MISSION 14
Half Truths
A year ago
"Don't worry, we are doing our best to get as many kats out of there," Alex Pawford said over the news. Her smile wavered as she carefully glanced to the side, where she could spot influential and powerful kats waiting for her to finish so they could demand their kats be saved first. "Every life is meaningful, and we-"
Such a bald-faced lie as this was not her city. Even her superiors and fellow peacekeepers know where the effort would go this day. If lucky, they could get everyone home, and if the gods above favored it. However, their citizens come first, and that's also in the mind of the other units from other countries.
Alex is currently stationed in a southern country known as Atheau, a seasonal country with it being summer. The land looked similar to Europe with its architecture and way of life.
Even as she spilled more lies, her eyes darted to the building some distance away, where a good number of kats were held by a bomb. The building is a non-profit organization with some employees being relatives to some of these demanding kats. Who will get out first, and who will be the unlucky few remaining as the madman's ridiculous demands can not be met?
Unfortunately, this day would serve as a reminder for many and Alex. Sometimes life is unfair, and wealthy kats get their way.
Present Time
Chance snarled as he took evasive actions with the Turbo Kat, avoiding the strange giant aquatic serpent terrorizing the oceans near Megakat City's oceans. It would have been no problem if the freaking snake did not have multiple heads like a hydra and thick skin like a diamond. He wished he could fight it anywhere except the ocean as he glanced at the waters below. Chance cursed, wishing Tina, Jason, and the Enforcers' Aqua Unit would evacuate the ship's sailors quicker.
"Any luck on your side?" Chance barked at his gunner, who grunted as his usual weapons were not working.
"Negative, T-Bone. For now, we can't use experimental weaponry and risk hurting our allies," Razor grumbled, hoping his new weapon could do the trick and eliminate the creature in one go.
"Atom! Valkyrie! Hurry your fucking tails already!" Chance growled over the intercom, seeing the pair guiding the last remaining sailors towards the ship's side where the HoverKat waited.
"Buzz off, flyboy! Almost done here!" Jason spat, with his figure quickly descending towards the HoverKat with a glide and with Tina behind him. The vehicle soon sped away, "All clear, Razor!"
"Roger!" Razor said, clicking on his missile that read 'AirKat' and aiming at the creature.
The AirKat a thicker than most missiles, with a 'V' logo to mark it. It dashed across the skies thanks to its thrusters, avoiding the tail about to swipe it. The missile went inside one of the creature's open mouths and disappeared inside.
"Razor, if you are trying to feed it to death, then it's not going to work," Chance said, moving away from the snapping heads.
"Shut it, you big oaf, and give it a second," Jake snarled, waiting a bit before feeling satisfied that it was deep inside. He grinned, clicking on the activation and looking at the serpent. "Let's see if its inside is hard as its outside!"
On cue, the monster screamed as the AirKat sucked everything inward in the stomach before harshly pushing out, making the beast squirt out its inside from each mouth and some gunk flying out towards the Turbo Kat. The Swat Kats grimaced as they were hit with monster guts, cursing as they washed this jet earlier.
"Couldn't avoid this, hotshot?" Jake scowled as his side was partially blocked.
"Oh, shut it, scuzzball!" Chance shouted, spinning the jet to eliminate as many unwanted items as possible. He switched gears and moved toward the direction of home, waiting to get away from the waters. Chance shifted in his chair, "Hey…..has the boy reached you recently….maybe having second thoughts…."
"Huh? Oh…..no, just him keeping me updated with his progress," Jake grumbled, checking his ammo count in case another call came. His ears flicked when hearing a sigh from the tabby, stopping and shifting to the pilot. "How's the wife?"
"Very funny….She's fine," Chance said, remembering the first days when Evelyn would call the boy constantly. He shook his head, "Though, she hopes Ethan changes his mind today….."
"Sounds like her," Jake chimed in, getting a grunt from the tabby. He rolled his eyes, wondering if he could distract himself till getting home, but his eyes returned to Chance. "…So, everything alright with him?"
"What's it to you?" Chance asked, almost sounding harsh.
"I could give two shits about you…..I'm just checking on my stupid student."
Chance growled but stopped to think about it.
"He's been…. a bit distant with me…..not sure what's happening with him. He's been acting weird after we went out," Chance said, frowning as his conversations with Ethan had been short but not exactly on the wrong side, just a bit less personal and more like talking to a distant friend. "I just wonder if everything is alright…."
Jake scratched his ears, wondering if he should stop and let the tabby to himself. His mouth betrayed him as it opened up, "T-Bone, he's thirteen, reaching his teenager years…..you know when we want more independence and stuff like that."
"I know that….this feels a bit different. Crud, it's like he flipped a light switch on me and wants more space," Chance grumbled, reflecting on that day and wondering where he might have overstepped.
