MISSION 8
Drowning Kats
Cold, dark, and underneath the Megakat City Bay's water, a pilot sank into the dark abyss below. He was going to die, panicking and unable to do anything, and cursing his inability to swim. At one point, he held his breath and watched the lovely view above where the sun was hitting the water. He was tired, and it seemed he was going out like this. A pilot drowning, what a pathetic way to go, he thought, hoping to go out in a blaze of glory.
Chance closed his eyes and accepted his death with open arms.
He felt something touching him.
Chance opened his eyes with a cold sweat, seeing no water but a dark room. He was breathing heavily and trying to gather his thoughts, feeling another tug on his arm. He noticed Ethan looking at him with a tired and worried look. Chance grumbled something, asking for patience for someone above, and sat up.
"Ethan…it's…. two in the morning. What's going on?" Chance asked, attempting to hide the annoyance of being awoken in the middle of the night.
"It's the other way around. You, okay?" Ethan asked, getting a look from his guardian, "You were…moving around a lot, and, at one point, you were breathing hard and asking for someone.…to save you."
Chance blinked and then realized what Ethan meant, "Oh."
"So…" Ethan said, watching Chance move towards the wall so his back was against it. He decided to follow Chance and sat next to him. "Do you usually have nightmares?"
Chance sighed, shaking his head and looking at the ceiling to avoid Ethan's eyes.
It's been a while since Chance dreamed or had nightmares so vividly. Not even in prison, as he was on high alert for any attacks, and any sudden loud movement triggered him, which annoyed the tabby when the boy hit the wall in his sleep or fell to the ground. He recalled an incident when he survived a stab, but his attacker served as a reminder to everyone in prison as he beat him within an inch of his life and threw him to the ground floor. Of course, he had fights with the other inmates outside his cell, but nobody attempted to attack him while he was sleeping after that little display of brutality.
"What was it about?" Ethan interrupted Chance's train of thought, yawning and drifting his head towards Chance's side.
"Not in the mood to share this one…maybe sometime later, okay?" Chance muttered.
"Uh-huh."
Chance scratched his neck, "It's not a big deal. Crud, I must look like a freaking tail swiper right now, right? Me, T-Bone, the big pilot…. getting nightmares in bed…. what a joke. I'm fine. Just a minor bump, so just-"
Ethan let out a small breath, already asleep, and shifted closer to the tabby's arm for warmth.
Chance was peeved but held his urge to flick the kid's head. The tabby looked at the boy's injured arm, and his face softened. The adult groaned in frustration and looked at the clock to see the time, pausing and looking back at the child at his side. Ethan had been unable to sleep these couple of days properly and would drag his feet more than before, appearing exhausted and hair a mess. Chance relaxed, putting his arm around the boy so Ethan could be comfortable, thinking about letting him sleep longer today. The tabby got comfortable and attempted to sleep as well.
In Mike's room inside the base, the second youngest member diligently worked on multiple things, including reports, expenses, or anything that needed to be looked at. His room was more like an office, with barely enough personal stuff to remind individuals that someone lived there. It did not help that Mike had not unboxed certain boxes, with them remaining close and in the exact location he had left them when he moved in.
Mike's ear twitched when he heard a knock, refusing to look at the door as his eyes were glued to his work, "Come in!"
Mike could hear someone entering but did not break contact from his work. The footsteps approached him, and he heard someone stopping behind him.
"It's two in the morning, M. Did you sleep at all?" Jason said with a hint of annoyance as his tail flicked around and his eyes hardened, catching Mike pulling an all-nighter again.
"I slept fine, thank you very much," Mike brushed off as he blinked and pinched his nose. He finally momentarily broke free from his duties' chains and spun his chair to face Jason. Going to glare at the Bengal until Mike saw him holding a coffee toward him. He blinked in confusion before sighing, accepting the drink, and smiling. "Thanks, Jay."
Jason nodded his head, "So…... I'm guessing we got more information on that lizard, huh?"
Mike stopped mid-drink, eyes turning cold, ears folding down, and him staring at the drink below him before placing it on the desk. "Barely enough to go on…... he could be anywhere, and his movements are very sporadic. However, we know Viper likes visiting places like Megakat Biochemical Labs. He hides in the sewers and appears somewhere else later. His base of operation could be hidden somewhere in Megakat's sewers, but that's a different beast and an expansive network that goes on for miles."
Mike shook his head, grabbing a file about a certain Doctor Viper and kats' accounts on spotting him around the city. Mike's claws almost ripped them, his throat rumbling, and he tried desperately to focus. A paw appeared on his hand, making him let go and be grasped by the giant hand. Mike would have snapped at Jason if the older tom did not surprise him with a deep kiss.
Jason watched as Mike was still tense and deepened his tongue in Mike's mouth. Once he got a mew from the sitting tom, he pulled back and quickly picked Mike up. Mike was smaller than him, but the tom made up for it with muscles, almost making it challenging to pick him up. Jason laughed, watching Mike blush at being treated like a bride being carried off by his groom, only to be dropped on Mike's small bed.
Mike bounced a bit, hissing at Jason's audacity, but lay on the bed as Jason quickly hopped on and covered him with his whole body. Mike felt Jason's firm paw on his chest as he went for another lustful kiss which he accepted and submitted without much of a fight. Jason's other paw was already working below, undoing Mike's shirt and quickly playing with Mike's nipples, pinching them. Jason grinned as Mike pulled back from their kiss and moaned, Jason quickly changing his course to nibble on Mike's neck.
"Since my favorite secretary refuses to sleep…." Jason paused, removing his shirt and showing his broad and robust body. His fury chest poked out, which followed around his neck, revealing his Persian cat side. He unbuckled his belt, "Seems like I need to tucker you out."
"You're stupid!" Mike laughed, pulling his shirt and also undoing his pants.
Jason grinned, though it would falter slightly when noticing Mike's gaze towards his desk. He sighed, grabbing the younger tom's face and going for another kiss, hoping to distract him enough to focus on him.
At the Stray's base, at the hanger, Chance started his day like usual and worked on the Turbo Kat. Everything was normal for Chance. Well, sort of, watching Ethan bobbing his head as he attempted to stay awake, looking tired and wanting to sleep more. The boy was surprised when waking up today and saw that the tabby had let him sleep till eight. Chance coughed to get the boy to focus and look at his textbooks, who groaned and waved at Chance to give him a few.
Each day they started with Chance waking up Ethan and dragging him to eat breakfast together. They would talk about things, mostly about things Ethan saw on the break room's televisions. Evelyn would join them when she was done making her breakfast. Ethan tried hard not to fall asleep, almost drowning his cereal one day ago, much to Chance's amusement and Evelyn's horror. Chance still recalled everyone's reaction when a bowl of cereal defeated their 'great wizard,' which landed Ethan a new nickname, 'Milkshake.' Of course, Ethan retaliated against his agitators, Tina and Jason, with a water spell card. Everyone had to hold both back from the kid, which was a struggle, and Ethan was punished by cleaning up the watery mess.
The day would continue with Chance reminding and guiding Ethan to move his shoulder for a few minutes of gentle exercises. They would talk briefly before going their separate ways, Ethan going to whoever was teaching him today and Chance working on the Turbo Kat. They would reconvene around dinner and eat together, asking about each other's progress. Chance would return to the Turbo Kat, and Ethan would usually mess around the breakroom area until the boy met his primary teacher, Jake, for additional lessons.
Today was Chance's first time teaching the boy, and he felt lost on what to do. However, to the kat's surprise, Chance had spoken with Benson for advice. Chance would stop working and head towards Ethan, being more hands-on and indicating to the boy to write notes so he could better remember each passage.
Chance sighed, grabbing his coffee thermos and heading to the boy. He poured a drink on the lid cup and handed it to Ethan, "Here, drink up."
