MISSION 7

Gone Kitten Pt. 2

Chance was inside the café, sitting at one of the tables with Winston watching him on the other side. The tabby had a hand on his face as he cursed himself for letting his anger out at Ethan. He sighed and let go of his face to see Winston waiting for him. The mix was angry with him originally but was now giving the tabby a gentle look, which Chance hated.

"I think I prefer your pissed-off face," Chance muttered, looking at the drink that Winston had ordered him, "And I would have liked some milk beer or liquor. What did you order for me?"

"Some tea to relax you," Winston chuckled, seeing the tom give him a scoff as he drank it. "Honestly, the two of you are odd pair of kats."

"Yep, we are, though I feel like the kit won't talk to me anymore after this. I royally messed that up."

"I don't think so. He'll be mad for sure, but he seems fond of you to let this petty squabble ruin it."

"What are you drinking? Probably drinking the heavy stuff to say stuff like that. Get real. The kit and I are like oil and water. We fight constantly and are always at each other throats. Though this time…I went too far," Chance said, sighing and looking at the ceiling, "I don't know a thing about him or how he was back in his home world. The kit only talks about things about his world and shuts off when I ask him personal things."

"Are you been fair to him?"

"WHAT?!"

Winston chuckled and sipped his coffee, "Do you tell him things about yourself? Personal things…like what happened to you and your partner years ago?"

"Hey, I warned the kit already about that, don't poke into that," Chance cautioned, returning to look at Winston angrily, "It's my business, not yours or that kit."

Winston smiled and waved at the tom to calm down, "I won't pry and sure don't want to end up like that wall. But that's what I'm talking about, you want him to tell you things, but you won't return the favor. How is that fair to Ethan?"

"I don't think….I don't know if I could tell him anything," Chance admitted, shaking his head, "I was just forced into playing his babysitter by my boss. I'm the last kat to care for a kit from another planet. Let's move on…."

"Alright. Should we head out and look for him?"

"Not necessary, I checked his location when he disappeared, and he hasn't left the area. I'll give him a bit before I chase his tail. Should we join your pop and start asking about this, Michael?"

"Nope. I was told to watch you and wait for the kit to return. So, we are on standby till said otherwise," Winston sighed, looking at his drink and wondering about things. He looked up to see Chance staring at him, "What?"

"You mentioned that your father despises your birth. A pretty cruel thing for a father to do to his son. However, why are you a detective and working under him?"

Winston winced but smiled, "I thought we weren't getting personal?"

"Only a question. Hey. I talked to you about the kit, so now it's my turn to ask. I don't need all the details…just the general idea."

"I guess it's fair. But let's make it interesting," Winston said, pausing for a bit before continuing, "A bastard mix, homelessness, and my pop's wife is a she-kat."

Chance was about to argue until he realized what Winston meant by that "An affair."

"Bingo."

"I see….sorry to ask."

"It's all good. Dad's wife happily took me in when they learned about my existence. She never could bear any kittens due to problems. She's a good she-kat, though. Let's say at home. There's hostility between the two….it's gotten better over the years," Winston said, pulling a flask from inside his coat. "Wanna share?"

Chance grinned and nodded, "Pour away, my friend."

"Say, can I ask you something?" Winston said while pouring some liquor into the tom's empty cup, "You didn't give me any disgusting looks or anything when you saw me. What gives? Usually, I get reactions from everyone I meet."

"I might have before…." Chance said, looking at the clear drink beneath him and his reflection. "Let's just say I had a run-in with a female cane before I was arrested."

"Oh….do you still keep in contact?"

"Are you going to tell me everything about you and your dad?"

"Probably another day. I'm all ears if you want to grab a drink someday. Of course, if you don't want to say anything, we can drink until we pass out and leave all that sappy stuff for another time," Winston chuckled, taking a swing at his flask. "Hope you can keep up! I'm a big drinker."

"You do remember I was one of the Swat Kats, right? Your department would kill you if they saw you drinking with me."

"They already hate my guts…so why not add more fuel to the fire!"


Inside a basement filled with everyday items and old furniture, Ethan sat bound to a chair and was still out. The only light coming from the window was chained with a lock. Two things stood out in the room. An odd-looking cabinet nearby was securely locked with small slots that could carry many flat items and with dates from the past. And finally, a statue of a kat morphing into something animal-like and more beast form.

A door opening could be heard, and someone approached, creaking the wooden floors as they went below. Michael appeared after turning down the L-shaped stairs and was carrying a bucket. The tom approached the boy, eyeing him and splashing some cold water, waking Ethan.

Ethan gasped, looking around and groaning as his vision was funny, lazily looking around till his eyes managed to look at Michael. He barely could maintain balance, and his head bobbed back and forth. He was confused till his eyes widened, and he tried moving but realized his arms were tied to the chair from behind.

"Shit…shit…" Ethan whispered, wincing at how tight the rope was behind him and looking around for a way to escape. He jolted when Michael lowered himself to be at eye level with him and creepily smiled.

"Finally….oh, you don't know how long I waited for this!" Michael said, standing up and walking a bit, scratching his neck. "A monster finally arrives! Oh, how exciting! Were you looking for me?"

Ethan blinked in confusion and stared blankly at the excited tom looking at him. "Sort of…."

"Yes….you probably sense me and were trying to find me," Michael said, patting the cabinet. "I've been waiting, feeding fear to this statue, sacrificing, and finally, the great Dorkodos responds to my call."

"Dorkodos?" Ethan raised an eyebrow, getting less scared and more uncomfortable with his situation. The kat was checking all the boxes of a psycho.

"Yes, your master of darkness, the creator of all monsters and wish maker. I apologize for attacking you earlier and hope you are not mad at me. Though I must admit, I was expecting someone a bit bigger," Micheal said, letting go of the cabinet and looking at Ethan with puzzlement.

Ethan felt miffed at the comment but decided to hold his tongue. This interaction was weird, but he thought of going along with this little charade and playing the part of Dorkodos's servant.

"It's alright. How about you let me go?" Ethan said, attempting to give a disappointed look to Michael. "How does that sound?"

Michael laughed, "Oh, you almost got me! Servants of Dorkodos are crafty buggers. I'm not like those other fakers. I know I haven't finished my final sacrifice yet…but soon I will. You being here means that I'm at my final steps!"

"You got me," Ethan grinned, cursing internally and hoping someone would come to save him. The boy's eyes widened, and he recalled a particular tracker on him. If Ethan did not piss the tom off and kept playing along, then all Ethan had to do was wait. He relaxed and focused on staying alive, trying hard not to freak out.

"Wait…what do you mean soon?"

Michael grinned at Ethan, looked around the room, and scowled when he could not see what he was looking for. He sighed, shaking his head, "Don't worry about it. You'll see soon enough. It's almost time, little kitten."

Ethan raised an eyebrow and watched Michael head upstairs, hearing the tom mess around with some keys before opening the door. The door slammed shut, and he was alone. When Michael was gone, Ethan shook in the chair and tried messing with the rope behind him. If only he had claws like these kats, then he might be able to cut himself free.

"Shit!" Ethan said when he leaned the chair too far and started to head towards the ground. A loud sound echoed in the room, and he winced, listening closely to if Michael would come back. It was pure silence, and the boy sighed in relief. "Great, now I'm stuck and lying on the cold floor. Just great."

Ethan groaned when he attempted to move, feeling the after-effects of whatever Michael sprayed on him. He felt a bit better, but his mind was drifting, and he felt the world was spinning. He closed his eyes and reopened them several times to focus around the room. Ethan drifted his head in a direction seeing some degree in the distance. He squinted but could barely make out what it said but managed to read it, and it said, "Megakat University Chemistry."