However, the tabby had two kats to worry about, as the doctor had avoided him since the kiss. His shoulder slumped forward, and he gripped the control, wishing things were back to how they were.
Ethan felt burned out after seven days of continuous training. It was fun for him, except for the reading parts, which Benson guided him through and showed him a new way to break down reading assignments. He was far from perfect or a great spy, but they needed someone to acquire the basics quickly. Ethan rubbed his face, hoping he did alright with today's final field test.
This crash course taught the boy to set up tiny microphones and cameras, gather information, study maps for the nearest exit, and talk to a remote communication device. It was a lot to take in, with some stumbles here and there, but the boy learned quickly with all the hands-on material and thanked his training with Zoe as it helped him with the field test. Ethan felt like he was in a spy movie, and he was so eager to learn everything he could.
"Man….at least it's over," Ethan mumbled, resting on his bunk bed and hearing a rustle below him. He looked down to see a tired Benson cleaning his glasses, "So….how do you think I did?"
"I feel like you satisfied the requirements for the job," Benson said, shifting his glasses and putting them back on. He squinted his eyes when noticing the boy's socks on the floor and flung them towards the owner. "Though…. it's not up to me if you are given the green light if that's why you are asking."
"Boo….I hoped you had some say," Ethan pouted, catching his socks. "Say, Ben….. let's play poker again! I wanna practice with you again."
"Kit…. you're just going to get mad again when you lose," Benson said, shaking his head when the boy jumped down and grinned at him. "Fine…..though don't flip the table this time. Draw poker okay with you?"
"Sure!"
Ethan hoped to win this time and get the point in the 0-80 poker battle. Benson was good at keeping appearances, never breaking or indicating his thoughts. Of course, Benson would throw Ethan off with fake lies, folding his ears or shifting slightly, making the boy question everything.
They sat near a small coffee table, Ethan pulling the cards and the box of poker chips from the nearby cabinet. Benson shuffles the cards with ease. Both put one chip to play, getting a few cards. With Benson raising one chip, Ethan follows suit, and both discard a different amount of cards. Benson glances at Ethan and raises one chip, with Ethan following suit. Both show their cards, and Benson wins.
"You should have folded. Take this as a lesson….There's no shame in giving up when the cards are not in your favor. This is also true in the field as sometimes you have to fall back and regroup," Benson said, shuffling the cards and seeing Ethan cross his arms. A small smile forms as he stares at Ethan and recalls how this was how they spent their minimum free time together. "Still need to work on hiding your tells…..you have a bad habit of looking to the left when you have a terrible hand and to the right when it's good. Of course, you have other tells that give you up when you are lying."
"You're going too easy on me!" Ethan said, trying hard to hide his annoyance at losing. "I can take it!"
"If you say so."
It was a one-sided battle, with Ethan's chips disappearing like clockwork, and he was ultimately defeated. Ethan grumbled in annoyance as he saw Benson's towers of chips neatly organized by color and height, huffing and trying to think of a way of winning the next game. Benson chuckled, patting the fuming boy's head, hoping the boy would not throw something in anger.
"Better luck next time," Benson said, eyeing the clock nearby and frowning as the time nearly approached.
Benson wished the Enforcers denied Ethan and that they would look at an alternative solution to the mess. However, protecting the peace and kittens was a priority. At the same time, Ethan's well-being was dead last, especially for high-ranking politicians who were probably eyeing the situation and pushing the idea of Ethan getting thrown to the wolves. Benson let out a rumble in his throat at the thought.
"Something the matter?" Ethan asked, flinching when noticing the kat's fury.
"Oh…uh," Benson said. He looked away, "Just….thinking….can you please clean after yourself…..I keep finding socks on the floor."
"That's why I have you…my Four Eye Maid," Ethan chuckled, seeing Benson find another of his socks on the floor and sharply eye him.
Benson was a bit of a neat freak, and Ethan was a bit of a slob, much to the annoyance of the black kat cleaning up Ethan's mess, organizing their clothes, and ensuring Ethan brushed his teeth. Ethan knew Benson had his quirks, but sharing a room with him made him realize how thorough and meticulous he was. If Evelyn wasn't around, Benson would win as the concerned mother of the team. Of course, Benson was the unofficial psychologist of the group – Benson told the boy if he would like to talk about things, he would lend an ear just like he does for the rest of the team.
"Hiya!" Ethan shouted, flicking one of Benson's towers, making the adult huff in frustration.
"Seriously?" Benson grieved, shaking his head and cleaning up the mess. He grumbled something, quickly building the tower back and putting a paw to block Ethan. "Please don't!"
"Fine…fine," Ethan said, finding some victory as he leaned back and stared at the ceiling, "So…any last advice for me if I do go?"
