Chapter Five: The Bear Mess-essities

A/N: It's been a long time since I've written one of these. I'm sorry my chapter updates have been so slow. A lot, and I mean a LOT is going on in my life right now. My mother passed away leaving our family the house in the will which had to be sold and split up between my siblings and me. It's also forcing me to move. I've been doing more cleanup than I've done in my entire life. Now, I have to move to a new state and start a new life. It's both exciting and terrifying.

Sadly, this is why the next chapter will be a while before I can write it. Expect Chapter Six around late August or September at best. There's just too much going on in my life right now.

What happened at Karnage Karriers while Kit and the others were away...

Bruce the Quokka tapped the napping Donna Karnage to awaken her, "Ummm… Mrs. Karnage?"

The fox remained sleeping. Barely stirring. "Mrrmph."

"Mrs. Karnage!"

Donna quickly turned around and shoved the tip of her cutlass at Bruce's nose. "You better have a good explanation for coming in here and disturbing me!"

"You wear your cutlass and sheath while sleeping?!"

"Of course. I always wear protection in bed. Now, explain yourself before I slice you in two!"

"He's here!"

"Who's here?!"

"Jeff Bearzos!"

"..."

"The multi-billionaire! The one we have a contract with to move his goods!"

"What is he doing here now of all days?!"

"I dunno! Just get out here and help me!"

Bruce ran back to his desk and quickly tried to calm Bearzos. "She'll be right with you, Mr. Berzos."

"She better hurry!" grumbled the bear. "I didn't come all 'dis way for nothin'!"

Donna quickly came down in her nightgown. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Meester Bozo. I yam afraid Mary ees not here today."

"It's Bearzos!"

"I apoyoyize. English ees my first language. What brings you down here?"

"Well, I really wanted to talk to Mary, but I guess you'll do. What's yer position here?"

"I yam ze owner. Zat ees my name on ze front of ze building."

"Oh, of course! Anyways, I wanted to tell you guys 'dat 'da business is workin' out real well lately. Barren' a few incidents with 'da Sea Duck, everything's been running smooth."

Donna smiled. "Oh! Well, zat ees wonderful!"

"Now, 'dere are a few things I think you and Mary can do 'ta sail 'dis ship even smoother."

Donna was confused by that statement. "Zis ees not a ship. It ees an office."

"I mean there are ways of making 'dis business even more profitable fer us both."

"Such as?"

"I've been lookin' over your expenses of your main delivery workers in the Iron Vulture. Breaks?! Meals?! A competitive salary?!"

"What ees wrong weeth zat? Zose men helped raise me. 'Zey are like my uncles!"

"They're like family just moochin' off ya! Trust me, Dollface. Ya can't make money without others losin' theirs. Ya gotta cut corners. Fleece 'dose replaceable peons! Tighten 'da budget!" Bearzos then eyed Donna up and down in her sleepwear. "Speakin' of tight…"

He got close to her and rubbed her back. "'Dose pajamas are too tight on you. Why don't we go upstairs and loosen 'dem."

Donna was outraged. "I yam a married woman!"

"What's 'dat got to do with anything?! So am I! Why don't we merge our business ventures together?"

Bearzos made the wrong move. He slipped his paw from Donna's back to her bottom. The fox quickly unsheathedd her sword and poked it under Jeff's nose. "Don't you touch my rump!"

"Woah! Back off lady!"

"How dare you try to molest me in my payamas!"

"OW! Hey! Wa… Yer what?"

"Payamas."

"Papaya?!"

"Payamas. What I yam wearing."

"Oh. Pajamas. Anyway, I'm Jeff Bearzos, ya damn broad! I'm a billionaire! I can have whatever I want!"

"You can't have me! Now get ze hell out of my office before I slice you in pieces!"

Bearzos started to leave. "You just made a huge enemy here, lady! I'll be owning this dump in days and replacing it with cheaper staff! Say 'so long' to your business, Karnage!"

Bruce watched as Jeff slammed the door behind him. "That was awesome, Donna! I mean, our business is doomed, but that was awesome! I'm proud of you."

" 'Sank you, Bruce."

"So whadda we do now?"

"SIGH! I don't know! I have to talk to Mary."

Hours later, on the Sea Duck…

The crew was heading back to the office to console Donna after Mary got all of the details from her on her phone. Calhoun was gripping the controls tightly with rage. "That filthy rich creep! I'll strangle him with my bare paws fer touchin' my wife like that!"

"Calm down, Cal," Kit replied. "Guys like that. You so much as touch them and they'll sue you for millions."