"Huh…guess that little psycho is smart. Though…" Ethan whispered, eyes drifting to the statue. "Has weird taste in kats to follow. Dorkodos? What a stupid name."

Ethan glanced to the side of the statue and noticed eyes staring at him. Ethan blinked as he tried to figure out if he saw things but noticed that the eyes were still there. He could barely make out who it was and squinted to see a young dirty, disheveled kitten with one broken lense on her glasses.

"Uh…hi?" Ethan said, making the kitten duck behind the statue, "Wait! Are you Mia?"

The kitten remained hidden, and Ethan again tried to move. "Shit. Hey, Mia, I'm not here to hurt you! Look, I need help getting this rope off me. Help me, and I can help you escape."

Nothing. Ethan winced and thought about something.

"Your parents sent me to find you. Pauline and Victor Koth. They are your parents, right? I'm with the Enforcers, and we've been trying to find you!"

"You said you were the monster that Michael was waiting for. So why should I believe you?" Mia shouted, still hiding from Ethan.

"I was only telling him what he wanted to hear. Look, it doesn't matter. You just need to help me so we can leave this shitty basement."

Nothing. Ethan groaned, putting his head against the cold floor.

"You can't trust me. I don't know you, and you don't know me. If I were in the same situation as you, I would not believe myself either. Just know this…your mom and dad are hurting right now. They just want you back home, and that's the truth. Mia, please. Mia?!"

There was silence for a moment, and it seemed Mia would remain in the shadows. Suddenly, the kitten slowly walked out from where she was hiding, walking and timidly heading towards the bound Ethan. She was hesitant and looked at the boy with mixed emotions until she went around and tried cutting the thick rope with her small claws.

Mia sobbed quietly, "I wanna go home. I want to see my parents!"


Back at the café, Chance looked at the time nearby and scowled. An hour had passed, and the kid had not returned. He wondered if the kid would stay in his little world for the rest of the day and pulled out his communicator. Clicking a few buttons, the screen showed a pointer and the distance the boy was at. The tabby expected the boy's dot to be within the hundred feet radius, but that was not the case, making his eyes widen.

"Crud, how did he go so far?" Chance growled, seeing that he was miles away from him. Judging from the distance, the boy was on the other side of town.

"Everything alright?" Winston asked, who was waiting for the tabby to update him about the boy's location.

"No…the little shrimp decided to have a sightseeing tour…oooo," Chance said, slamming a fist on the table, "I'm going to chew his ass out when I find him."

Chance abruptly moved towards the exit, and Winston followed right behind him. The tabby was furious again, and his tail swished angrily behind him. They both exited the area and started heading toward the school's parking lot, where Chance had left the Black Kat.

"Hey, as long as you chew him out, that's fine. Don't go smashing walls around him." Winston reminded, with a grin, as he watched the angry tabby.

"I'm not….just going to give him a good spank, that's all," Chance said, shaking his head, "What is the kit thinking going solo like that? He's on the other side of the town. Is there a playground or something?"

"Which direction?"

Chance pointed with his thumb toward the direction, making Winston raise an eyebrow. The mix felt strange in his gut, and he pulled out his radio.

"Huh…there's nothing over there. Maybe a few secluded houses away from this town. That's odd. Let me reach out to someone to check it out. It'll take a bit to get there, so why not have someone ensure the kit is alright? The Enforcers are asking about our suspect, so someone should be around the area. Hey, tower one, do you copy?"


An Enforcer vehicle followed a dirt road, and a car parked near another vehicle near Furly's house. Jones and Hills exited their Enforcer vehicle and went towards the front door. Jones was reading his notes and flipped the notebook close.

"Michael, number three. Michael Furly is a young biochemist working in one of Katalytic Laborities' minor divisions. Doubt that this kat has anything to do with this case, but orders are orders, question any Michaels in this town, right Hill?" Jones asked his partner, who was already approaching the house.

"At least we got this section to check. Imagine asking every Michael in the center of town? What a pain in the tail. But, better than babysitting the alien and that damn traitor," Hills reminded grimly. "That dirty mutt, honestly, our Captain should transfer him to another division in the Enforcer agency."

"I think Captain Softpaw wants to keep an eye on his kit. You heard how Winston went against orders from a sergeant but got lucky with his weird theories. Winston would have been kicked out a while ago if not for that," Jones said, recalling the incident and heading toward his friend.

"Yeah, I remember….say you find anyone for the Festival of Winter?" Hills asked, grinning and stopping at the door.

Jones scoffed and rang the doorbell, "Choke on a hairball. Stop rubbing on my wounds just because you managed to find a sweet she-kat."

"You just need more confidence! Every time we go to the bar, you are like a fish out of water. How will you find anybody if you stay in your corner?"

"I hope she dumps your ass. Then both of us won't have anybody."

Hills smiled and winked at his partner, "Not gonna happen."

The door slowly opened, and Michael poked out to greet the Enforcers. He smiled brightly, and he eyed the pair with a confused look. Unknown to the Enforcers, Michael had watched them pull up, freaking out but relaxing when he heard their conversation and stared at the door hole for a while.

"Well, if it isn't the Enforcers. How can I be of service to you, gentlekats?" Michael asked, scratching his ear and yawning. "Sorry, I just woke up."

"Sorry to disturb you. We just have a couple of questions, if you don't mind?" Jones said.

"Not at all," Michael said, signaling for the toms to enter his home, "Want a glass of milk? You must be thirsty after coming all the way here."

Jones was about to decline till his friend went in.

"Thanks, I actually would like a glass."

Michael nodded at Jones and looked at the other tom standing at the doorway, "You coming in?"

"Sure…"


Back with Ethan and Mia. Ethan waited patiently as Mia kept scratching his ropes, it was slow, and he wondered if Mia would cut it in time. Mia kept at it and quickened her pace, wanting to escape the situation. Suddenly, footsteps could be heard above and made Ethan move a bit.

"There's someone else here! HEY, CAN ANYBODY HEAR ME? WE'RE TRAPPED HERE!" Ethan shouted, but Mia softly tapped his head. "Huh? What's up?"

"They can't hear us. I tried screaming when somebody visited Michael, but nobody could hear me," Mia revealed, shaking her head and continuing her task.

Ethan's eyes widened, and he scanned the room, seeing thick ceilings and walls. He looked at the stairs and looked back at Mia.

"What about going upstairs and knocking like a maniac till someone comes?"

Mia shook her head, "No, I tried that too. I think… remember seeing two doors leading to the basement…maybe the first door is blocked by a bookshelf, so no one knows about the basement besides Michael."

"Great….just great," Ethan grumbled, stopping as he saw Mia shaking and halting from the ropes. He looked away and looked back, "So you read books, right?"

"Huh?"

"Your pretty smart to be able to read books like that. I can't really keep my attention on them. All those fancy words and metaphors….I'm just retarded when it comes to books…that's why I like comics," Ethan joked, laughing a bit.

Mia tilted her head and frowned, "You shouldn't call yourself that. My mom tells me that's a horrible thing to say. Maybe you just need someone to read it to you. My mom works with kits and says some need more help than others."

Mia started again on Ethan's ropes.

"I guess. My central language teacher wants to strangle me. So do my other teachers, except for a few, but the worst is this big tabby…." Ethan trailed off when Chance came to mind. He frowned and put his head down.

"Is he mean?" Mia asked, curious when she saw Ethan's frown.

"Yeah, we just fought a while ago. I thought he was cool…but he's just like the other adults. Always backstabbing you when you need them. Well….that's not fair….some are okay," Ethan corrected, thinking mainly about Zoe and Evelyn. "I shouldn't be surprised with that tabby. I just thought…."

"I fought with my parents when coming here to this town. Is it like that?"