"I don't like coffee," Ethan whined, staring at the drink with distaste.
"Tough, I need you awake. If you keep going like this, I'm gunna have to start giving you mandatory sleep schedules. Do you really want me to treat you like a baby kitten?" Chance asked, hoping that would convince the boy to sleep on time.
"What are you, my mother?" Ethan sighed, drinking the bitter taste of coffee. He waved the tabby to get closer, "Look…I just need to catch up and get better with my magic."
"Why?"
"For next time I go out! I don't want another repeat like last time," Ethan said. "Is it okay if I can go and focus on that?"
Chance looked at the boy, "No. If someone sees you going about around this time and June finds out…it's my tail on the line. And she would find out with scuzzball over there. You'll have enough time later. Move over, and let's focus on this."
Ethan muttered in annoyance but moved slightly to let Chance sit with him. Chance picked up the general history book and looked at Ethan's notes. The boy was less distracted and would retell his understanding of the material to the tabby. It was not hard for Ethan as everything sounded like fiction, and he would find interest in how different countries function. For instance, there was a kingdom with old laws and rich with rare materials, with multiple leaders under the banners of their households with minor tribes around them.
Ethan groaned when Chance would quiz him and would retell what he remembered. Again, he would prefer to watch or hear something than read it, but Chance's approach and assistance helped him focus more. Ethan's eyes did drift to the other individual in the room. Jake was working inside the cockpit, hanging upside down as he worked on the wires. However, at one point, Ethan and Jake's eyes crossed, which made the gunner give him a look at what Ethan wanted but then quickly scowled when noticing the tabby.
"Shit," Ethan whispered, looking away as Jake swiftly flipped to the floor and headed toward them. "Heads up….Mittens is heading our way!"
"Mittens?" Chance repeated, giving a confused stare to Ethan before looking back to see Jake. He grimaced, and his eyes hardened as Jake stopped a few feet from them, sensing hostility from the other pair. "You need somethin', scuzzball?"
"Yeah, your stupid ass. I want to finish this jet as soon as possible. So stop wasting time, grab a stinking hammer, and ignore the idiot over there," Jake snapped, pointing at the jet with his claws for the tabby to move his ass.
"I'm not an idiot, asshole," Ethan muttered silently.
"Sure…four-twenty-three. How about you stay out of this and buzz off? Or do you want another dislocated shoulder?"
Chance eyed Jake with annoyance but glanced at Ethan when noticing the boy flinching at Jake's threat, looking at the papers to ignore the adult behind him. Chance growled, standing up and moving closer to the smaller tom.
"What's wrong, Jake? Picking on someone smaller than you…what a fucking joke. You used to fight bigger kats than you. I guess time has made you a coward," Chance mocked, eyeing down the smaller tom.
Jake's fur frazzled and casually moving into a stance, "Huh…I remember putting ya in the ground two weeks ago. Want another go at it?"
"Try it, furball. I'll rip that new arm off," Chance snarled, putting his fist up.
Ethan watched the two adults preparing to fight, cursing since nobody was around to stop them this time. He wondered if he should go and get assistance but feared it would take too long. He was annoyed by Jake but recalled Chance's comment that they used to be best friends. Ethan wondered what had happened between the two as he and Chance had not restarted their conversation about their personal life. What happened to them, and why is there so much hostility?
Without thinking, Ethan said what he had on his mind, "You guys used to be best friends?"
Chance and Jake's eyes froze, feeling Ethan's words hit them, and the latter eyed the boy with anger. Jake switched his glare back and forth between Chance and Ethan till he realized something.
"Seems like someone is getting soft. What have you been telling the kit, stupid?" Jake grumbled. He raised an eyebrow when noticing Chance was quiet and just kept looking at his arm, his robotic arm. He sighed and walked around the tabby, ignoring Chance and calmly heading to Ethan. "Best friend? Does a best friend cause you to lose an arm?"
Ethan cringed hearing that, regretting saying what he said. However, glad that Jake and Chance stopped their fight. He looked as Jake pulled his arm sleeve to show the extension of the loss, reaching to his shoulder. Ethan could see where the robotic arm and flesh connected with fur missing, where it was attached with large bolts piercing Jake's flesh.
"I'll give you a friendly warning…don't stick around him. You'll live to regret it," Jake softly said, turning away and heading back to work on the jet. "Do what you want, you big oaf. I don't care."
Chance gritted his teeth, "Remind me…Who's the first one who agreed to work with Dark Kat?"
Jake stopped and snarled but kept moving, "Don't pin that on me. You or I would have said it. But YOU made the decision to hunt our twins."
Chance was about to say something but stopped, ears flattening, and watched Jake climb back to the jet's bomb bay. His anger was gone, and he seemed lost. He closed his eyes and sighed, turning around and sitting with Ethan again. Chance ignored the boy's concerned look and attempted to focus on teaching but could not and felt agitated.
After a brief moment, Chance stood up and headed to the door. Feeling a tug on his arm, he almost snapped at Ethan till he saw the boy's concerned look. He felt conflicted, calmly ruffling the kid's head and indicating him to focus on the text.
"I just need a moment," Chance calmly said, "I'll be back. Come get me if he tries anything, you hear?"
Ethan nodded, watching the tabby leave the area and stare at the door for a while. He felt guilty, wondering if he could do something, and looked towards the jet.
Staring at the beautiful day, Benson watched silently as he sat on the bench and enjoyed his peaceful day. He tapped his cigarette and took another long puff. Benson was not a heavy smoker but would puff one out when he needed to calm himself. Benson reported Ethan's progress to his father, and Murphy guided Benson to inform the parents on what to do. Murphy would tell Benson that the parents need to take him to a child psychologist as soon as possible, getting a sense something was off when hearing about Ethan's demeanor and attitude to not talk about things. Benson lied, stating that the parents had adopted the child but were too scared to go to a shrink, wanting to ease their child into their home and not make him defensive.
Benson sighed, wishing he could be upfront with his father and hoping there were a few strings to hold on to, wanting to turn the clock to the past. Murphy would refocus the conversation if Benson attempted to ask about the family. Benson's ears flattened, wondering why he was so hung up on this, he is a lone kat and prefers to be alone most times, but it bothers him greatly that his home no longer welcomed him.
"You good?" a voice rang out, which made Benson snap out of his issues and look at his side to see Tina.
Benson fixed his glasses and stared blankly at her, "I'm fine. Just thinking about things."
"Hmmm…..about?" Tina asked, sitting beside Benson without asking, which made the tom shift uncomfortably away as his space was invaded. She grinned and leaned forward to stare at the tom, who was eyeing her with a puzzled stare. "Your dad again?"
Benson sighed, nodding slightly before squishing his cigarette against the bench. He noticed his tie was loose and quickly fixed it, feeling more comfortable as it perfectly fits how he liked it. Then Benson saw that his box of cigarettes was at an odd number and flicked one out to make it even. He quickly ensured everything was how he preferred before returning to Tina, who stared at him as she sat with open legs and casually leaned against the bench table.
"Do you need something?" Benson asked, tilting his head, trying to understand the molly. He was very good at reading kats, but there was an exception to that rule, as he had trouble understanding this she-kat. He winced when the she-kat hit him in the shoulder before laughing and patting him on the same shoulder. "Is there a reason why you are so inclined to hit me every time we talk?"
"Aw, aren't you adorable four-eyes," Tina teased, watching her opposite scowl and stand up. She followed and trailed behind him, waving at him when he realized he was being followed.
"I would prefer to be alone now, thank you very much," Benson hissed, groaning when Tina quickly approached his side and started pulling him towards a direction. "Or I guess not. Where are you taking me?"
"Let's go to the bar and get some drinks. I prefer to drink with someone I know than be alone by my lonesome. Wouldn't you agree?"
Benson wanted to argue but felt Tina's steel arms, preferring not to get slammed to the ground or his arm twisted. He sighed, deciding to follow her to avoid her usual ferocity.
