Benson was patched up and stabled with an I.V. bag and blood transfusion. Evelyn then used the x-ray to check for breaks but was relieved and thankful for Benson's thick head. All they had to do was monitor Benson and ensure he stayed up a bit longer till he passed the six-hour mark, with Tina offering to watch him and allow the pair to wash up first.
It was now only Tina and Benson in the room, with the latter rubbing his eyes and trying hard to distract himself.
Tina raised an eyebrow when Evelyn smiled at them but held her tongue when she knew what the doctor was thinking, making Tina blush and grit her teeth. She cursed for sharing how she felt about Benson with Evelyn. Tina groaned as she recalled Evelyn trying so hard to bond with her since they were the only female apart from June. Evelyn persisted until she finally convinced Tina with wine and a charcuterie board. Both worked their magic on Tina, and she got too comfortable to the point that she revealed her interest in the stoic kat.
"Damn that she-kat….that was such a sly attack," Tina mumbled, sighing and wishing she had alcohol. She was sitting on the chair near the bed, glancing at times at Benson to ensure the tom stayed awake until their eyes locked on. Tina felt her ears getting hot but stayed strong and gave the best 'what?' look she could muster.
"Ah, nothing….. just wondering if you prefer to watch something else," Benson said, indicating at the TV nearby that was playing some drama show. He laughed, wincing when it hurt to laugh, "Damn…..I'm…..not sure if you like these sorts of things."
Tina glanced at the TV playing a soap opera about a lineage of kats trying to better themselves and handling their families' restaurant over the generations. Typical interpersonal situations and melodramatic moments, with this episode focused on the owner's son trying to find his own way in the world and falling in love with the daughter of his dad's rival. Tina sighed, shaking her head that it was fine, and tried to get interested, but she prefers action, explosions, and guts flying everywhere.
"Why do you find interest in this? So much is going on, and there are so many characters to remember!" Tina said, trying to recall a character's name. "Not like Kat Strike Force….now that's easy to follow, and shit happens right away."
Benson laughed, "I like those shows too…..but I like this show because it reminds me that things are always happening, and everyone struggles to get what they want. Plus…..it's very precious to me."
"Hmm….?" Tina said, moving towards Benson's bed, ignoring the kat's nervousness and sitting closer to him to see it. She enjoyed this, sitting close but not too close to Benson. "How so?"
Benson eyed her cautiously, thinking she would hit him but eased up when Tina chuckled at him, making the tom eye her differently. For him, when Tina was not her usual boyish self or snapping at kats, she had this other side where she would glow, and her smile was captivating. However, he sighed, and his ears flattened as he glanced at the TV with a frown.
"It's one of the things my dad and I used to watch together…..when I was little," Benson said, looking down and wishing things were different. "I hoped…we could talk more when discussing Ethan's progress. But…..that's not happening, or will it ever….."
Tina frowned, wanting to reach for him but was too scared to cross that line. She cursed herself for never taking the next step. Unlike in the field, she would jump head first to danger but struggle when dealing with emotions. Tina was ecstatic when Benson agreed to drink with her, but her temper got the best of her that day. It felt like Benson rejected her when he called her a friend.
"I….think he will open up someday," Tina managed to say, surprising herself and Benson. She glanced away, "He's your father…..and this includes the rest of your family…..they can't blame you for what you did."
"All they see is… A criminal that brings shame to the Scratch family name. Damn those two," he growled, clenching his teeth and covering his eyes. "I'll kill them if I get my hands on Molly and Mac. If only they didn't release that chemical….then…."
Tina nodded, recalling the day when the Mange gang thought they were stealing something valuable like gold only to be a chemical weapon. It was not a good day, many kats were hospitalized, and some still feel the effects of that chemical. It was a burden to carry the amount of debt as the months passed. Tina looked at the one who risked his freedom to pay everyones' debt, taking the heavy burden and getting arrested after getting caught.
"Money….if only things were free in this world," Tina mused, deciding to get close and put her hand around Benson. "I wished…..good deeds weren't punished…..I know the feeling all too well."
Benson nodded, easing up and pulling Tina close, feeling comfortable with someone who shares a similar burden.
"I just wished I stopped sooner….. It got too easy at one point, and I was so frustrated with this city," Benson grumbled, hating the politics and constant shift in focus on what is essential.
"I know. I wished I didn't drag Jason into my bullshit."
"He's the type to follow the ones he cares about to hell itself if need be. You couldn't stop him even if you tried," Benson said, hearing a chuckle from Tina. He was about to say something but stopped, biting his lip and shaking the idea away. He sighed and refocused, "You are a good friend…..I would have done the same thing for you as he did."