Ethan shook his head and looked at the kitten with soft eyes, "No… it's not like that. I mean, technically, he's my guardian…but it's not like he was given a choice. I'm just…a bother to him."

"He's never been nice to you?"

"NO….wait…yes. Sometimes. What's your point?"

"I think he's just mad for now. Maybe he feels bad for yelling at you. You should talk to him when you see him next time and tell him how you feel."

Ethan raised an eyebrow wanting to argue with Mia but felt conflicted and put his head down.

Ethan felt his hands loosen from the rope's grip and slowly moved them, having enough room to get out. Ethan smiled, rubbing his hands and standing up. However, as soon as he stood up, he felt worse than before, and his mind drifted.

"Shit...what the hell is wrong with me," Ethan moaned, grabbing the furniture nearby and trying to maintain balance.

"Ethan, you okay?" Mia asked, staring at her wobbly savior leaning against the furniture.

"I feel terrible…the world seems like it's spinning and…I can't think straight," Ethan explained, breathing in and out. "What did that fucker spray me with?"

Mia's ears folded, "Oh no, he sprayed you with that bottle. I felt terrible when I woke up and didn't get better till later."

Ethan shook his head and raised his hands towards the window, "SHADOW GATEWAY!"

Nothing happened, and Ethan looked at his hands in confusion.

"Shit! I can't…I feel-" Ethan's eyes widened, and he felt like he would throw up. He leaned one way, but nothing came out as he desperately wanted to puke. He shivered and looked around for a way to escape.

The multiple stairs looked like a challenge to him, and even if he managed to get up to the door, he doubted he could get there fast enough and recover. Additionally, it was the uncertainty of who was with Michael and whether it could be an accomplice. He groaned and looked around until he spotted a toolbox. His eyes darted toward the locked window, seeing a simple lock and the nearby furniture. He wanted to take a step forward but felt he would need a moment before moving.

"Mia…help me get over there," Ethan ordered, "We are going to bust out of here in a bit."


Above, Jones was sitting with Michael as his partner leaned against the wall, drinking the milk Michael gave him. They were in the living room, which had a nice outside view. A mirror wall, with a view of the long patch of green grass before leading to the thicker part of the forest.

Jones had just finished his last question, and Michael had answered them without much hesitance. It regarded the missing kit, and Jones claimed they were asking anyone to help their investigation further. In truth, the questions were crafted to see if kats were ever near the café, hoping to catch someone. It might have worked if Michael had not stopped by the abduction scene today. He feigned ignorance, explaining he didn't realize there was a café in that area.

"It's alright," Jones sighed, "It's a very hole-in-the-wall café. Not many kats are seen there or go there. So you never been around that area?"

"Unfortunately, my job is a bit of a drive away from this town. I mostly spend my off days here," Michael explained while using his hand to show his home. "I wish I could help more. But I'm honestly the worst kat to ask."

"Sorry again for wasting your time, we-"

"Detectives 80-A, do you copy?" Hill's radio went off.

"Hey now, maybe there's a new development," Hill said, pulling his radio and bringing it close to his face, "Detectives 80-A here, go ahead."

"We need you to check out a location for a possible 10-65. Subject A. The last known address will be sent to your pagers."

Hill and Jones's ears perked when they heard the subject. A missing alien. Both rolled their eyes as they quickly knew who dispatch meant, and Jones promptly pulled out his pager and saw the text. Jones stopped when he noticed the familiar address in his phone as they were already here.

"Everything alright?" Michael asked.

Jones looked at Michael, getting a new vibe from the kat. He smiled at the tom and stood up, walking towards the side of the table. "It seems a little rascal has been messing around this area. You don't mind if we look around?"

Michael's smile dropped, sensing something was off, and he eyed both pairs with cold eyes.

Before any further actions could be taken, Hill's eyes widened as he stared outside. Michael followed the tom's eyes. Jones followed suit, all-seeing Ethan without a mask and Mia heading toward the green patch. Ethan wobbled towards the opening, glancing towards the mirror wall to see all the adults looking at them. Ethan's eyes locked with Jones, giving the kat a frightful stare.

Jones was surprised to see both kids, processing what he was seeing until he realized that Ethan had Mia with him. It clicked, and he was about to pull his weapon till Michael sprayed him with his bottle. Jones's eyes widened, and he growled at the surprise attack, backing away and already feeling the effects. Jones coughed, flipping the table out of the way, and tried fighting Michael but stumbled to the ground.

Hill saw his friend getting knocked out, growling and lunging at Michael angrily. He expected to overcome the kat easily, but Michael easily dodged him and landed a kick to his side. Hill groaned as it landed hard like steel and attempted to grab Michael's leg, only for Michael to spin his whole body around and kick Hill's face. Hill's body went towards the glass mirror and broke it, making him land outside.

Michael waits no time and approaches Hill with a kick to the face as Hill attempts to stand. Hill is swiftly knocked out, and Michael turns his attention to the children. Michael gives a confused look to Ethan and glances at the kitten at his side. Michael growls and starts moving towards them until he feels two paws grab his legs. Michael lets out a surprised yell and harshly lands on the ground. Michael hissed and turned to see Jones barely conscious and holding on to him.

"What are you doing, you stupid kit?!" Jones growled, "Get out of here befo-"

"Shit!" Ethan yelled out, seeing Micheal break free from one of his legs and swiftly kick Jones in the face. Ethan turned and grabbed Mia's hand, running towards the forest. He felt sluggish still and was struggling to keep a straight line. However, fear was keeping him from stopping.


Ethan and Mia hid behind a big tree in the forest, panting and tired after running. Ethan was worse for wear and slapped his face to focus. He cursed himself and listened for anyone coming near them. Ethan's arms shook. Reaching for his box with one card but struggled to grab it. He stared at his hands and created a fist.

"Shit," Ethan muttered, flinching when he thought he heard something. He felt a tug on his shirt and looked to see Mia shaking and almost ready to cry. "Shhh…don't cry, Mia. Or he might find us."

"I know…but I'm scared," Mia said, tightly grabbing the boy's shirt and muffling her sobs.

Ethan watched the poor kitten more closely. Mia looked completely tired, with messy clothes and fur, and most of all, she had been with the psycho for such a period. He felt unsure of what he could say and wondered what his guardian would do. Ethan grew agitated thinking about it and could only remember Chance's forehead flicks. Ethan asked himself what heroes from Chance's comics would do in this situation.

Mia needed a hero.

"Umm…Mia?" Ethan said, still thinking about what to say.

Mia looked at Ethan with tearful eyes.

"Yes? OW!" Mia whimpered, feeling the boy's flick to her forehead. "Why did you do that for?"

"Because I need you to focus," Ethan said, weakly standing up and looking at the sky above. He finalized what he had to say and took a deep breath. He turned his attention back to Mia and pointed at himself with a grin, "I'm a hero, and it's my job to protect this city's kittens. I promised your mom I'd bring you back home safe, and that's what I will do. So stop crying and listen to what I have to say."

Mia looked at him weirdly but smiled and nodded her head. Ethan explained what he would do and handed her a card.


Chance and Winston had made it to Furly's residents, parking swiftly as they followed Ethan's tracker. Both adults exited the car and headed to the other side, noticing the broken mirror wall. They spotted two kats on the floor, and they hurriedly approached them. Winston gently picked up Jones and inspected the injured kat.

"Detective Jones, hey, are you still breathing?" Winston said, relaxing when noticing the bloody tom was breathing with his rising chest. Michael had brutally pounded his face with his fist to shake Jones off. Winston sighed in relief and looked more around the area. "What happened here?"

"This one is waking up," Chance said, already kneeling and holding Hills in one hand. "Hey, did you see Ethan here?"