Mary came in to correct Kit. "He touched her bottom during a business discussion. That's sexual harassment. If anything, we might have him by the berries."

Kit looked over Mary's shoulder at the open cockpit door. He could barely see Pamela and Eugene sitting together. "How are they doing?"

"Fine. Pamela's really become attached to him now."

"Of course, she is," Kit scoffed.

"What do you mean?"

"Think about it. I'm young again. She won't see any money from the will for decades if ever. Now, she has Eugene who will be inheriting a lot of money. Why wouldn't she pamper him now?" Mary slugged him on the shoulder. "OW! What was that for?!"

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself! Pam risked her life to save that boy! I've seen the change in her and you would too if you weren't so jealous!"

"Why shouldn't I be?! I've taken the backseat in my own family. They show each other a lot more love than they ever showed me."

"She's carrying your child."

"By accident. I told her I loved her and she got upset. She doesn't love me and neither does the boy. I finally have my own wife and child and I've never felt more alone."

Mary sighed. She was starting to understand how he felt. "You have to put more work into it. That's all. Look. Why don't I keep uncle Cal company and you spend some time with them?"

"Alright. I think I have an idea that will impress Eugene. Thanks, Mary!" Kit looked at a picture of Rebecca and Baloo. It caused him to shrink down to his younger self. He jumped off of his seat and headed out of the cockpit.

Mary was worried. "You can't start doing that on command, Kit! Remember what the baby elder said! It's bad for your heart!"

"I'll be careful!" Kit shouted back. He ran into the cabin as Child Kit "Hey, Gene! Wanna see something cool?!" He pulled out his airfoil and hit the button to open the back of the loading dock.

Calhoun saw it on his panels. "Kit. What are you up to now?!"

Kit got out the trapeze rope he and Katie used from time to time. "Just stay strapped in your seat."

Eugene didn't know what was going on, but he didn't like the back cabin being open. "A-Are you sure this is safe, Mr. Cunningham?!"

"Sure, I'm sure! C'mon Katie! Let's do some stunt gliding!"

Katie grabbed her own airfoil. "Okay, grandpa!" She looked back at Eugene. "Watch me, Sweetie!"

"I'm not your sweetie!" Eugene shouted back.

The two of them each had their own trapeze rope to hang onto. With the airfoil glider under his feet, Kit started doing some ariel tricks. "Watch me, Gene!" He started doing flips and spins on his airfoil. Katie did the same but was more cautious with her tricks.

"Hey, Katie! Let's try the shoulder maneuver!"

"We haven't perfected that yet."

"It'll be fine!"

Katie was hesitant but agreed. "Well, okay grandpa. You're a grownup so you know what you're doing."

Kit did a flip in the air. He tucked his airfoil under his sweater with one paw and landed on top of Katie's shoulders with his feet. Katie balanced as best she could. Pamela and Eugene applauded inside. "Okay, cool!" Eugene shouted. "Can you come back in Mr. Cunningham? You're making me nervous!"

"One more thing," Kit replied. He then sat on Katie's shoulders with his legs tucked under her arms. He then let go of the rope. "Look! No paws!"

Katie didn't like it at all. "Stop it, grandpa! You're too heavy! Aunt Pam! Pull us in!"

Pamela strapped Eugene in and got on the crank. Mary helped as they pulled them in. However, the wind was pushing too hard on Kit. "Woah-Oh! Oh no!" He fell off the back of Katie and fell towards the ocean.

"Kit!" Pamela screamed. Eugene screamed and cried. Katie took action. "I got him!" She let go of the rope which made Eugene cry more, but Katie's glider was an upgrade. It had jets.

Cal quickly turned the plane around. "Kit and his stupid, mid-life crisis! He's gonna wind up killing my daughter!"

Kit was flailing in the air. He reached back into his sweater and pulled out his airfoil. "I can still glide down!" He flicked the airfoil and it only came out halfway. "Stupid, rusty croissant!" He flicked it one more time and it flew up and out of his paws. "Oh no!"

Katie dodged the airfoil as it flew up at her before it started to fall back down. "I got you, grandpa!"

Kit almost hit the ocean floor before Katie swooped in and grabbed him. "Gosh! You're heavy for a kid!"

Kit's airfoil hit the ocean and sank. It was gone for good.

The Sea Duck was flying low as Katie flew her glider in from the back. "Close the hatch Aunt Mary!"

"On it!" Mary shouted as she quickly turned the crank. Closing the hatch.