Tina was grateful they were not facing each other, not wanting Benson to see her sad look as she attempted to get herself together. She needed to stay strong and push the urge to hit him out of anger, so she shook the idea and pulled back with a grin. Tina dawned her disguise and playful punched Benson's shoulder, getting the tom to wince and whimper.
"Oh…..sorry."
Ethan was star-struck with everything, enjoying his time at the mall and looking around at everything, no matter how dull or ordinary things were for the kats around him. Chance would laugh at the kit's excitement while also glancing around, the mall was the mall, but things had changed during his time in lock up.
The mall was huge, with a large parking area like a tower to house the millions of kats in this city. Other malls like this were always filled with kats and money spent on items. Flowers and trees were inside, with a small park, pond, movie theater, and shops. Biomimicry architecture that almost made it like a jungle and a city clashed together.
Ethan and Chance were in a clothing store, checking out what they had to offer but keeping in mind their budget.
The Strays were given money, but their wages were nothing to write home about, thankful they did not have to worry about rent or anything of that nature. Chance made a bit more since he had Ethan and appreciated that Mike was another source for the boy to get things all, be it slow at times. Chance wanted to cough a hairball at the price of this particular store's brand. It was more creative in their designs and colors, nothing that Chance would wear, and he shook his head.
"Isn't this cool!?" Ethan shouted, making the tabby look at him, holding a sweater with many colors, giving a patchy look with the khaki base.
"Uh…..I guess?" Chance said, scratching his head before seeing the price tag and cringing at the hundred-dollar price tag. He shook his head, "Kit….this is too expensive for one sweater."
"Well, I can-"
"Don't you even think about it," Chance said, already reading the kid's mind and shaking his head. "Look….I blame myself for letting you swipe those kats wallets that ONE time. Let's not do that…..I would rather not risk explaining to the team where we got enough money to get a bunch of stuff."
"Oh, come on! You were pretty okay with it when you forgot your wallet that time at the bagel shop. It'll be easy, and I just need to-"
"No."
"Come on, I'm a thief, and we get what we want. Plus I…..uh…" Ethan said, seeing Chance give him a firm look, almost feeling the disappointment from his guardian. "Fine…..fine…..god, your such a buzzkill."
Ethan pouted before sighing, putting the sweater back while feeling his guardian's eyes on him to ensure he did so. The boy rolled his eyes and crossed his arms as he left the store, glancing back at where he had put the sweater before leaving. Ethan did feel the tabby put a hand on his head.
"Look…..maybe next time, okay?" Chance said, guiding them around the mall and wondering what else they could do.
They were on the mall's third level, approaching an oval balcony that allowed them to see the mall around them with lovely benches and small trees. Both sat and looked around, enjoying the skylight above them and the sun touching their fur.
"Do you want to check out anything else?" Chance said, seeing Ethan rolling his eyes at him.
"Can we afford it?"
"Kit, please….not today," Chance grumbled, scratching his head and leaning back to see the skylight. "Damn…things have changed so much…..almost shocking to see it."
Ethan glanced at Chance, seeing how lost the tabby looked, making the boy frown and shake his annoyance away.
"You okay?"
"Yeah just need to wrap my head around it. Thankfully, it wasn't long since I heard inmates in jail for longer have trouble adjusting to changes. It sucked to see one of my favorite spots to eat close down," Chance said, shaking his head and looking around at the quick reminder things change without him in it. His eyes shifted to the kit next to him, "But….then again…. This does not compare with what you are dealing with…. Coming to another world."
"Eh….it's fine…..I'm getting used to things," Ethan said, looking away from the tabby before spotting a son and father spending quality time together, drinking milkshakes and laughing. The boy frowned slightly, turning his head somewhere else but glancing back at them at times till they left.
Chance noticed this and looked at the pair a bit away. Before he could say anything, Chance felt his communication device light rumble, making him sigh and look for somewhere to take the call. Chance stood up and brushed the kid's head.
"Give me a sec. I gotta take a call," Chance said, moving a bit before turning, "Don't go anywhere…..just stay here for a bit."
"What am I? Five or something? Fine….fine," Ethan groaned, watching Chance head away toward a secluded hallway.
Ethan stood up and explored the viewing area, wondering what other store they should hit next and putting a hand on the metal bar, peering down and around the mall. He felt his tail moving behind him, with him reminding himself it is his as it still felt odd.
"Clothing store…electronic store…..beauty store…cool…boring…. Pass…. That looks fun," Ethan mumbled, leaning on his paw and tapping his face to think. His eyes spotted something moving fast, "And what's this?"