Hills groaned, getting assisted by Chance to get back on his feet, "Yeah….he was….CRUD! The kit has found Mia, but her kidnapper is chasing them. We have to move!"

Chance and Winston's eyes widened, and they stared in the direction leading to the forest. Chance bolts towards the opening and wastes no time waiting. Winston was about to follow when he noticed Hill's poor condition.

"Detective Hills, stay with your partner and call for backup. I'll keep you updated with my radio," Winston said, ignoring the kat's objections and sprinting to catch up with Chance.

Hills growled but winced, holding his stomach in pain and flinching at his headache. He watched the duo disappear to the forest. He cursed under his breath, but his eyes softened and went to his partner.


Ethan walked alone into a small open field surrounded by trees and a small pond. He eyed every direction for Michael. Ethan was getting a bit better but still unable to use his magic. The sound of a crunch alerted the boy, who turned to look behind to see his pursuer. Ethan flinched and slowly backed up as Michael approached him with fury.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Michael roared, fur standing up and eyeing the human with a deadly stare. "Why did you help her escape?"

"Well…you know, I just love causing problems," Ethan joked, looking around for an escape route. There were just trees and more trees, so it would be a sprint to evade Michael, and that kat looked too fit to win in a foot race. He looked at Michael, who looked disappointed and confused about what was occurring.

"I can't finish the final sacrifice without the kitten. Is this a test or something? I've been so alone in this world for so long…finally finding a monster like me," Michael said, putting a hand on his face and lurching his head back to the sky, "You are supposed to be mine! Someone that can understand me!"

Ethan flinched at Michael's strange behavior and took a few steps back. The tom was still having his little scene and distracted as Michael was muttering nonsense to himself. Ethan kept backing away, looking back to see he was closing into the forest and needed a few more steps.

CRUNCH!

Ethan looked down to see that he had stepped on a branch. His heart stopped, eyes slowly returning to his pursuer, crying and looking at Ethan blankly. Ethan's warning signs were blaring. He quickly spun around and attempted to get into the forest. However, the boy felt someone catching up and pinning him to the grass beneath. It was sudden, feeling his left hand being grabbed and pulled back with a foot firmly keeping him on the floor.

"I know! I finally figured it out!" Michael laughed maniacally, twisting Ethan's arm and causing the boy below to yell. "You are not mine yet! I still haven't completed my final sacrifice! Yes, that's right! Once that's done, you will be mine forever!"

"Get off me, you crazy motherfuck-" Ethan stopped and winced when feeling the kat above him twisting his arm. "I'm not going to do shit with you! Let me go!"

"Just tell me where the kitten is! I don't want to hurt my new friend, but if you are going to make this difficult, I don't mind breaking a few bones," Michael cackled, putting more twist in the arm and Ethan yelling in pain. "Come on now…."

Ethan whimpered, flailing his head as he felt more pressure in his hand. He desperately tried to summon a portal or anything to escape this situation but could not focus. The pain was too great, the focus shifting from the pain to the lingering drugs from Michael's bottle. He was effectively trapped and defeated by this psychotic kat.

"Final warning….tell me where she is my friend or…." Michael warned, getting closer, "I'll dislocate this shoulder."

Ethan's eyes widened, and he gripped the dirt with his free hand. A small portion of him wanted the pain to stop, but his conscious told him to stay quiet. Mia had enough to deal with today, and her parents are waiting for her to return home. Internally, the boy thought a broken shoulder would not be a big deal since he had already experienced a fractured arm in his home world. Ethan laughed, turning his head to look at Michael.

"Go fuck yourself!"

Michael had no expression and tilted his head, swiftly popping the boy's shoulder quickly. It was a scream of pain from the person beneath him as Ethan flailed around and desperately tried to move, making the experience worse for him. Michael sighed and ignored the screams as he let go of the arm and went for the other one.

"Let's try this again….where is she?" Michael calmly said, already twisting the arm and preparing for another one.

Ethan could barely listen as the pain distracted him, and he wanted to grab his dislocated shoulder. He gritted his teeth, and tears were already coming as he desperately wanted to fix his shoulder. He angrily looked at Michael, wanting to inflict the same pain he was dealt.

"I'm…..going….to kill you," Ethan panted, feeling the adrenaline pumping in his system.

"Oh! That's a good look!" Michael said, "That's what I'm talking about. That's my friend…though I would prefer you didn't say that to me. Look, sorry about the shoulder. I'll pop it back in place when you tell me where Mia is at."

Ethan gave a glare at Michael.

"No? Oh well…" Michael said, preparing to dislocate Ethan's other shoulder.

"ACTIVATE!" a small voice called out.

Michael had no time to react, barely looking to see Mia behind him and pointing a card at him. Then, a raging flame was released, burning the kat before her and causing him to scream. Michael had let go, moving away from the children as he desperately tried to fan out the flame behind him. The fire spread to the area where Mia pointed, and the trees started burning. Thankfully, Ethan was not hit from his position, and Michael took the full brunt of the fire spell.

Ethan wasted no time standing up and grabbing Mia's hand to run wherever possible. His heart was beating fast, and he was too focused on escaping to care about his dislocated shoulder.

"I thought I told you to stay hidden!" Ethan yelled, ignoring the scream behind him and the splash.


The fire in the forest was spreading, and emergency helicopters were already on the scene. It was swift, and everyone in the secluded area was warned and evacuated quickly as the fire picked up. The Enforcers and firefighters were already making headway on preventing the fire from coming to the town. It was a fiery flame that was spreading toward the mountains.

Chance and Winston were far away when they saw the fire starting, alarmed and wondering if a certain boy was responsible. The adults cursed but were thankful when they saw Ethan's tracker moving to a rocky area opposite the direction of the fire.

"Winston, let's pick up the pace!" Chance growled, eyeing the fire in the distance, "This situation is turning from bad to worst every second!"

"I hope those kits are alright! Keep your eyes peeled for any adult near them!" Winston chimed in, keeping up with the tabby as they ran toward the rocky area.


Entering the rocky area, Ethan and Mia kept climbing up toward the top, with Mia leading as she kept an eye on Ethan, who struggled with one arm. The adrenaline kept Ethan from screaming out loud and his eyes darting around in case Michael showed up. Ethan stopped to notice the spreading fire and glanced back to Mia when she called out to him.

Ethan followed the kitten, reaching a large flat area above the rocks. Mia kept close to the boy, who started to scan the surroundings and wondered what he should do. A part of him wanted to relax, hoping the fire killed Michael, but another part was alerting him to stay alert. He listened closely for any incoming whispers and continued to pace around.

"ETHAN!" a voice rang out, making the boy jump and look down in a specific direction. He felt relieved when he noticed two familiar adults heading their way, climbing quickly to their location.

Chance felt reassured seeing Ethan but noticed that the boy looked injured, especially his left hand. He cursed under his breath and quickened, wanting to inspect the boy and ensure he was alright.

Both adults climbed faster, showing their capability and ease in maneuvering the rocky landscape. It would be only a few moments before they would reach the kid, who slumped down and was ready to be done with this mission.

"Is Mia with you?" Winston called out, attempting to see if the kit was near the boy.

"Yeah, she is! Mia is going to be-"

Ethan stopped when he saw Mia and a badly burned Michael approaching her from behind. Ethan stumbled back to his feet and tried getting to the kit first, waving futilely for the kit to move. Mia had no time to react when she felt someone pull her from behind, only letting a small yell and desperately trying to fight off her captor.

"Don't move," Michael snarled, pulling his knife out of his pocket and pointing at Mia's throat. "I said don't move!"

Ethan stopped, "Let her go, you monster!"