Chance sat silently on the mess hall table, taking a swing of his beer and finishing his second bottle, looking at the wall in deep thought. His face was blank as he opened another bottle with his claw and continued drinking. He was unaware that a certain someone had come in and called out to him till he saw a hand waving in his face. Chance blinked, and eyes looked to his side to see Evelyn looking at him with concern.
"Hey, you need something?" Chance said flatly, turning his attention to the bottle below him.
Evelyn blinked. Usually, Chance would talk to her by first hitting on her or being excited to be approached by her. Now, her suspicion of something being up was right on the money. She raised an eyebrow but stopped herself from saying anything when looking more closely at the tabby, seeing how lost he looked.
"Mind if I sit with you?" Evelyn asked, seeing the tabby nod his head. Strike two. Something was bothering the tabby. She sat beside him and watched him take another swing at his bottle. She first thought it had something to do with Ethan but remembered that the boy was studying with Chance in the hangar where Jake was. If she was a betting she-kat, which she was, her money was on Chance's ex-partner. "How're Ethan's studies coming along?"
"Huh? Oh….the kit is fine. Benson's suggestion on how to teach is helping the kit a lot. The kit gets distracted, but guiding him through it and being with him keeps him focused. Though…sometimes, if I'm honest, I want to give him a smack to pay attention," Chance lightly chuckled but stopped short, taking another swing of his beer.
"I was right," Evelyn said out loud, getting a confused look from Chance. "Oh, sorry, I was thinking about something."
Chance raised an eyebrow but shook his head, "Right…."
"You doing okay? I see something is eating you."
"I'm fine….just needed a drink and silence."
Evelyn sighed, putting her ears down and putting a hand on the tabby's shoulder. She nodded and smiled, "Alright…how about some silent company instead? Hand me a bottle."
Chance calmly grabbed one and opened it for her, smiling. "I don't mind that."
Jake was working inside the large bomb bay area, working on the multiple wires and connections inside the Turbo Kat. He recalled when June told him to start working on the jet months ago, telling him she was working on getting his ex-pilot out of prison. Jake remembers arguing with her to find someone else, but she brushed him off with a smile and challenged him to give her a better pilot. He could not. Nobody could keep up to his standards or give him enough time to shoot like Chance.
"That piece of shit!" Jake scowled when thinking about Chance. He shook his head, thinking its been years since the pilot had flown and might be a little rusty. However, what irked him was when he thought of Chance as his only partner in the sky. That ship sailed long ago, and it is just a distant memory. That team is dead. "A pilot? More like a big nanny!"
Jake angrily moved back, which tipped his toolbox down the bomb bay. He cursed and wanted to kick something to ease his anger. Jake took a few breaths to relax, wanting to avoid damaging something important inside the Turbo Kat. His ears perked when he heard something moving below and saw a ladder being placed. Jake's new headache appeared, and Ethan's head poked out. Before he could say anything, Ethan dropped Jake's toolbox near him and slowly moved up the ladder with his good hand.
"You dropped something?" Ethan joked, attempting to smile but seeing Jake's aggressive look. Ethan felt a sweat drop, and he turned his attention to the bomb bay, seeing how much had changed compared to all the loose wires before. "I heard you're a tech wiz from Mike. Are you the one that designed this jet?"
Jake's eyes glared at the boy, huffed, and grabbed the toolbox. He was turning away his attention and focusing back on what he was doing. He hoped Ethan would leave but heard the boy climbing up with his one good hand. Jake pinched his nose and fought not to yell at the kid to leave him alone.
"Say…." Ethan trailed off, thinking about what to say. "Want some help?"
Jake blinked at the offer before scoffing, "Know how to build a jet?"
"Nope."
"Then?"
"I mean, I can hand stuff or something," Ethan said, seeing Jake him an annoyed look, "Or stand here and silently cheer you on."
Sitting opposite and avoiding the large tubes, Ethan sighed and watched the orange kat work on some wires. He felt lost and decided to work on his cards, pulling them from his back pocket and awkwardly getting some out. Ethan had drawn several but now needed to put mana into the cards. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, channeling toward the card. He's gotten a bit better, but he realized each written spell varied time for him to set up.
Jake was still working on things but finally glanced at the kit when he had not heard a quip or sound from behind. He was curious when seeing Ethan in a meditation position and focusing on the card.
Suddenly, Ethan winced, gripping his shoulder, and the card started to dust away, "Shit!"
Ethan muttered something and looked tiredly forward to see Jake looking at him. He timidly smiled and waved at the co-pilot, who rolled his eyes and returned to work on the Turbo Kat. Ethan sighed, wondering if he should leave until he remembered Chance's face.
"How…" Ethan started, "How were you guys….before the Swat Kats? We're you guys actually best friends?"
Jake stopped, "What has he told you?"
"Not much…just that you guys were unfairly billed for something, and Enforcers treated you like garbage. Something about you guys wanting to get back at them but trying not to hurt anybody. He mentioned….Dark Kat….and a different version of something…but I couldn't understand it. I just know he regrets it….he didn't say that part to me directly, but…." Ethan retold his conversation and recalled that they had not continued their discussion. It's been a bit awkward to continue, and they would instead focus on other things.
"You expect me to fill in the blanks for you? Forget it!"
"I mean no, just think you should talk to him. Maybe he's waiting for you to do it….and maybe you are waiting for something, too," Ethan stammered, hoping he was not pushing it. He saw Jake not moving for a while before heading towards the boy and kneeling.
"The last conversation I had with him….. before we were arrested, I told him I was done with him and not to bother me again. I want to bash his skull. I want to kill him. Every time I see him, he reminds me of all the shit I went through. Nothing's changed between us. Those best friends…are dead." Jake hissed, standing up. "Got it?"
Ethan stood up, trying to disagree, and he followed Jake, "I don't-"
Ethan did not finish as he tripped on one of the tubes, stumbling and losing balance, heading towards the bomb bay opening. He tried frantically to gain balance but was heading down. Ethan let out a yell, preparing to hit the floor, and closed his eyes. Reopening his eyes, he felt nothing but firm hands grabbing him from his legs as he dangled.
"Stupid kit!" Jake growled.
"DON'T DROP ME!"
Chance and Evelyn were walking around the hallways, with the doctor watching the pilot, who seemed buzzed but still in a foul mood. Evelyn convinced Chance to walk with her, ensuring he drank the water bottle.
"Honestly, what's eating you?" Evelyn said, finally getting impatient with the tom's mood. At this point, she wanted him to act like his usual confident self with an ego that screamed he was smooth with all the ladies. "Something did happen with you and Jake."
"Nothing happened….listen, I just recently got released from prison. Just needed a drink after all this time," Chance growled, feeling like he needed more beer to relax.
"You are unbelievably stubborn! Whom the hell drinks like that in the morning, except drunks or kats trying to wash away their problems."
Chance shook his head, "Listen, I appreciate the concern, I really do. If you don't mind, I prefer to be alone now."
"HA…not happening. You are going to sober up before Ethan sees you like this, or worst, you let that anger get the better of you when you see Jake. I'm everyone's doctor in this base, including you, so I'm ordering you to sober up. Is that clear?" Evelyn snapped, blocking the tabby, poking his chest, and eyeing him from her lower height.
Chance blinked in confusion and eyed the she-kat with annoyance. However, a small smile appeared, and he scratched his ear, "Alright, fine. You stubborn she-kat….can't leave poor old me alone, right? Must be my charm."
"And there he is," Evelyn smirked, rolling her eyes when Chance winked at her. "C'mon, let's go out and get some fresh air."
Chance followed her as she led them in a specific direction, "Lead the way, beautiful."
"Honestly, did this 'charm' ever work with anybody?"