Ethan spotted a mix running in panic near the first floor as a group of older kat teens chased him. It did not appear to be on friendly terms, and the boy's eyes hardened. Ethan glanced towards where Chance had left before shaking his head and moving.
Chance frowned as Evelyn informed him that Benson got injured while on the job but would be fine. She wanted him to notify the boy about it and not worry since Ethan liked Benson, spending some time with the stoic kat who would teach him things or pester the kat for them to do something when the Swat Kats were off in patrol. Of course, Ethan would bother the rest of the team, except for Tina, Jason, and June.
"So…..how are things going?" Evelyn said over the communication device.
"It's going alright…..oh, that reminds me….. all of us should go out one day," Chance said, hearing a slight sigh on the other end.
"Yeah, we should….. though right now, I'm checking up on my family and making sure my folks find a good home…. Preferably somewhere away from the city's center and more in the countryside," Evelyn said, "My brother is helping me out with our stubborn father…. That tom refuses to leave…. Can't blame him since it's the home we grew up in, but…..things are just getting more dangerous in that sector."
"I hear ya. So…does this mean I can't ask you out for a while?" Chance smirked, hearing a groan from the other side.
"Chance….Look, you are a great tom-"
"Hey, at least you are calling me great instead of annoying."
"You are both! Gah…. Look! After my divorce…. I just don't know if I can…."
Chance frowned, hearing Evelyn's soft voice as it bothered her. He would have moved on, but his curiosity was getting the best of him.
"How long ago was it?" Chance said softly.
There was a bit of silence, making the tabby regret asking and almost speak up to ask something else when Evelyn beat him.
"…we stopped being married when Atlas died, which was years ago. Technically, we officially cut ourselves off from each other last year. Funny….now that I think about it…... there were always signs that things were going to end like this….." Evelyn stopped taking another moment. "I…..we never saw eye to eye on how we would live our lives…. I wanted a medical career, and he wanted me to become a stay in-home mom. I think we fooled ourselves and thought we would remain strong as we were in school….. Atlas was born, and we were both happy, but I still wanted to learn medicine. Since money was tight….the only option to get there was…."
"The Enforcers… a lot of kats go in for the vast educational opportunities and on-the-job training," Chance mused before shaking his head. "Though it's a bitch, the contracts too long, and for most, they just end up staying with Enforcers long term."
"I agree…..though I was surprised with myself…..I really did enjoy becoming a field medic for the Enforcers," Evelyn chuckled for a bit before stopping. "Sometimes…..I wonder if I chose my career over my kit at times…. Maybe I-"
"Don't think like that," Chance quickly cut her off, knowing where she was going with this. He sighed and shook his head, "It was your and your ex-husband's responsibility. I hope I'm not speaking out of line, but your ex sounds like an ass and an idiot."
Evelyn was quiet for a bit before letting out a laugh.
"Thanks…..I really appreciate it," Evelyn said, making the tabby grin and lean back against the wall.
"Don't mention it. Hey, I should go back to the kit before he dies of boredom."
"Alright…just make sure he does not get in trouble. Let me know if anything does happen…..okay?" Evelyn said, almost sounding like an order.
Chance winced at the bit of intensity but held his thoughts and just agreed with Evelyn. He put the device back in his pocket and headed back toward where he left Ethan. However, to his surprise, he spotted two familiar toms sitting at the bench where Ethan was supposed to be. They were pretty close to each other, with Mike leaning on Jason.
"Huh….didn't expect to run into you two," Chance said, making the pair's ears twitch, and they look back at him.
"Chance?" Mike said, smiling awkwardly and waving at the tabby.
Chance nodded at Mike and looked at Jason, snorting as he looked at the Bengal's outfit. Jason kept glaring at him and let out a slight snarl.
"You are looking dapper today," Chance said, crossing his arms as Jason stood up, and they were now face to face.
"Got a problem with how I look?" Jason growled.
"Nah….though I would back off if I were you. Don't want blood all over your nice shirt," Chance warned.
Mike sighed, standing up and quickly breaking the two off each other. It was always a pissing contest with these two to see who was the bigger tom. Jason and Chance would quietly challenge each other with a strength contest, whether gym, arm wrestling, or sparring. Of course, someone had to be there, so both did not push it.
"You two idiots, cool off," Mike whispered, "We are in public! So no fighting or I swear to the gods that I'll call June on your tails."
Both toms deflated, wanting to avoid June, especially on their free day. Mike exhaled, thankful that these two knuckleheads had a brain, before noticing something and looking around.