Kit tumbled off of Katie and sat on the floor only to look up and see two angry women, one angry bear, and one angry girl looking down at him. Eugene was in his seat, bawling his eyes out. "Ummm… Ta-Daah! Heh-heh…. I'm sorry."

"Sorry?!" Pamela growled. "SORRY?! You almost got you and Katie killed pulling that stupid stunt!"

"I wasn't ready for that!" Katie shouted.

"That was the dumbest thing you've ever done!" Mary yelled.

"You could've gotten my daughter killed!" Calhoun bellowed.

"Who's flying the plane?" Kit asked.

"... Oh crap. Right." Calhoun replied as he ran back into the cockpit and took control of the Sea Duck.

Pamela scolded Kit heavily. "Of all the stupid stunts I've seen you pull, that was the most ridiculous and unnecessary! Eugene just lost his father and almost lost another one in front of his own eyes! What were you thinking?!"

Kit covered his face in shame. "I don't know! I don't know! I just… He started crying. "I just wanted to impress Eugene. Now, I lost my airfoil for good."

Pamela picked up Kit and placed him in a seat. "Alright, you crying cub. Explain yourself. And go back to an adult. I'm not going to be married to a 12-year-old. I'm not a pedophile, y''know?!"

Kit grew back into his tall, 35-year-old self. He was still wiping tears. "I… SNIFF!! I wanted to impress him because I was jealous."

"Of what?!"

"Of you two! You bonded so well together in such a short time! He's calling you 'mom' now. I tell you I love you and you hate me for it!"

"I don't hate you for it, I… I was scared, Kit. Sacred of being loved. Because I didn't want the feeling of being unloved again like I was treated by my parents. I always felt like if I was giving fake love to someone in return for money and goods, then I was doing them a favor. But the truth is, as long as I knew I didn't fully love them, then letting go was easy. But then I found you and the bond you have with your family. Then, Eugene fell out of the boat and, even though I misheard it, he called me 'mom' and something just hit me. I had to do something to save him. It brought out the mother inside of me and now… damn his millions, I'd die for him."

Eugene looked over at Kit. "You scared me! I just lost my dad and… I almost lost you!"

Kit patted Eugene's head. "I didn't think you cared."

"Of course I do! I've only known you for a few days, but you've been very nice to me. I never had a mom before, but I just lost my dad and I'm not ready to call anyone else that for a long time, okay?"

Kit chuckled. "Okay. I understand. Pam… I have a question."

Pamela sighed. "I'm afraid I already know what it is."

"I love you. Do… Do you love me?"

Pamela smiled. "If you would have told me two days ago, I would have said no. But… when I saw you on that table, drowning in inches of water, I got genuinely scared. Am I in love with you?... I don't know. I know that you may have increased your lifespan now and I might never see any inheritance, but… I don't care about that anymore. I care about Eugene. I care about you. I also care about this child of yours I'm carrying that could end up splitting me open like a baby xenomorph."

Kit laughed. "That's actually a bit better than I was expecting. I'll take it!"

The two laughed and kissed each other on the lips. Katie was watching the whole scene and started looking at Eugene. Eugene saw her gaze and replied. "Don't even think about it."

A short time later…

The Sea Duck landed back in front of Karnage Karriers. The former home of Higher for Hire. Donna came out to greet them. She was sad and worried. "I yam so sorry, Mary! I may have cost us the company!"

Mary hugged her back. "You have nothing to be sorry for! He had no right to touch you like that! He thinks he can buy our company, but I may take his with a sexual assault lawsuit!"

"I did poke him in the nose with the pointy end of my cutlass."

"Only after he fondled you. That was self-defense! I already made an appointment for you and I to go to his offices right away! I'm bringing a lawyer with us. We'll settle this matter. Personally!"

"You do that," Kit replied. "I'm going out to the local airfield to shop for a new plane. Wanna come with me, Gene?"

Eugene shook his head. "Nah. I'm going with Katie to the junkyard to see if I can find some old flatscreen monitors and help modernize the Sea Duck."

Katie was excited. "It's our first date!"

"It's not a date! We're digging through trash!"

Cal interrupted. "I'll be taking them myself to make sure they don't get into trouble."

Pamela sighed. "I guess that leaves me with you, dear."

Kit was elated. "Great! You can help me decide our future 2nd home!"

"Lovely. I could be shopping for silver-lined evening gowns or jewel-laced dresses. Instead, I'll be looking for a 2-ton chunk of metal that spits in the face of God by defying gravity."