"Maybe….why? Is it working?" Chance grinned, leaning forward to stare at Evelyn's face.
"In your dreams. Since we are avoiding the issue, I'm curious….did you have someone when you were at the junkyard?"
"I prefer not to say. Let's just focus on the now and enjoy our little date."
"Charming….but since you are like this," Evelyn paused, pulling an interesting coin. She saw the tabby eyeing her confusion and smiled, knowing she had the tabby. "You know we have free days to go out and do whatever we want, not worrying about June calling the Enforcers on us for taking too long outside."
"Yeah….and?" Chance said, getting interested in where this was going. June had mentioned that they were to remain inside the building unless for a mission or simple runs, making them somewhat prisoners in this area. He also recalled her saying how she was their handler, but even tools need a break with a smile on her face. Free days are submitted by them and approved by June.
Evelyn and Chance stopped walking, "I'll go on a date with you if you win, but if I win, you must answer me truthfully for…seven of my questions."
"Hold on, as much as I love the idea of us going out together. If I win, I get one simple date, but you get seven questions if you win. Let's both agree on the conditions."
"Fine," Evelyn said with a confident smile, not believing she would lose. "What do you want to revise?"
"You want seven questions, so I want seven dates."
"You must be joking. Is your personal life that locked up?"
"Hey, it's my private business. Or are ya too scared?' Chance chuckled, stepping closer to Evelyn. "…maybe you are scared you would fall in love with me."
"Please….your probably one of those cheap dates that think watching a game in a bar is a date," Evelyn hissed, putting one hand to block Chance.
"Hey now, that's hurtful," Chance said, pretending to be hurt and purring as he felt Evelyn's hand on his chest. It's been a while since he's been with someone, and he was itching to relieve himself. "So….we have a deal?"
"Five questions, three dates, and if you win…I'll have to approve of where we go."
"Fat chance. Three questions, and three dates….let's see….I have the freedom to pick where we go for the first date. We agree on the second location. For our third date….you have to plan and try to woo me on it like you mean it. Finally, I can veto two questions off the table for the three you have."
Evelyn pinched the bridge of her nose, wondering if she should just go with whatever the tom wanted so he could agree. "One veto only."
Chance sighed, crossing his arms and scratching his head. "…..fine. Heads."
Evelyn smiled, flicking the coin up with her thumb, making both stare at it as it slowly landed back down. Evelyn stopped it on her wrist and looked at the tabby confidently. She moved her hand and revealed….Tails. Chance felt his heart drop, and Evelyn seemed very excited. Luck is on her side today.
"Thanks for playing, but it seems I'm the winner, and you…a loser. So, back to my earlier question about someone," Evelyn repeated, grinning at the tabby's defeat.
"You are a sore winner, you know?"
"Sounds like a sore loser to me. Now pay up."
Chance got severe, remembering his troubles when he got kicked out of the enforcers and how his love life went to the gutter. "Not really. Who would want to shack up with a dirty mechanic? Speaking of, remember the former deputy mayor, Callie Briggs… captured my heart initially, but she never saw me more than her mechanic….then she joined Dark Kat and, well, you know what happened with her. I did….meet someone one year prior before I got arrested…though I royally fucked that up. She…."
Evelyn's ears folded, seeing Chance's face. It seemed to bother him, and he wanted to continue to something else. Evelyn cursed her gambling ego and gently touched Chance's arm to stop. "I sort of…in a way understand….burning a relationship to the ground. Well….in my case, it was more of a marriage than a simple relationship."
Chance looked at Evelyn with shocked eyes, "You were married?"
Evelyn softly smiled, tugging Chance to follow her, "We were…high school sweethearts. If I'm honest, I prefer not to talk about it, so I won't ask you to give me details about her. Though…I give her props for dealing with a horn dog like you."
Chance smiled, "Yeah….she was something. Thanks…so about your two other questions."
Evelyn stopped, playfully looking at him, "Hmm….I'll save those two when I really need it. Of course, you can gamble again to get out of it, but you'll have to offer something more, which is not negotiable."
"Yep…you are a sore winner," Chance chuckled, following her outside through a hatch in the ceiling.
Ethan sat on the cold floor on his knees, watching Jake trying to calm himself as he was trying hard not to yell at him. The boy's trip pulled a tube and did some minor damage to nearby wires. So, he was saved by Jake, and Ethan caused more work for him. If Jake was still pissed off from before, then his new target was Ethan, so the boy accomplished his goal somewhat.
"Look, I'm sorry," Ethan apologized.
"Don't talk," Jake snapped, telling Ethan to give him a moment, or he'll surely kick him. "Your such a bother. Why can't you mind your own business and get out of my way?!"
Ethan ducked his head, "Sorry to be a bother."
Jake was about to say something till he looked at Ethan. It triggered old memories from when he was a kitten that he did not want to recall. "Shit…now I sound like him."
"Him? Whom do you mean?"
"None of your business," Jake growled, waving his hand to dismiss the boy, "Just get out of here already."
Ethan shook his head, "I'll stay."
"Listen, I'm telling you to leave before I do something. JUST….go."
"I'm staying."
"Why, you little," Jake snarled, approaching Ethan with fury, hoping to make the boy move in fear. However, Ethan looked at him without a single ounce of fear and looked up at the wires he pulled.
"So, how bad is it?" Ethan casually said. Of course, he was still worried about Jake doing something to him but felt he would do the same as Chance, hitting near but not aiming for the boy. He did not hear any warning signs then and is not hearing them here. Ethan looked back at Jake with a small smile, "I mean…June did say you can give me tasks when I cause problems for you guys….so…."
Jake blinked at the kid's unwillingness to move, "You got a death wish?"
"Nope. I have already been threatened, and my arm was broken by a serial killer not too long ago, remember?" Ethan laughed, lifting his broken arm slightly. "Look, just let me help you. So stop being stubborn!"
"You're calling me stubborn?" Jake muttered, crossing his arms and sighing. He looked at the injury before looking at the kit, "Look, kit, you are worthless to help me with that arm. You'll just get in my way as I move around. Unless you can magically move things around, then-"
"That's it!" Ethan shouted, recalling his failed attempts with the ball and buzzsaw to fully transferred them to the other side. He still cannot accomplish that instant transfer, but what if he staged things one at a time? Maybe treat his Shadow Gateway like storage? Of course, it will strain him, but it's only transferring in this area. He will do it! A great way to experiment and expand it!
Ethan grabbed some small tools nearby with one hand and whispered his chant, creating a small portal in front of him. He threw all of them inside and shut the doorway. Ethan ignored the adult watching him in confusion, moving some distance from his original spot. He imagined moving the items around his world and leading them to himself.
"Please work…" Ethan whispered, taking a moment to chant the spell, creating a small portal, and reaching his hand inside. His hands felt something cold, and he pulled one small tool. "It worked! It actually worked! Jake, look, I did it!"
Jake watched the excited boy run to him, handing him the tool. He raised an eyebrow and looked at the instrument. Jake wanted the kid to leave him alone but did respect his new talents. Another memory came to him when he was a tiny kitten, trying desperately to be acknowledged by his father and always showing him the inventions he created in their garage. Of course, Jake was never good enough for his father and would always be dejected when his tech father scoffed at his 'childish' things. Jake let out a huge sigh, looking around as he mingles with the idea of Ethan's aid before deciding.
"Fine, let's go….Backpack," Jake said, enjoying the groan from the boy hearing the new nickname.
"Mittens!"
Chance felt sobber now and enjoyed his little walk outside with Evelyn. After their last conversation, they did not say much and were arriving at the door leading to the hangar. Eveyln would notice his gaze at times when heading back. She would give him a stern look that said 'no' and 'keep dreaming,' but she also enjoyed the pleasant walk.