"Where's Ethan?" Mike said, smiling and tail swishing around.
"You guys didn't see him here?" Chance said, seeing the two give him an odd look and shake their heads.
"You lost him…..figures," Jason spat, eyeing around for the pest. "Probably causing trouble for someone."
Chance rolled his eyes but felt annoyed that Ethan had wandered off. He pulled his device close and switched it to track Ethan, seeing the boy a bit away but still in the mall.
"I swear….you tell the kid to do something, and he does the opposite," Chance mused, moving toward where it was pointing, "I better go get him…..Don't go about telling anyone about this, and I'll pretend I didn't see you guys on a date."
Mike and Jason's ears flatten, staying quiet and looking at each other as they see Chance heading away. Mike bit his lip, giving Jason a look before following Chance. Jason followed Mike, glaring at the tabby's head and thinking of conversing with him to make sure he did not say anything, especially to June.
A mix stood back against a wall, tired after running for some time. The mix eyed his pursuers, who were also catching their breath. He was seven years old, and his dog features were more prominent. He was a Border Collie with yellow fur, stripes, a bit broader, and green eyes. His ears flattened as one of the older teens approached him and cracked his knuckles as the teen prepared to swing at the mix. The mix growled, putting his fist up and ready to defend himself.
The teen that approached him was suddenly bumped into with force by another teen that arrived.
"Oops! Sorry about that!" Ethan called out, sheepishly rubbing his head and pretending to look around till his eyes landed on the mix. "Oh, there you are! Hey….. mom and dad were so worried about you! Come on, they are just around the corner!"
Everyone was stunned at the new visitor as he casually grabbed the mix's hand and headed in a particular direction. The mix was dumbfounded, but he quickly noticed Ethan winking at him to go along with it and smiled.
"Hold up!" the teen that Ethan pushed shouted. Light brown kat with blue eyes. He snapped his fingers, and the two other teens blocked Ethan, a pair of silver kats. "You are not going anywhere!
"Say…come on… let's not fight," Ethan said, cursing as he thought this plan he saw in a movie would work. He pushed the cane behind him and eyed the three teens. "Let's just go our separate ways and-"
"You and your disgusting brother aren't going anywhere!" the leader growled, eyeing them disgustingly. "You dirty mix is what is wrong with this city. You're lucky you weren't born half, but you still have some cane in you."
Ethan grimaced, remembering his conversations with Chance and Winston when seeing how kats treated Winston. No matter where you go, the mindset of superiority is always in every plane of existence. Whether it be blood, status, breed, or if you were a kat or cane. Megakat City was very inclusive, unlike other countries, but there were groups of kats that held their beliefs.
"Okay….look, let's just chill and go…." Ethan stopped, looking at the mix behind him, realizing something. "What happened between all of you?"
The mix grinned sheepishly, rubbing his head and looking away.
"Your brother suckered punched us!" one of the silver kats whined.
"Only because you ran your mouth about my mom!" the mix growled, stepping forward but being blocked by Ethan.
"And are we wrong? Your dirty dog mom sleeping with a kat….. it's unnatural and disgusting!" one of the silver kats spat, stepping forward toward them.
Ethan wished he could punch them, feeling his disgust boiling inside and wanting them to shut up. However, there was one iron-clad rule he could not break, or he would feel the wrath of June later. No hurting kits or else! Ethan cursed again, focusing on the approaching teens and preparing to block whatever they threw at him.
"We can take them," the mix said, eyes already gunning for the leader and clenching his fist.
'I can't!' Ethan thought, firmly keeping the mix at bay while firing a million plans on his head. He was too distracted to see the leader swinging at him and flinched, expecting the impact until he heard a clap. Ethan opened his eyes to see a yellow hand blocking the teen and eyeing his group with fury.
"Go," Chance snarled, indicating the group to leave with his head.
The leader was about to say something till he saw two other adults looking at him, making him growl but back off. The older teen huffed, and his group left, giving one last look at the other kids with nothing but hatred.
Ethan sighed in relief, but that did not last long till Chance glared at him, making him fold his ears.
"I told you to stay put!" Chance said, taking a moment to relax before peering around Ethan to see the mix. He scratched his ears and grumbled something, wondering if he should punish Ethan for disobeying or congratulate him for helping someone.
"Please don't be mad at him!" the mix shouted, switching from his intensity to a calmer demeanor. He folded his ears and smiled, "He was just trying to help me out. If you are mad, get mad at me instead of him."
Chance glanced at the other adults, wondering what they hoped him to do. Of course, Jason was hoping for the punishment route, and Mike was going with forgiving. Chance pinched the bridge of his nose, thinking about it more before shaking the reprimand for now. He nodded his head and patted Ethan's head.