Michael cackled as if it were a compliment. His back and the left of his face were burned badly. A mix of third-degree burns and second covered his body. His handsome appearance was replaced with lost fur and damage. "Well, I look more like a monster now. Thanks to this little bitch!"

Winston and Chance jumped into view from behind Ethan, seeing the situation and drawing their weapons. Michael cursed, raising Mia to block them from attacking and closing his knife into her neck, drawing blood. The adults that showed up eyes widened, and they put their weapons down. Michael laughed but cursed how things developed today, wondering what his next move should be.

"How did things turn out like this…." Michael muttered, looking at the fire nearby. He frowned and looked at Ethan with disappointment. "Are you not with Dorkodos?"

Ethan was about to say anything to save Mia but halted when he saw Michael's stare, waiting for him to lie. Ethan shook his head and attempted to move close to Mia.

"DON'T FUCKING MOVE!" Michael warned, stepping back with Mia. "You lied to me….you lied to me…lied!"

Ethan winced, seeing Michael emotionally distressed and gripping the whimpering kitten tighter. His heart was beating fast, and he tried to think of a way to save Mia from the crazy lunatic. Ethan whispered his portal, feeling a faint and barely visible hole in his hand. He looked at the pathetic magic that could not do anything significant. He cursed under his breath and returned to the two before him.

"I waited for so long….I killed so many….yet Dorkodos hasn't answered my call? Why…why….WHY!?" Michael yelled, eyes darting around like a madman.

Chance let a slight rumble in his throat, changing his attention from the killer to the boy. Seeing Ethan's injuries up close, he could tell that the boy's shoulder was injured, and the perpetrator was right before him. He could not do anything for the moment but think about what he could do to stop Michael.

Winston was also thinking about what he could do, "Tail Nabber, it's over. Let the kit go and surrender."

"Tail Nabber? Oh, right…that's the name the media gave me. Give up, you say? Not happening, in any case. It looks like I'm not getting out here without handcuffs….I refuse to rot in prison," Michael growled, shifting back and looking for a possible escape route. He winced, feeling the injuries taking hold of him and knowing he would pass out if he climbed down.

"Ethan, please save me!" Mia cried out, whimpering and crying, feeling the cold knife on her neck.

"Don't worry, I'll save you in a bit," Ethan said, taking a step forward.

"Don't take another step, or I'll end her here and now!" Michael spat, eyeing the boy that caused all of this. He wanted to kill Ethan and hurt him as he did to him. Michael's eyes widened, a creepy smile appeared, and a dastardly thought occurred.

"Tell you what. You Enforcer trash can save this kitten if you shoot this thing. I'll let her go if you kill him," Michael said, eyeing the adults behind Ethan.

Ethan froze, looking at Chance and Winston, alarmed at the request and changing their attention to both kids. Chance shook his head at the boy, trying to explain that's not an option and to give him more time to devise a plan. Winston was the same, shaking his head and looking harshly at Michael.

"You crazy kat….there's no way we will sacrifice anyone. Even if you were telling the truth!" Winston barked at Michael, gripping his gun tightly and shaking at the idea.

"That is true. You can't trust me. But I have the upper hand in this situation. I'll give you ten seconds to decide. Ten…..Nine….Eight."

Everyone trying to stop the killer got tense when the countdown started. Chance and Winston growled and kept thinking about what to do. Ethan's mouth was quivering, and he looked on in despair, watching Mia crying and trying to reach for him.

Internally, Ethan's fear piled on him, and he felt like he would drop to his knees in seconds. He bit his lip, feeling tears coming to him as he watched the scene play out and looked at Mia's face. He imagined her parents mourning the loss of their kit and how he was a step short of saving her. He turned to look at Michael with a glare when the killer laughed mid-counting, enjoying the despair he was inflicting on them. Ethan seeing Michael's face infuriated the boy. His focus was on him as if he was trying to shoot lasers into the kat's skull.

Voices inside his head started to whisper his anger. He felt the boiling heat of his rage overcoming him, and he wanted to make the one responsible pay. How would he go about it with his weakened connection with magic? He could barely form a small portal. But if he did not do anything, then Mia would die. He beat himself internally, wishing he had listened to Dante and had more control over his powers.

"Dante?" Ethan muttered eyes inverting as a crazy idea came to his mind. His fear and anger dissipated as he breathed in and exhaled. He looked back at Michael with utter disgust and a frown as he was in his final numbers.

"3…2….and-"

"Alright, let's do it," Ethan announced, hands up and pretending to give up. He smiled at Michael, who froze in confusion, almost ready to plunge the knife into Mia's neck. "You win, so let's get this over with. You don't mind who shoots me, right?"

Michael, Chance, and Winston were all alarmed as the boy casually walked away from them and turned to face his allies. Ethan positioned himself at an angle that would hide his face from Michael. The boy raised his working hand and put it near his heart as if using it to catch something.

"Let's make this enjoyable….hit my hand while doing it. I would rather die in a fun way than just a bullet to the head!" Ethan laughed, looking at his guardian, who seemed worried the boy cracked. "Out of both of you….who has the better aim?"

"Ethan, don't," Chance said, worried and wondering what was happening to Ethan.

Ethan waved his hand at Chance, returning it to the heart, "I'm a waste of space…remember. Hey, at least you'll get rid of me…right? All of you will be happy….well, maybe not Grim. Just tell her….that she is one awesome doc, okay? Got any cool gadgets in that arm of yours…maybe…something that can cut a hand?"

Chance was about to tell the kit to knock it off when he noticed the boy's eyes inverting, showing that he was planning something and needed him to believe. The tabby gripped his hands as he stared at the foolish boy, sweating at the thought of it going sideways. He debated it for a second and raised his glovatrix at the boy.

"Yeah…I got something. Hope you are ready for it!" Chance said, aiming toward the kid's hand.

Winston was befuddled by the whole scene, "T-Bone don't! We will find another way!"

"Damn! Your crazy!" Michael yelled, excited at seeing the bloodbath, "Come on! Let's see it! Kill him, or the kit gets it!"

"ETHAN!" Mia yelled out, confused as she watched her rescuer. She watched helplessly as Ethan refused to look at her.

Ethan braced himself and nodded for Chance to fire. Honestly, it was a stupid idea, and it could kill him. However, Ethan felt relaxed and focused solely on what was coming, chanting under his breath as a small portal formed. Chance fired a mini-missile that changed to a mini buzzsaw as it approached the boy. Time slowed down, and it was within feet of the boy. The boy imagined drawing the last of his energy and a bit of blood to summon the portal.

As soon as the mini-missile hit Ethan, everyone's eyes widened as the boy appeared to be struck. Blood seems to squirt out of Ethan.

Suddenly, Michael let out an awful scream, getting Chance and Winston to snap back at the killer to see that his arm that was holding the knife was getting ripped by a small portal that appeared behind it. The boy had barely opened another portal in time and partially allowed enough of the buzzsaw to start cutting Michael's hand. Michael's hand was swiftly cut off, and the hand dropped to the floor. Chance returned to the boy to see that the blood was not his but squirting from the portal connecting to the other side. Ethan gave a pleading look to his guardian.

"Both of you guys, duck!" Ethan shouted, gasping and releasing the portal, flinging the buzzsaw back at them with force.

Chance grabbed Winston, pushing them down as the missile went by them. Winston was surprised but soon aimed his weapon at Michael when he let go of Mia. Michael was enraged and attempted to grab Mia again. Winston fired a laser shot that landed on Michael's shoulder, pushing the kat back, finally collapsing from the injuries.

This whole incident lasted a few minutes and went in favor of the heroes.

Ethan weakly smiled at the victory but felt the effects and started to collapse back, seeing his guardian running to him as he blacked out.