Chance opened the door for them, and his mood would have been the same if he did not see Ethan on his knees and trying desperately to stand up. Jake was near Ethan and had his back turned, facing away from the incoming pair. It was a flash. Chance growled and furiously headed to them, immediately grabbing Jake's shirt and slamming him to the jet's legs. Jake was alarmed, confused, but angry as he stared at the mad tabby.
"You son of a BITCH!" Chance growled, already swinging his fist toward Jake's face.
"Shadow Gateway"
Chance's fist went through a portal before he could land a hit, going in the portal feeling air. Chance blinked in confusion and pulled back. The portal closed, replaced with Jake's agitated face. He snarled at Jake and then looked to Ethan, noticing the boy panting and weakly holding his arm out to where the portal was at.
"Chance….is not what it looks….like," Ethan muttered, already being held by Evelyn, checking on the boy's state. He felt cold and quickly took comfort in Evelyn's warm fur.
Chance heard a growl, and Jake shoved him away, angrily staring at him and walking toward Ethan. The tabby watched the other tom squatting, looking at Ethan with a stare of deep thought as he stroked his chin.
"I'll probably say..." Jake started, "Your limitation is about the size of a basketball, so seventy-five centimeters. That's for constant portal summoning…. though there's more to it…ain't it?"
Ethan groaned, "Maybe-"
"I can't help you with maybes. You need to explain it to me in detail so there is no holding back information. You said you wanted to experiment…so talk."
Ethan exhaled, looking at Evelyn and then Chance, asking if he should tell Jake anything. Evelyn was more worried about him and left the decision to Chance, who was still confused about what was happening. Chance sighed, moving around Jake and kneeling closer to the boy.
"Up to you," Chance said, worried at the boy's shiver.
Ethan nodded, explaining his process with Jake and how he could use extra magic to move items inside his world. It cost him magic to start it, move the items, and reopen it.
"I see…" Jake said, looking at a ring on the floor where a barrel was supposed to be. Ethan managed to put it inside, but this happened when he tried moving the oversized item toward the jet. Is there a weight limitation for each item? Can Ethan increase his weight capacity if he trains? All these questions and more filled Jake's head. "So, my best guess was correct. However distance can also play a factor, but I recommend testing it with something as small as a coin and recording it in a notebook. If you can improve the capacity and movement, it should steadily show in your notes, which means you'll be able to accomplish greater feats."
Ethan smiled and shakily nodded at Jake's guidance, "Hey, you're not so bad after all."
"Choke on a hairball, just giving you my analysis," Jake snapped, seeing the trio together, which made him look away. He clicked his tongue and headed out of the hanger.
"Thanks, teacher…I'll bring you an apple or something next time," Ethan joked, watching the tom already at the door. "You don't mind helping me again with this?"
Jake stopped, "Sure…..whatever."
Chance stood outside the medical wing, growling in annoyance as he recalled Evelyn kicking him out. Everything was like usual except today. Ethan collapsed to the floor, and Chance carried him to the medical wing. Evelyn's emotions range from worry to anger before examining the boy like usual. Chance would wait until Ethan was cleared to leave, and the tabby would guide Ethan to his room, where Ethan would rest and be brought food. At this point, Ethan had twenty falls, ten without falling but stumbling, four nose bleeds, and one broken shoulder making him Evelyn's primary patient for the month. Chance made a joke which got Ethan to laugh and an annoyed look from the doctor, effectively being kicked out.
The door opened, and Chance expected Ethan to walk out till he saw Evelyn closing the door behind her. She walked towards Chance with a firm look and had her arms crossed, walking a few feet before telling him to follow her. He did so and walked a few paces away from the medical wing before she turned to look at him.
"Is Ethan's life a joke to you?" Evelyn said with a cold tone, eyes firmly on the tabby as she waited for an answer.
"I'm sorry?" Chance said, taken aback by the question, "Look, maybe it was in poor taste, but it was just to lighten the mood. Come on, Grim, lighten up and check on your number one client."
"And there you go again," Evelyn muttered, grabbing her mouth and trying to hold back her anger. "Get serious."
"It's a joke, but fine I won't repeat it. Not a fan of comedy, I see."
"That's not why I'm angry with you….well, partially, that is," Evelyn said, leaning against the wall and thinking about things.
"I'm confused…what?"
"Tell me, why are you making me be the only one playing the bad kat when around him? You used to caution him when this happened, but now…you are walking around eggshells with him. You lightly warn him but never go beyond that to reprimand him when needed."
Chance blinked, "Look, the kit is just experimenting. It's not like he's doing something risky or losing a…."
"A limb? I hope not for your sake," Evelyn said, pausing for a bit before continuing. "If necessary, I can monitor, care for, and resupply him with blood. However, he's getting too eager to push it, and I need someone to reel him in before he does something I can't fix. It's unfair that I'm yelling at him, and you casually brush it off. I never had a chance to ask you….what happened that day? Why weren't you with him?"
Chance looked uncomfortable and scratched the back of his head.
"Fine…I'll use one of the questions you owe me. What happened that day?" Evelyn demanded.
Chance scowled but nodded his head. "Fine…that day….we fought, and I said things to him…about his parents being glad that he wasn't around anymore… I shouldn't have said it, but I was angry with him. I….I nearly struck him, and he ran away in his realm from me. He got captured when he returned, and I wasn't around to be there for him."
Evelyn was expecting something terrible, but this was worse than she expected, giving Chance a glare of disapproval. She held her tongue, recalling the altered report, and swallowed the information as best she could. Evelyn now understood why Chance had been so casual with him, feeling guilty for the kid's injury. She would have kept glaring at him but saw how much it killed him when retelling what happened, slightly calming her down. She took a couple of breaths and paced her remaining anger away before stopping in front of the tabby.
"Look, just please watch over and stop him before it escalates. You feel guilty, and YOU should, but this does not mean you give him passes…you are his guardian and need to be firmer with him."
"Yeah, I know! Look, just give me some time. I just…." Chance trailed off, turning away to face the wall.
Evelyn sighed, grabbing Chance's hand to get him to pay attention. She mumbled to herself. She could ask a million things with her next question, but she wanted to check on something. "Final question….do you still think Ethan like a mission?"
"What?!"
"June can shove it when she ordered us to get close to him…. I already felt inclined to help him when I first cared for him. He's my patient, a friend, and I would love to prevent him from getting hurt. He's a kit, for god sake!" June paused, letting go of Chance's hand. "I don't see a weapon. I see a lost kit that needs support. But I can't do this alone….. however, I don't need someone that looks at him like a tool. So….I ask again… when you look at him…. What do you see?"
Chance felt lost, reflecting on everything and wondering how he felt about Ethan. Making sure his guilt was not motivating him to treat the boy differently. However, he was uncertain about his thoughts and wondered if the little troublemaker had grown on him.
"I'm….not sure," Chance said, which got a sigh from the doctor. He watched her look away from him and began to head down the hallway to cool down. Chance would have let her go till his paw reached for hers and stopped her. "….but I agree….he needs help."
Evelyn raised an eyebrow, trying to figure out the tom's nature, but let out a small smile.
"I can work with that."
Ethan was alone in the medical wing, getting antsy every minute, and was told firmly by Evelyn to stay there until she was done talking with Chance. He wanted to come with them, but she quickly shot that down and told him to wait in bed. Ethan was alarmed at her harsh tone, feeling like she was disappointed with him and wanted him to do better.
"What's up with her? I don't get it….it's like when Zoe…." Ethan trailed off, remembering Zoe when she scolded him once he came home after ignoring her warnings on whom to rob, coming in with an injury. It was not like Chance or June's tone but more concerned yet firm when talking to him. "Man, Chance needs to tell her to calm down. I'm fine…I'm…."
"You seemed lost, my foolish student," a voice snapped Ethan's attention to the side. Seeing Dante casually sitting on the bed beside him, crossed legs and one arm on his chin.