"Just….tell me next time….okay?" Chance said, getting a smile and nod from Ethan.
Ethan glanced at the other adults, noticing Jason and tilting his head.
"Huh…..shame….. you don't look bad in that. And I hope your date is going well, Mike," Ethan said instead of thinking, making Chance snort. Mike blushed, and Jason growled and looked at the caramel tom in confusion. Ethan turned his attention to the mix and grinned at him. "So…..oh…..I don't even know your name."
"It's Miles. It's nice to meet all of you," Miles said, smiling at everyone and respectfully nodding at them. "You have an interesting family….uh…."
"Ethan…..the tabby is my dad, Chance, and those two…..are Mike and Jason," Ethan said before letting out a sly smile, "They are my gay uncles."
Jason kept his mouth shut, glaring at Ethan again and nudging Mike to explain.
"I kind of let it slip yesterday….I'm sorry…..please don't be mad," Mike whispered in Jason's ear, making the tom sigh. Mike smiled and winked at him, "Play along…..uncle."
"Don't push it, M," Jason whispered back, rolling his eyes and smiling at Mike. He frowned and looked back at the two kits discussing things.
"-so where's your parents at?" Ethan asked, making Miles sigh and shake his head.
"I'm an orphan, just came to the mall with my group and just got separated. It looks about time to head back to the bus," Miles said, groaning and about to leave until he stopped. "Thanks again….sorry for causing you trouble. See you around?"
"Yeah, be seeing you," Ethan said, waving at Miles as he left. He looked towards Chance, noticing his look as he watched Miles go and appeared to be in deep thought. "You good?"
"Hmm….oh," Chance said, shaking his head, "It's nothing…..just thinking about someone. Apart from this little bump….should we head to the movie theater to see what's playing?"
"Oh….we were also planning to go to the movie theater," Mike said, getting another nudge from Jason. Mike rolled his eye, "I think they are replaying the first Galatic Kat movie, a romance movie, and some historical movie at the moment."
"OH….we should see Galatic Kat!" Ethan said, making Mike grin and two other adults groan. "You always hype it up…hopefully it does not disappoint."
"Oh, you are in a treat! Unlike the show, there's more of a budget in this!" Mike said, eyeing glittering in excitement and leading Ethan toward the direction of the movie theater. He gave Jason a look and nudged his head towards Chance.
Jason nodded, putting a paw out to tell the tabby to hang back a bit, getting a glare from Chance. He stayed quiet for a bit, waiting for Mike and Ethan to be an earshot away before turning his attention back to Chance.
"Listen…..I just want to make sure you keep your mouth shut about us. June does not need to know everything….and the Enforcers don't need to know about us," Jason started, scratching his neck and looking at Mike's figure a few distances away. "Kats already give us an eye for one reason. However, Mike's old enforcer co-workers will give him a hard time….especially if they know he's going out with a Stray. We are not fooling ourselves, one day it'll come out, but we just want some time for ourselves till then…..you hear?"
Chance raised an eyebrow and moved towards the other two, "Look….I don't care if you are a bunch of tail swipers or going out with each other…..that's none of my business. As I said before, as long as you don't tell June about today, I'll stay quiet."
"Sure, I'm fine with that," Jason said, walking along with Chance. "By the way, don't call Mike a tail swiper, or I'll knock your teeth in."
"Fine….I won't say it," Chance said, waiving his hand to calm Jason. However, he recalled something, and his face got serious, giving Jason a death glare. "Since we are threatening each other…. Don't hurt the kit, or I'll bury you next time…..don't look confused…..I asked Ethan how training with Tina went on the first day…. I knew something had happened, but he wouldn't tell me details and tried to hide it."
Jason scoffed, shaking his head at the tabby, "He's not your kit, nor is he a kat. You kats are-"
"I don't care. I heard from Evelyn what had happened to you and Tina. I actually feel for you….but that does not mean you take it out on a child. Ethan is not them….. but I'm not here to convince you or have a long fucking conversation about what is the right call. Don't. Hurt. Him. Got it?" Chance said, with such dark eyes that promised a world of hurt and death.
Jason glared back at Chance, both stopping and staring at each other.
"HEY! You two hurry up already, or we will get some shitty chairs!" Ethan shouted, looking at the pair some distance away.
Jason shook his head and moved, "As long as he keeps his nose clean….I won't do anything."
Chance growled, shaking his head and moving as well.
AN: Two chapters are up! I hope you guys enjoy it! Until later!