"Hmmm…" Benson thought, putting a hand on his chin and rubbing it. He snapped his finger, "Yes, I do. Do you know what's the most effective way to lie?"
"Been good at it?" Ethan snorted, seeing Benson shake his head.
"Sure, but to make things feel more authentic and personal with a target, you must show some weakness. Mixing the truth and lies, a half-truth, allows you to create stories that sound more real and gets others to sympathize with you," Benson said. "A fabricated story could never beat a semi-real story. There's actual emotion when you say it."
"I don't think I would be comfortable telling kats about myself…..especially if I have to mix some of my past," Ethan muttered.
"Just offering an alternative solution in case you ever find yourself in front of a wall."
Mccoy saluted Feral and nodded a June as he left them, finishing his report and decision about Ethan. Feral stayed quiet, respecting the Captain's decision and eyeing June when it was just them two.
"You sure about this?" Feral asked, standing up from his chair and heading towards June, who stared out the window. Feral tenderly grabbed her paw despite her glare and held it.
"Feral…..we shared one night together a few weeks ago. Please don't tell me you are getting soft because of it," June said, attempting to annoy Feral with a grin. Her smile faltered, and she scowled when the tom looked at her with concern. "Damn it….sourpuss. I prefer your usual face….please, let's go back to how things were. It was just a moment of weakness for both of us-"
Feral was already kissing her before she could finish, making June flinch for once and accept the kiss. June hissed, wishing she had walked away that day in the park and not followed the tom back to his apartment. It was supposed to be a couple of old friends catching up with some wine, only for their young selves to rekindle a fire that they thought burned out. They shared a very long, angry, passionate, and lustful night. It ended with them in each other arms as they talked about things and June being honest with him.
Of course, they attempted to move on the next day and would keep antagonizing each other when meeting. However, both would glance at each other with the same eyes as that night, making them ease up when they argued alone.
Feral pulled out of the kiss, smirking as he saw June attempting to stay strong. He frowned when refocusing on Ethan, "There has to be a better way than this."
"Only way to show that he is not a threat," June sighed, cursing herself for being too open with the tom that night. She thanked herself for not opening herself all the way, "Many kats still think of him as a menace, and getting them to agree with me to be in my care was a struggle and many favors to pull."
"I think-"
"Feral….please, or do you want another repeat like our Aqueon alien," June reminded, getting Feral to close his eyes and look away as that memory attacked him. "Such a peaceful alien…..never hurt a fly…..yet a few kats decided he was a threat that must be dealt with. I bet some of the council were involved, some Enforcers, and others…..however, any evidence disappeared."
June touched Feral's cheek, getting the tom to look at her.
"I just….don't want the same thing to happen to Ethan. I want to show them he's here to help and force them to accept him into our society. You can't change kats if you idly stay in a box and hope they change their minds," June said, putting her head on the tom's heart, hearing his beating heart.
"Is that the only reason?" Feral said, pulling her close and nuzzling her head, "You seemed to have quickly decided to help him."
"Do I need a better reason?" June said, moving away from Feral and heading towards the door. "What can I say? When I decide something, I see it through till the end."
"I call bullshit on that. Funny….you were given the nickname Tundra since kats thought you were one cold she-kat," Feral said, making June stop and glare at him. He walked towards her, lifting her chin so they could be eye to eye, "However…..unlike the rest of them, I saw something within the cold…..the warmest heart I've ever seen…which is why I fell for you."
June grumbled something before going in for a kiss, "Stupid Sourpuss, you always said the sappiest things in the academy."
"Hey, it worked, did it not? Hard-headed Tundra," Feral growled, going for another kiss.
It was a sunny day, in the Broken Isles, with tourists from around the world enjoying their time. For three individuals, it was the opposite as they tried their best to avoid each other while waiting in the room in a nice hotel. In a couple of hours, they would embody the Milko family, becoming a loving family trying to get their son into a boarding school, Trinity Point.
The school in question was odd due to its creation being a cultivation of different cultures and beliefs. They interviewed the whole family to see if they fit Trinity Point's motto and always looked for unique candidates. The school was currently accepting new applicants to join them for next year. However, this was like a trial-like admission. It was in phases, with the potential students getting set up in a temporary dormitory and parents being allowed to visit during the days.
"So..." Chance attempted to say, grunting as it had been a while since he's worn a tie and fumbled with it before giving up. He wished things went smoothly today, but he had a couple of headaches. First, the couch was stiff, like a brick. He frowned, looking at the second problem, noticing Ethan ignoring him and looking at the school map and Evelyn staring out the window. Chance felt like he was in hell. "SO! Let's hope we can solve this problem soon and not get stuck with Ethan staying a whole year in school."