"Oh…it's you," Ethan said as he turned his body away from Dante, still feeling stuck with Evelyn's tone. "I'm not in the mood for your usual comments."
Dante's smile disappeared, expecting Ethan to respond differently. He rolled his eyes, moving through Ethan's bed and appearing on the other side. He saw the boy still ignoring him even as he got close.
"What's weighing on you?"
"What do you care?"
"You are right. I don't care," Dante scoffed, crossing his arms and sitting on Ethan's bed. "Still going at it with your substitution powers. Stop fooling around and focus on building up the basics…you stupid fool. Why do you care so much for these kats to need you? To them, you are nothing but a tool."
Ethan winced, cursing, remembering his situation. "Shut up! Just leave me alone."
"Am I wrong?" Dante challenged, making Ethan turn and face the ceiling. He watches the boy cover himself with his arm, trying not to crumble at his anger and fears. Dante stayed quiet, eyeing the boy's distress blankly before sighing. He muttered his chant to see if Ethan's mana control was better, but the barrier was still present, yet it was smoother. Of course, Dante would have just mocked and allowed Ethan to wallow in his misery, but he could not look away from the human.
"Are you going to continue with this foolish little path?"
Ethan did not respond and kept quiet.
Dante let a rumble out, wanting to smack the kid but relaxed. "Fine then, I'll help you. I can't let you die out there."
"Huh? You will?" Ethan said, putting his arm down and looking at his mentor with confusion.
"Not like I have a choice in the matter, you stupid brat," Dante spat, getting a glare from Ethan. "I'll give you a choice, whether it be the slow or fast way you want to go about it. Let's start with your next lesson. Are you ready?"
Ethan looked at his injured arm and then at Dante, "Yes!"
"Restoration is your weakest pillar and requires more concentration. I wanted to shift your training to this once you learn better control with magic in case you ever injured yourself. I didn't expect it to happen so soon," Dante stopped, looking at Ethan's injuries before shaking his head.
"No need to chant but complete concentration as you apply magic around the injury like the cards. This will speed up the healing, but it will still take time to heal since all you are doing is wrapping a magical casket aimlessly. Wizards with an affinity to Restoration can heal faster and pinpoint the parts they want to recover."
Dante sighed, knowing Ethan wanted to know the faster method. He was still debating it, but better to go along with the boy's wishes and let the boy suffer on his own accord. Additionally, the boy is being thrown into the fire and needs to make up for his inexperience before Ethan fights something dangerous.
"However, since you want a faster solution, let's go with it the more extreme measure by substituting but more in a contract form. Almost like our agreement, but this is between you and yourself only."
Ethan raised an eyebrow, interested in hearing what Dante had to say.
"Let's say…." Dante smirked, already enjoying this. "It's an addition to that power. You want to accomplish something but lack the proper skills….instead of needlessly damaging your body, why not offer something like a loan? For example, you want to use manipulation spells, and you provide to lose your voice for an hour after accomplishing that feat. The more severe the punishment, the more you can accomplish."
"Like a curse?" Ethan said, clenching the bed sheets below him.
"Exactly! However, let's not be too crazy since all we need is a shoulder recovery. Mentally think about the contract and offer something….like maybe punishing yourself for changing the pain to something else. 'I'll suffer vivid nightmares that feel like my recovery time,' for example. You appear to be still recovering and need another week plus rehabilitation. So offer something to aid you to get back to peak condition," Dante said, satisfied with his explanation and preparing to head out, "Aim at your arm like a card and create a contract."
"I thought you didn't want me to do this?!"
Dante stopped and turned back to face Ethan, "Yep, though I'll respect your wishes. The decision is up to you. Just don't come crying to me when you regret it, my stupid friend."
Ethan blinked when hearing Dante call him a friend. The boy shyly looked away and smiled, "Bite me, my annoying friend."
Dante laughed and swiftly disappeared.
Ethan sighed, sitting upright and looking at his shoulder, pondering what he should give in return for healing it fast.
"Hmm…I guess I'll go with a vivid nightmare. Shouldn't be too bad, right?"
June was sitting on a bench in one of the city's parks, watching the citizens enjoy themselves and not worrying about the troubles that plagued this city. She wore sunglasses to hide her damaged eye, staring and smiling at the happy family from a distance. June sighed, closing her eye and imagining better times. Her ears perked when she heard someone pass her before coming back to her, stopping but not with hostility but steps of double-backing to make sure it was her. June smiled, easing her grip from the hidden gun on her side, and opened her eyes to see an old friend.
"Sourpuss!" she sang, getting a glare from Commander Feral and a growl. She saw him wearing a white T-shirt, shorts, and running shoes. She whistled, seeing how Feral kept in shape despite his age. "Enjoying a jog at this hour?"
"That's none of your concern….. Tundra," Feral smirked, seeing a slight reaction from June. Unlike everyone else, he could tell when June felt a certain way and would observe by her usual tell, which was her ears. Certain degrees would indicate if June was angry or happy.
"My my….I haven't heard that in a while," June said, attempting to keep her smile. She usually retaliated with a quip, but her eyes drifted to the family again. Her smile faltered. Looking to the ground for a bit before returning to the family.
Feral raised an eyebrow and followed her eyes toward the family in the distance, understanding what was bothering the she-kat. His eyes soften slightly before deciding to sit next to June.
"How long….has it been?" Feral asked.
June's ears flicked, refusing to look at the kat at her side, "Six years, four months, and fourteen days."
Feral nodded, looking at the family with June, they had no relation to her, but he knew why she was so fixated on them. He sighed, recalling that horrible day when this retired Enforcer returned to join the fight. Feral had categorized the most troubled Enforcers who joined as the hotshots, revenge-seekers, duty-bound, or their last option. Feral was one of them long ago, though he quickly shook his hotshot years when wanting to rise the ranks as soon as possible. However, he had a partner who went her separate way from him. Feral wanted power and status, while June wanted a family at a certain point.
"Say…how long ago was it?" June said, bringing Feral's attention to her, "When we were good with each other?"
"Twenty-three years ago, two months, and five days," Feral responded, "Was it you or me who ended it?"
"Definitely me," June smiled, not her usual façade but with a genuine one. "You were too much of a coward to end it. I swear you wanted to string me along until you got this position. You know I'm impatient to wait around for results."
Feral nodded and put his hand on hers, "He was a better tom than me. We can't regret what we did and the paths we decided."
"Ain't that the truth," June said, patting Feral's hand with her other hand. "But sometimes I wonder….about the what ifs, especially after seeing those other Swat Kats. I wonder how we are in different dimensions."
There was a brief silence between the two as they kept looking. June's ear flicked again, and she shook her head.
"Oh well!"
June quickly moved away from Feral, returning to her usual self and walking away. She waved at the stunned tom behind her, "Let's not get too sappy with each other, or kats will think differently of us. My unruly kittens are waiting back at base, and their kit still needs guidance."
June barely moved a few feet when she felt a tug on her arm. She sighed and refused to look back, "My my….chasing me? A little too late for that, no?"
"June, please…as much as you irritate me. I still worry about you."
June's ears flattened, but she freed her hand from the tom's grip, "Don't worry about me. Just…do me a favor and take care of yourself."
June took a couple of steps before stopping. She glanced back, "Any progress on your niece's condition?"
Feral looked away, ears down, gripping his fist, "No….she's still…."
June looked away, hating seeing her adversary like this. She cursed and walked back towards him. She placed a hand on his chest and looked into his golden eyes.
"She's a fighter….like you….and stubborn like her uncle."
In a small dark closet, a young boy held himself crying as he could not see anything but the sliver of light below the door. He recalled his father getting drunk and angry with him, dragging and pushing him there. The boy attempted to escape, but it was tightly secured with a lock, and his father would not let him out. It triggered the boy to breathe hard in the intimate space that seemed to get tighter and see the giant spiders crawling around him, getting huge with every passing minute.