Ethan awoke lying on something soft. He groaned and attempted to touch his feverish head but winced, feeling his dislocated shoulder and something preventing him from moving it. He then realized he was sitting upright, and his head was leaning on someone. Additionally, there was a bunch of noise all around him, and his eyes were slowly getting less foggy to see Enforcers and paramedics around him treating civilians. He was sitting on a bench, and they were in one of the camping areas.

Ethan whimpered at the pain and felt a hand gently push him close to console him. He tiredly looked at what he was leaning at and noticed Chance was holding him, securing him, so he did not fall. Ethan was momentarily confused before remembering their fight earlier in the day. The boy's eyes hardened and pushed away from the tabby.

"Asshole," Ethan muttered, flinching when he felt his shoulder killing him. He looked to see that it's been put in a sling to prevent him from moving it.

Chance was alarmed by the push but noticed the boy was refusing to look at him. He sighed and scratched his neck, wondering if he should say something. He looked around the area and watched as Enforcers were helping other civilians that were affected by the fire. Familiar faces were around, such as Hills and Jones, who were covered in bandages and watching a barely conscious detained killer. Captain Softpaw and Feral were nearby, with the latter showing up when things got too hectic and wanting to know precisely what happened. He looked to see Winston near another bench, keeping Mia safe and watching over her until her parents came.

It was a mission for Winston and Chance to bring Ethan, Mia, and Micheal to this rendezvous set up by the Enforcers. Winston kept communicating with the detectives and followed their guidance to arrive here, avoiding the almost secured fire. Keeping the killer alive with a first aid kit and whatever they could use to stop the bleeding. They eagerly handed the Tail Nabber to the Enforcers, who returned to find the horrific remains of the victims' tails at the house inside that odd closet.

Chance shook his head at how lousy today had been and returned to look at the barely awake Ethan. He debated for a bit before gently placing a hand on the kid's shoulder, who gave him an annoyed look.

"What do you want, old man?" Ethan snapped.

Chance swallowed his saliva, internally wishing to avoid unnecessary drama but needed to talk to the boy. He pinched his nose and attempted to say anything but only grumbled his frustration. He looked around, seeing Enforcers eyeing them with hostility as they passed him.

"Walk with me," Chance said, standing up and heading away from the kats around them.

Ethan scoffed, rolling his eyes and sluggishly standing up. He slowly walked towards Chance, following the tabby a distance away from the others and stopping when they were an earshot away from anyone. Ethan saw his guardian looking at the deep forest and refusing to look at him.

"I'm sorry," Chance whispered, barely audible to Ethan.

Ethan raised an eyebrow and stumbled when he heard it, "Sorry…what?"

"I said…" Chance grumbled, slowly turning to face Ethan. "I'm sorry."

Ethan blinked, eyes looking up and wondering if he heard right. He was expecting Chance to shout at him about what he had said before and not this. The boy felt odd as neither have truly apologized to the other when going at it. This interaction was foreign to the boy, who did not know how to respond.

"Huh….this is kind of weird?" Ethan admitted, looking away, unsure and wondering if he should say something back.

"Yeah….tell me about it."

"I'll….accept your apology….but I'm still mad."

"That's fair."

"All I wanted to do was help, you know? Maybe, I shouldn't have promised things, but did you have to yell at me? You're such an asshole. I know…..I know you don't want me around or do most of the team. I just…."

Chance sighed, looking at the boy briefly before looking back to the distance, "Look, let's….I don't know."

Ethan looked back at his guardian, who looked at the distant activity, trying hard to ignore this situation. The boy felt a lump in his throat and tried to say something.

"I'm….also sorry," Ethan stuttered, getting the tabby to look back at him with confusion. "About you and Jake…I shouldn't have said what I said. So…sorry."

Chance blinked in confusion, expecting to be the one apologizing and not the other way around.

"No…it's okay, kit. I started this mess with that comment about your parents. You are right….I don't know you or what you dealt with on your home planet," Chance said, getting close to the kid and putting a hand on his head. "Look…we said something we shouldn't have said….let's go back to square one. How does that sound?"

Ethan gave a weak smile at Chance, nodding but feeling dejected that they would move on as if nothing had happened. He feared that this might happen again, leading to another ugly fight, and sighed, looking at the floor below and wondering about things.

Chance sensed the boy's worry but could not face it head-on. The tabby's eyes went towards a particular direction and saw Winston again, recalling their conversation. He felt something in his gut that hit like a brick and asked himself what to do. Chance closed his eyes and slowly accepted his situation. The kid was bound to figure things out, so he wanted to be the kat to say it before anyone could spin their versions. With a heavy sigh, he kneeled and was now eye level with the boy, putting one paw firmly on Ethan's good shoulder.

There was a pause, with Ethan just staring at Chance with confusion as he waited for the tabby to say something. The tabby gave eyes darted away and then back to the boy.

"Jake and I….we were best friends…. but after we were kicked out of the Enforcers and handed a bill that would take our nine lives to pay….we lost ourselves and became the Swat Kats. We first did it to get back at the Enforcers and cause as much chaos to hurt them as they did to us…." Chance trailed off, gripping the boy's shoulder slightly tighter and feeling his anger taking over. He felt annoyed as he wanted to give a quick and straightforward explanation, but the thought of it would do him no favors. Each word felt painful, and it was hard to formulate his words.

Ethan was stunned, seeing how exposed Chance was being with his past. However, he whimpers when he feels Chance's paw tighten, making his guardian ease up and look apologetically at the boy.

"We….we….shit….um….never meant to hurt anyone. Luckily, we never went that far, but….then Dark Kat came. He gave us that last push…..we were so close….. to bombing Enforcer HQ and taking the lives of everyone in that building. But then…I…..we saw….a different version of..." Chance's ears flattened. He felt like someone was holding him at gunpoint and to accept that they made the wrong decisions, unlike his counterpart. The grim reminder that he could have had a different life and still have a best friend. He could no longer look at the boy and felt shame, tilting his head down and closing his eyes.

Ethan felt his whole body shake in fear and worry, hating seeing this big kat looking defenseless and fragile. He did not know what to say, and Chance seemed to struggle to continue. Ethan did not care about what happened today and just wanted Chance to stop killing himself over his past. Without hesitance, Ethan wrapped his arm around Chance's neck and put his head close to his on his shoulder, hoping to ease the tabby's trouble.

Chance was alarmed by the hug, feeling his emotions mixing between anger and sadness. Showing weakness was something he hated doing. However, he felt happy that someone did not look at him like trash or a villain. He heaved and tenderly hugged the kid back, letting the kid feel the weight of his struggles.

After a moment, both let go, and Chance slowly stood up, feeling embarrassed that he had just let someone see him in this state. Ethan blinked but understood what Chance was feeling and touched his neckerchief.

Chance started to move back to where the bench was, "Let's head back. We still need to report everything to sourpuss over there."

Ethan tugged Chance's hand back, making Chance eye him in confusion.

"You asked me…." Ethan said, pausing before shaking his head at himself. "Why do I wear this? It's from someone that cared for me a while back…..her name was Zoe Castillo. She wasn't my mom, but….she was my closest thing to one. She taught me things to survive….me a runway from home. Two years I spent with her…..she….she….."

Chance felt Ethan's grip tighten around his hand, sensing the kid's sadness and understanding what he meant. He places a hand gently on the boy's head and guides them back to the area, "It's alright. You don't have to continue. But….if you want to talk about it, I'll listen. Of course, I'll answer any questions you have about me. However, let's take it one step at a time…okay?"

Ethan nodded, sniffing and looking at Chance with a weak smile. Chance smiled back, giving Ethan a light pat as he led them to the bench.

The pair sat back at the bench and waited for what came next.