"Dad, please let me out! I didn't mean to-" Ethan stopped, trying to recall what he did to his father. He was lost. Did he accidentally woke him up? Did he snap at his father like before, or did Agatha tell on him? What did he do? His father would be random at times, ignore him, verbally abuse him, or in this instance, lock him in the cabinet when he was feeling like punishing Ethan.
"Shut up!" a booming voice echoed so vividly as if he was right there inside. "I could have been something. Not this shit….but that stupid whore got pregnant….that does it!"
Ethan's eyes grew as he saw the light blocked with something, slowly making the closet room darker. Ethan begged with all his might for his dad to stop.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, please don't-"
It was too late. Ethan was now in total darkness. He felt like an eternity had passed as he shook and sobbed, crying for his father to forgive him and let him out. Seconds, minutes, hours, and days it felt like he's been in that room.
"Ethan"
Ethan's eyes opened to see he was no longer in the closet room but in another room with lights off. He was sweating a storm, his heart beating fast, and his eyes darting like a madman. Ethan felt a firm hand touch him, and he yelled in confusion, shoving whoever was touching him. He felt something and caused whoever was near to cry in pain. Ethan spent no time and started to furiously back up against the wall, throwing whatever was near him in that direction. When he could not throw anything, he quickly put his hands up and prepared for whatever came next.
The sound of a click happened, and the lights were turned on, revealing an annoyed Chance rubbing his nose as the boy had just assaulted him.
Chance was already hissing and ready to yell at the boy till he saw how terrified Ethan was and holding himself close, still panicking and refusing to look up. Chance felt his heart tug at the sight, quickly shaking his anger off and heading to the boy. He slowly approached the boy. As he closed in, he still was not receiving a response from Ethan, and he touched the kid's head.
"Ethan," Chance breathed silently.
Ethan smacked the tabby's hand, putting his knees up, crossing his arms, and putting his head down, effectively closing himself off. He was still shaking and sniffing, trying not to crumble from escaping his nightmare. It was only eight hours of sleep, but he was trapped inside his suffering for months.
Chance bit his lips, stuck on what to do, and looked at the door. He wanted to bring Evelyn here and help him console the boy but felt she would be devastated to see this. Chance shook his head, realizing he should attempt to fix this and help the boy. He thought about his late mother and what she would do in this situation, flinching as he recalled her struggling to make ends meet as a single mother and wanting a brighter future for him. Chance was thankful she never lived to see him like this, dying when he was still young and seeing him beaming with pride to become the best pilot in the world. Chance shook his head, trying to wash away the sad memories and only thinking about what his mother would do when trying to console him.
Chance slowly inches toward Ethan, moving to sit by him but making sure to give him space. His heavier frame made the bed cry as he finally made it to the wall, sitting with Ethan and waiting for a bit before continuing. He reached out with one hand, firmly but tenderly cupping Ethan's head to face him. Chance felt the kid attempting to fight him but could not.
"Ethan, look at me. Please, look at me," Chance said softly, watching the boy refusing to look at first before connecting with Chance's eyes, "I'm here, lil' bud. It was just a nightmare. You are here with me now, and you're safe. Look, see?"
Ethan relayed what Chance was saying in his head and looked at his surroundings to confirm. He took a shaky breath and nodded.
"Come here," Chance said with open arms, "Must have been something scary to-"
Ethan quickly moved in, hugging Chance and tightly holding on, trying to feel his guardian's comfort and ensuring he was still not dreaming. He refused to close his eyes and kept looking around in case something appeared around him.
Chance winced when feeling his fur clenched at his back but ignored it, resting his chin on Ethan's head and a hand on the boy's head. He gently rubbed the back of Ethan's head with his hand. It was slow, but Ethan's intensity started to simmer, and he breathed less erratic. After feeling confident enough, Chance asked Ethan to let go, which the boy refused.
"Don't worry, lil' bud, I'm still here," Chance coaxed, getting the boy to let go so he could inspect Ethan again. He finally had time to see that the boy's arm was off the sling, which appeared to be fixed, making him alarmed. He turned back to the boy, who noticed his stare and ashamedly looked away. "We should have Evelyn check you-"
"No," Ethan quickly cut him off, shaking his head and gripping his knees. "Please…don't tell her, Chance. Don't tell her about this, or she will freak out."
Chance sighed, placing both hands on the boy's shoulder, "Lil' bud, out of everyone, she will figure it out. She needs to examine you, and I need to find out you're okay. So let's-"
"Not about that….about how you found me," Ethan admitted, refusing to see her like this, broken and holding back the tears. "Look, I'll see her, but please don't make me go right now. Not like this….not like this."
Chance battle himself internally, one part telling him he should demand the boy to tell him what happened, and the other part worries that he would push the boy to run again if he does so. The tabby was at a loss. His mother would comfort him but firmly get the information out of him when he refused to tell her what was wrong. He cursed silently, asking for forgiveness from the doctor and his mother, thinking he needed more time to get at it.
"Alright….alright, come sit with me. We'll see her later then, " Chance said, guiding them to sit against the wall. "I won't tell her, but you need to come up with a good excuse for why your shoulder is all good now."
Ethan nodded and took refuge underneath Chance's arm. He felt warm, bringing him solitude from his nightmare, feeling the tabby like a shield. The boy would have stayed quiet but felt a lump in his throat, wanting someone to know what happened and someone Ethan had already told a bit about his life. Usually, he would lock up his problems and pretend nothing was happening to him, thanks to his real father calling him a faggot and saying that real men do not cry. Reflecting on the past about this tabby, Chance has not done that and would allow Ethan to cry on him, not mocking or calling Ethan weak for doing so.
Ethan debated for a bit until he felt Chance pulling him close, making him decide.
"Chance, please don't tell Evelyn this…I made a deal …to heal my shoulder in exchange for giving myself nightmares," Ethan paused, feeling his guardian's slight grip. He ignored it and continued, "I didn't know how bad it would be. I was stuck there! It felt like I was there for months! It felt so real! And and and-"
Ethan released a shaky breath, recalled the incident, and felt tears coming. He cursed and wiped his eyes furiously with his hands. He debated how far he should go with telling Chance precisely what had occurred in his dreams. There was a moment of silence, and Ethan did not hear anything from his guardian.
"Say something!" Ethan snapped, feeling agitated with the silence, and looked at Chance. He wished he did not as he saw Chance's soft eyes on him, no anger, just purely attempting to understand Ethan's pain. Ethan quickly looked away, now feeling guilty. "You probably think I'm some kind of fag for crying…..what you call it here? Tail swiper or something?"
Chance was at a loss, watching the boy refusing to look at him again and wincing when repeating something he said this morning. He looked around for guidance but could not find anything and looked above, asking for his mother's advice. There was only silence. Chance swallowed his pride and thought about something.
"You remember this morning?" Chance started, taking a moment, "I had a nightmare, and you asked me what it was about. It was….it was about when I nearly drowned one day….the day the Swat Kats were defeated and captured. We never really continue our conversation from before, right?"
Chance watch the boy, still looking down and nodding his head. Chance sighed, uncomfortable sharing his past but understanding he had to be the bigger tom. 'He's a kit!' he internally repeated, trying to motivate himself.
"It…..it was a day I would never forget. The day I found out there are alternative realities from this one. How many….I don't know. I saw a different version of myself and Jake. It appears they are heroes in their world, unlike….us here," Chance faltered. He bit his cheek inside, feeling his heart weighing like a brick and feeling like he was drowning. "We fought them…..we lost and nearly died. We didn't, and we were transported to the city's bay. Then…..I was underneath the water and….Shit!"
Chance growled, slamming his fist against the wall. He snarled at his situation and cursed everything in this world. He cursed Dark Kat, Feral, the Enforcers, and all those that caused him to land here...including himself. It has been one long journey of downs, and the tabby wanted to let go, giving up as there was no saving him from the waters. He started to move and would have left towards the kitchen for booze if not feeling Ethan's hand.
"Don't!" Ethan quickly said, "Don't go! Please…. I don't want to be alone right now. Please don't go."
Chance tapped his toes, looking at the door and then back at the kid. He needed a drink really bad and wanted to wash away his pain. He sighed, plopping back on Ethan's bed with his back turned, refusing to let Ethan see his anger.
Ethan could sense the tabby's annoyance. However, he refused to let go of Chance's hand, feeling frightened that Chance would leave if he did so. He felt guilty that he was selfish but did not want to be alone.
"I was…..having a nightmare about being locked in the closet…..by…..by my dad," Ethan stuttered.
Chance's eyes widened when hearing that, but he did not move as he did not want to interrupt the kid. He heard some shuffling behind him, feeling the kid putting his back against his. He glanced back to see the boy trying to formulate his explanation.
"When I pissed him off….whether it was my fault….or not. He would drag me to our small closet and lock me in. It was dark….small….and spiders would crawl around there. I hated it, but I couldn't yell, or he would extend the time. One time he…." Ethan stopped, shivering and exhaling, "He….forgot I was there for a day. Funny…..right? Maybe….….it was my fault that it happened. Maybe….. that's why he…. Forgot me."
Chance was stunned, feeling his mouth drop at hearing about that horrible experience. Every word Ethan said made him clutch his knees, almost clawing himself as he listened. Chance felt something new. Hearing Ethan's past made him angry, wanting to meet with this worthless father and beat him with an inch of his life. A small sob brought the tabby back, looking to see Ethan holding his face with one hand and tears falling.
"It's my fault, right? My…fault," Ethan sobbed. "I'm such a bother…to every-"
"No, you are not!" Chance interrupted with a boom, making Ethan jump and look at him. "Don't apologize for that piece of shit! If I could meet him, I'll strangle him. What he did is freaking inexcusable…motherfucker! God damn it! I wish I could see him and give him a piece of my mind."
Ethan flinched, confused at this situation, not expecting the tabby's outburst. He watched his guardian stand up and pace around the room, trying to cool down. Ethan was alarmed as he expected Chance to nod or tell him everything was alright.
Chance stopped, grabbing the kid's arm and dragging him to the middle. "Grab a sweater. Let's go!"
"Wait, what?!"
Ethan stood in the middle of a room inside the abandoned Enforcer building. There were a bunch of computers in this room, desks, and other furniture inside. It was a computer room where Enforcers would create reports, mess around during their free time, or work on things. The room was dusty and had been abandoned for many years.
"What are we doing?" Ethan asked, feeling a slight shiver from the cold morning.
"What does it look like?" Chance growled, handing a small crowbar to Ethan, "We are going to trash this room until we feel better!"
"Huh? Look, this is stupid! I'm fine….I'm…." Ethan stopped, gripping the crowbar. "How the fuck is this suppose to make me feel better!"
"You are going to let it all out! Smash anything you want and let it have it! Trust me, it feels good to let go and smash something," Chance said, pushing the boy towards a window. "Let's start with the windows!"
Ethan looked annoyed at Chance, "And I'm the delinquent? Come on, let's just go and-"
"Not happening. We are doing this, and that's final," Chance said, smacking the boy's back to motivate him, "Come on! Break this stupid mirror."
Ethan grumbled under his breath, looking around the room and wondering if he should leave with Shadow Gateway. However, looking back at Chance, he saw how eager the adult was for him to smash the window and waited patiently for him to do so. He sighed, raising the crowbar and looking out the window.
"Think about everything that pisses you off and swing it," Chance instructed.
Ethan groaned but started to think about his annoyance. The squid came to the boy's mind, wishing he could snap his problems like before and remembering how helpless he was after summoning the hands. Michael then came, and Ethan wished he could wipe that grin from the killer's face and twist his arms. Ethan's memories returned to him - his ex-friend backstabbing him, the goons chasing him, and his father ditching him when he needed him the most. Ethan felt awful recalling all of these things and was getting furious. 'How the hell was this supposed to help?' he thought internally, getting agitated with the tabby behind him.
"THIS. IS. FUCKING. STUPID!" Ethan snapped, throwing the crowbar at the window and breaking it. Ethan winced and expected Chance to yell at him for throwing the crowbar. "Oops, I didn't-"
Chance laughed behind Ethan, "Kit, what the hell was that? I mean, good job, but did you have to throw the fucking crowbar?"
"Well, I broke the window, so what?" Ethan blushed, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"Ah well, I was thinking about smashing but fuck it. Let's chuck some things! You in or what?"
Ethan saw Chance grinning at him and smacking a nearby computer screen. It was an odd feeling he felt, almost reminding him about his good times with Zoe. He felt a bit better after the throw, if he was honest. He scratched his arm and smiled.
"Sure!"
In an underground mini-city somewhere hidden below Megakat City, known as the Beast's Belly where criminals go to drown their sorrows, gamble, fuck, or wait until an opportunity arrives that can fill their pocket. Enforcers have heard about this remote area but do not know its location. However, even if they did, storming the expansive network would take a lot of firepower and body count. It was initially founded and grown by mafia leaders, but now every type of criminal is housed inside. Mercenaries, assassins, big and small criminal empires, and certain new omegas live there.
Inside a bar called the Drowning Kat, two mercenaries were drinking and slammed their drinks down on the wooden table they were sitting on. Both were known as the Sky Twins, a couple of kats resembling American Bobtails, with the only thing telling them apart was one missing an ear. River and Ryder Rogue were their names, with the one missing an ear being Ryder. They were enjoying themselves and ready to order another drink when their female companion tapped her claws at them in annoyance. They groaned, looking at the other side of the table to see the former deputy Callie Briggs eyeing them with hostility.
"Wha', you think ya' scare me?" River snapped, waving his hand at Callie, "Ya think just because you are shagging that Dark Kat fellow that I'm gunna respect ya?"
Callie's nostril flared, her ear twitched, and her green eyes hardened. She took a moment, as her hand was already reaching for a weapon in her satchel. She wore a similar outfit to Dark Kat but with a more feminine touch. She sighed and smiled at River.
"Adorable that you have anything to say to me or something comprehensible coming out of your mouth. Guess that injury in the head should have gone deeper to shut that mouth of yours," Callie said, getting a reaction from River.
"You fucki'-"
Ryder laughed, putting a hand on his brother's shoulder and pulling him back. From the beginning, he eyed the she-kat's movement, already predicting what she wanted to do. With a simple tap, he told his brother to leave them alone, which the brother obliged without hesitance. Ryder watched his brother head towards the bar and order a drink from the server.
"Don't mind, my brother. However, I would appreciate it if you didn't remind him about that incident," Ryder said with a smile, but one of his paw's claws extended and gripped the table. "I love my brother more than anything….so let's try to be civil as possible."
Callie eyed him cautiously and nodded, "As I said before, Dark Kat wants the both of you to cause a distraction and keep Enforcers busy so he can steal things from Puma-Dyne. So… are you interested?"
Ryder pulled his claws back and thought about the offer. The money was there, the jet provided by Dark Kat, but that was the main issue…Dark Kat. A mystery box that could shove a knife on someone's back when they are not looking. "Tempting, though, a deal with the devil, wouldn't you say?"
"Either take the deal or don't. I don't care," Callie spat, standing up and heading toward the exit, "You have a couple of days to decide."
Ryder watched Callie go to her escort, a henchman of Dark Kat that wore a mask and looked like a massive brute. When they were gone, Ryder sighed in relief and thanked the greater gods for giving him patience. He closed his eyes and reopened them to see a paw with a beer bottle, seeing his brother with a toothy grin and waving the drink at him. Ryder smiled back and grabbed the glass.