Chance gave Ethan a quick explanation of what had occurred, informing him that they were told to stay here until Ethan woke up so he could provide his accounts of what had happened. Ethan groaned, knowing who would ask him when he saw Feral eyeing him with a sharp look. Feral dismissed Captain Softpaw for the moment, who nodded and briefly stopped by to talk to Winston. Feral made his way toward the Strays with his trademark scowl.

"I expected you to cause trouble, but this…." Feral sharply said, pointing at the distant fire, "Acres of forest burnt to the ground, a million dollars in damages to homes, and-"

"Hey, back off, Feral," Chance snarled, standing up promptly, shielding the boy, and challenging the older tom. "If this kit didn't do it, Mia would have been dead, and Tail Nabber would still have been freed and about."

Feral eyed Chance with contempt, pointing his swagger stick at his former pilot's head. "I don't need any lip from you. If I had it my way, both of you Swat Kats would still be in jail, rotting as you deserve. It seems that the kit is getting influenced by your reckless endeavors."

"You want to repeat that again?" Chance growled, his anger overtaking him and desperately wanting to swing at Feral. His fist clenched when his former commander approached them, getting more agitated by the second.

"Cool it, T-Bone," Ethan quickly said, tugging his guardian's hand. He sighed in relief when Chance looked toward him. "It's okay….um….he's right…..I set off the fire. I didn't mean to-"

Ethan winced, feeling a sharp pain in his shoulder and grabbing it. He shook and let out a tiny, shaky breath. The adrenaline was gone already since he woke up, and it was slowly picking up.

Chance quickly knelt and touched the boy's back, "Easy, kit. Don't push it. Come sit down over here. Take this."

Chance handed Ethan the nearby pain medication and water bottle that was given to him by the medical personnel. He clicked his tongue when remembering how they would ignore him until Winston threatened them to help the alien. Speaking off, Chance looked in Winston's direction and noticed they were approaching his group.

Feral stayed quiet, raising an eyebrow at the tabby's action and care for the boy. He would have continued with his chastising but held it when re-examing the boy, covered in scratch marks and an injured shoulder. He gripped his swagger stick and shook his head, deciding to talk to June when this was over.

"Ethan!" Mia shouted, running towards the group, and Winston casually followed her from behind.

Ethan finished swallowing the pill and water, forcibly smiling as Mia approached him, and was glad Feral was blocking her view of Ethan. He refused to let the kitten see him like this and wanted not to shock her. He wanted to sob and shake, but unconsciously he remembered he was the hero and heroes do not cry, just like in Chance's comics.

"Hey! How's my favorite kit?" Ethan laughed, waving at the kit and pretending to be okay. He flinched when Mia went for a hug and nearly made the boy cry out in pain. He shivered and bit the inside of his cheek.

"You were so amazing!" Mia beamed with excitement, looking at the boy with wonder. "How did you summon that circle? How did you stop the missile from hurting you?"

Ethan closed his eyes briefly and grinned, pretending to shush her. "It's a secret! Remember, I'm a hero that saves helpless kittens! Anyways, how are you doing?"

"I'm okay….just a bit…" Mia whispered, turning her attention to where Michael was at. She barely managed to see when she felt a flick in the head. She yelped and whimpered, holding her forehead in anger. "Why did you-"

"Stop worrying about it. It's over now. You don't have to look at him anymore. Sit with me, and let's see my little fire," Ethan snickered, patting the bench and aiming his finger at the distant fire.

Mia blinked in confusion and tilted her head, "But I'm the one-"

"Nope. I did it," Ethan corrected.

The adults quietly watched the interaction between the two kids, seeing Ethan attempting to ease the kit and sometimes gripping the bench beneath to ignore the pain. Mia would try to ask the boy about today, but Ethan casually brushed it off, redirecting the conversation to something else. Feral was the first to move, indicating for the tabby to follow him for a bit, which Chance grumpily did.

"What do you want?" Chance said sharply but silently enough for the kids not to hear them.

Feral rolled his eyes at Chance's hostility but also wanted to do the same. He shook his head and pointed his swagger stick at the tabby's chest. "Watch over him. I still have my reservations about Ethan, but….I can now clearly see that we put a mere kitten in the crossfire of our hostile world. You do understand that?"

Chane eyes widen, glancing back at Ethan and seeing his injuries again. He winced and looked back at his former commander with a firm nod.

"Good…and-" Feral stopped when noticing a familiar she-kat coming to them. One that causes him so many headaches. He growled, "Seems like your boss is here. Figures…..look, watch over the kit."

Chance felt a rumble in his throat, "Don't order me around. You are no longer my commander. The kit is my responsibility….I don't need someone telling me something I'm already doing."

Feral halted his movements, not bothering to look back at Chance. "Really? You seem to be doing a shit job at it."

Chance gripped his fist and watched Feral heading towards June, who was staring at the devastation and glaring sharply at the tabby when she saw Ethan's injuries. June shook her head and put a smile on as Feral approached her.

Chance scowled and returned to Ethan, seeing the boy talking to Mia casually about stories she had read. His ears twitched when hearing movement nearby, and he saw Mia's parents in the distance, looking frantic and eyeing their child. An enforcer was escorting them and leading them to the bench.

"Mom! Dad!" Mia shouted, noticing her parents and running to them. Quickly jumping out off the bench and running to them, they hugged.

A small smile appeared on Chance's face, and he approached the boy watching the family reunite. Ethan watched in awe and turned to look at Chance with a grin. Chance nodded and gently patted the boy's head, indicating that Ethan did well today and that they should start going home.

"Wait!" Victor called out, picking his daughter up and his wife following him towards Ethan.

Ethan flinched, wondering if he messed up, and looked back at the family.

"Thank you," Victor said, nodding to the boy.

Ethan blushed, looking away as he saw the two parents watching him with gratitude, something unfamiliar. He scratched his head, "Uh…you're welcome. But I didn't do it alone. Both of these guys also helped with getting your daughter back."

Victor laughed, giving the nod to the trio. "I see….thank all of you then, though. Just know you have my full support."

Ethan blinked in confusion at the comment and was about to ask what Victor meant by that until his daughter looked at him with a small smile.

"Hey….will I see you again?" Mia timidly asked.

"Of course! We are friends now, right?" Ethan announced without thinking.

Mia smiled and waved at Ethan as she and her parents started to leave. Ethan waved back at her and kept smiling, turning around and hiding his pain from the injury.

"Are they gone?" Ethan asked after a few moments.

"Yeah. They are." Chance said.

Ethan dropped to his knees, letting his fear overtake him and gritting his teeth as the pain medication barely worked. He placed his head on the dirt below and gripped his injured shoulder. Chance quickly went to the boy and tried comforting him as best he could.

Winston eyed the pair, grimacing when seeing Ethan's pain but glad they were closer than before. He felt a bit of jealousy, and his eyes drifted toward where his father was still standing, seeing Michael finally dragged inside an enforcer vehicle by Hills and Jones. His and his father's eyes met, only to be interrupted when Feral called Captain Softpaw to come towards him and June.

"Guess I better check this out. Hey, Ethan," Winston said, moving towards the new group, "I'll see you around. Hope to work with you again and…you too T-Bone."

Ethan weakly put a thumbs up, and Chance nodded to the mix.

"You better be serious about that drink sometime."

"Of course."


June was talking to Captain Softpaw and Feral, getting glares from the latter as she explained her idea. She had heard the report, brushing off the damages and focusing solely on what she wanted to accomplish. In all honesty, she was hoping to start with another division, but she would not ignore an opportunity when she saw one.

"You can't be serious," Feral said, shaking his head at the mad she-kat. He hated everything she said and felt the last remaining patience leaving him.

"It would be a waste to decline this. The boy is green and needs more field training, so I propose a small partnership. What's your opinion Captain Softpaw….you did see firsthand Ethan's potential in assisting in cases like this," June cheerfully reminded them.

Captain Softpaw glared at her, "While that may be true, the potential is there. I don't have time to babysit a brat like that. I rather not waste one of my detectives on this silly little idea. And-"

"I only need one. It seems one is stepping up," June interrupted, seeing Winston approaching them. "My my, is that your kit?"


At Stray's base, Ethan winced and looked at his guardian with frightful eyes. Chance ignored him and was also dealing with the same problem as trying desperately to avoid getting hit by Evelyn's glare. They were in the medical wing, facing a furious doctor. The doctor was in shock when seeing Ethan's condition and chastised both of them, one for getting injured and the other for not preventing it. Ethan had never seen her so angry before, and it made him frightful as she sharply ordered him around, examining his arm and checking how bad it was.

Evelyn sighed heavily, finishing her inspection and relaxing but sharply eyeing the boy. She instructed the boy on the details and told Chance to ensure Ethan followed them. The boy would be in the shoulder restraint but should recover. However, informing that Ethan will need physical therapy when he's more comfortable moving it. Even after that, she must follow up with him to monitor his progress.

Evelyn gripped her knees, remembering how fragile Ethan looked when he injured himself at the beach. She was initially scared of him but quickly shoved it as he unconsciously struggled to breathe and cough up blood. She shook the memory and looked at the boy, who was timidly looking away and holding the bag of medication she gave him.

Evelyn sighed, wiping her anger and replacing it with concern. She stood up from her chair and sat next to Ethan, placing her hand on his head and gently brushing it.

"Honestly, you are a handful," Evelyn said, seeing Ethan look at her with worry. "But…good job today. That kit is okay because of you."

Ethan smiled and was about to say something.

"Though it does not mean I'm not okay with this," Evelyn reminded, signaling his injury and then looking at Chance, "Where were you?"

Chance winced, rubbing his neck and trying to explain himself to Evelyn.

"It's not his fault!" Ethan blurted out, getting the attention of two adults. "I….I wanted to….I wanted to show everyone I could do it. I accidentally found Mia's kidnapper and got myself into that mess. I could have escaped…but he sprayed me with this gas, and I couldn't do anything...I couldn't…..Chance saved me….Evelyn, I'm telling the-"

Ethan flinched when he felt his arm hurting him. He hissed and wanted the pain to go away. Ethan whimpered slightly and shook when recalling Michael's casual look when breaking it, making Ethan wish that was the last time he ever faced someone that crazy. Suddenly, he felt a surprised tug, seeing Evelyn push him closer to her and hug him.

Evelyn felt the boy let out a shaky breath and felt the boy get closer, gripping her for comfort. She eyed Chance, who seemed worried about the boy, and directed him to come closer to soothe the kid's fear. Chance did not hesitate and sat on the boy's other side, gently touching the kid's head.

Unknown to the trio, June was nearby with the door slightly opened, only able to hear and see their outlines from the drape covering them. Initially, she would come in and chastise the two males, but she decided against it when watching the three. Her face was expressionless, and she eyed them for a minute before deciding to leave. Mike was with her and breath a sighed in relief, glad his boss let them go without punishment, following Evelyn down the hall.

"What are you relieved about?" June said, noticing her assistant's face.

Mike cursed and waved his hand, "It's nothing, ma'am. It's just….I'm glad."

"Glad?"

"Let me rephrase, ma'am. I didn't expect you to have a soft spot for the kit."

Evelyn stopped, looking at her assistant with annoyance, "You better not be drinking while on duty."

Mike smirked but cautiously thought of what to say, "You know me too well to catch me drinking on the job. I've been your assistant for five years to know not to push it."

"And this is?"

"Just an assistant's mere observation."

"The kit is just a valuable asset. Who knows what would have happened with the Enforcers if the kit had stayed with them," June dryly said, continuing her way down the hall. "Whether they kept him locked up or used him….there's much uncertainty within the ranks of Enforcers. You know that too well."

Mike grimaced at the thought but nodded, looking away and gritting his teeth. He shook his head and smiled at his boss.

"Right….though, why force Ethan to join the squad?" Mike reminded, "Everyone was given a choice….except him. Everyone is an expert at something, from interrogation, combat, infiltration, flying, tech, and medical expertise…. except him. He's everything you tend to avoid when recruiting."

"Listen, Mike. Usually, I would love to play mental games with you….just not today. Is that understood?" June warned, giving an icy stare to her assistant.

"Roger."


Dante yawned, returning to his vessel's room, getting surprised when noticing two things – Ethan's injuries and the boy focusing on a card. He was dumbstruck at the sight and had no idea how to approach the boy who sat on his bed. Ethan's eyes opened when he heard Dante but quickly cursed when the spell card deteriorated.

"Damn it! I felt like I was so close!" Ethan yelled, grabbing another blank card and poking his finger with a needle, drawing a new symbol on the card and ignoring his teacher's look. He finished it and dressed his finger with a bandaid.

Ethan paused and looked at his teacher with a 'what' expression.

Dante shook his head, "I honestly didn't expect this…I have questions, but at least you have given up your pursuit of quick magic."

"Nope, I'm still going to do that."

"WHAT?!"

Ethan grinned at his teacher and waved for him to come close, "I mean….why not do both? I still need to perform when doing missions for the team, but I still don't have proper control to use mana properly, so I need to use my sacrificial ability to make up for it. Don't worry…I'll get there someday….when I no longer have to rely on that trick."

"You little fool!" Dante growled, sitting angrily with the boy, "Are you really this stupid?"

"Nah…just want to be able to do something."

"Like what?"

"To save the city's citizens…. I've decided….I want to be like those heroes in comics. I know it's silly….but it's every kid's dream, and I feel I can do it!" Ethan said, beaming with excitement and enjoying the feeling of saving someone. Before, people would ignore him and expect nothing, but seeing Mia and her parents thanking him and noticing him made him feel good. He felt needed and a part of something. He grabbed his shirt, feeling his beating heart and eagerness to go out again.

Dante grimaced and was about to argue until Ethan looked at him with soft eyes.

"You'll help me, right? I can't do this without your help….we are friends, right?"

Dante blinked when the boy said, 'friends.' He raised an eyebrow and wondered if the kid was serious. He rolled his eyes and looked at the ceiling. He hoped the boy would focus solely on his concentration magic to speed up the process. He would have been greatly agitated but was still pursuing his memories…which still have not become fruitful. The city's magic was weak, and no wizards appeared around other than old structures. He could have sworn that the council from the dark ages grandchildren would still be around, remembering that the Pastmaster had not finished them all off and there were still their apprentices. It's been 800 years, so where has the magic gone?

"Do what you want!" Dante spat, shaking his head and disappearing.

Ethan frowned, touching his injured shoulder and returning his attention to the card.


"This is Ann Gora with Kat's Eye News, here at Megakat Upper Valley, where a firey blaze was stopped moments earlier thanks to the Enforcers' efforts. However, the story takes a drastic turn with Tail Nabber…yes folks, Tail Nabber has been found and arrested. Behind me stands the residence of the infamous killer. Enforcers are sweeping the area for any additional evidence, with the most damaging being a closet full of his victims' tails. A horrifying yet relieving news as a dark chapter in the city's book comes to a close. We are-"

A few no-good kats saw this on their televisions in different locations. They sensed more to the story and understood the potential of a new player entering the city's battleground. Their contacts reported strange activities with the Enforcers starting from the squid attack. One particular kat, Dark Kat, paid no mind to this new pawn in his plans and was more interested in hearing that his former pilot was released from prison.

His purple hands turned off his television, darkening the room as he cackled in with his small-wing minions.