"Huh? Oh," Ethan said, nodding before looking back at the map and scratching his kat ear. They inserted the communication at the tip of his ear, and it felt odd that they could listen to him with this tiny, invisible device. He smiled and pressed on the back side of his ear, "Testing….testing."
"Stop messing with it," a sharp male voice said on the other line. Their ears flicked, "Once ready, head over there."
Ethan rolled his eye, knowing he was being monitored by a couple of kats in the embassy—a communication device on his ear and a hidden camera on his tie.
First, on his side, he had to pass the test and do a quick interview with the staff, which was the most crucial part. If everything goes well, they will be invited to experience the school the following week for five days. Of course, this is another test to see how new students acclimate with the other students and teachers while looking for anything that could spell trouble. However, everyone hoped they could finish the mission and find out the truth about why kits were attacking the parents before time ran out.
On the mission, Ethan would place cameras and microphones in designated spots on the first day. Gather information and follow up with other students on the previous victim, trying to locate and discover the actual reasons for the attacks. Chance and Evelyn would do the same more carefully, as they were more monitored than the students. Unfortunately, there was little to go on as there were no potential suspects or indication of where to look.
"None of it matters if I can't get in," Ethan muttered, tapping his chin as he tried focusing on the map and studying it to prepare for his first day if he succeeded in the first phase.
Evelyn glanced at Ethan before looking at Chance, who was still trying to fix his tie correctly. She stood up and headed towards the tabby, getting a look but ignoring it as she helped him and head tilting up when it was done. They stared at each other for a moment before Evelyn looked away.
"Did you bring it?" Evelyn whispered.
Chance squinted his eye until he realized what she meant and gave her a silver pin with a star logo. He watched her head towards Ethan, still messing with the map.
"Here we go," Evelyn said, putting the pin securely on Ethan's collar shirt.
"What's this?" Ethan said, looking at the star pin closely. "Looks cool."
"Just making you look good," Evelyn said, noticing his hair and quickly licking her paws, fixing his hair. The kid tried jerking away, but Evelyn kept a firm hold on him with her other paw. "Hold still."
"Gah! A bit of a warning next time!" Ethan protested, feeling Evelyn groom his hair.
Alex's tail swished behind her as she moved around the embassy, wondering what happened to have her removed from babysitting that old fart. She was told to join another division recently set up there, been the eyes and ears for Captain Chambers if anything occurs. Alex was a bit late, though she was in no hurry as she left her room to meet her new co-worker, already thinking about how to word her transfer request letter.
"I believe it's here," Alex said, opening the door and entering a tiny area with monitors located everywhere on the wall and some other equipment. She whistled at the sight, closing the door behind her, and saw a cute munchkin kat spinning around his swivel chair to see her. "Hello, darling, I'm-"
"Late," the white and brown fur tom said, shorter than Alex and a bit of a mess as his fur was frazzled. This was John Bitz. John wore a tired look, pajamas, and a T-shirt that screamed 'Shut Up.' He tried to look annoyed and stern, but the molly awed his attempts and approached without care. "I was almost happy when you didn't show up today."
"And I'm glad I did, cute stuff," Alex said, fighting the urge to fight her desire to pinch John's cheeks. She grabbed the nearest chair when she realized the makeshift bed on the floor. "Wow…..someone seems to have set up here. Planning to live here for a couple of days."
"Mind your business," John blushed, not wanting to reveal he got here days early and set up this little haven for himself. He heard his mini-fridge open, making him snap to the side as see Alex going through his stuff, "HEY! Don't…..shit!"
Alex had already popped open a coffee can drink and looked at the only camera. She noticed it was attached to someone named Ethan and saw him entering the school. Alex stopped mid-drink and glanced at John, "Hopefully, things go alright, or there will be hell to pay with the other nations."
"Don't worry, the kit was given the okay by my captain, so he should be okay not to blow it for us," John said, ears flattening as Alex drank his favorite drink. "You owe me a Kat Koffee."
"How about a date," Alex said, smiling and leaning forward to show John a bit of her cleavage. She liked two things, cute things and making toms squirm when she played with them. Alex saw John twitch and quickly block the view with a nearby binder, "Oh….shy one aren't ya darling?"
"Stop playing around and focus," John attempted to sound professional, but his get-up would not help. He cursed this and breathed in annoyance, "I know about you…..Miss Heart Breaker. Don't think you can fool me!"
Alex laughed, grabbed the binder, sat down, and spun her chair to see the monitor.
"We'll see about that…..for now, let's get this kit to pass his entrance exams with flying colors," Alex said, glancing back at the irritated kat, "Let's work together on this…..partner."
John groaned, shaking his head and refocusing on the task. He clicked on one of the buttons to communicate with Ethan.
"Kit, just a reminder, don't block your camera and use hand signals to communicate with us."
Ethan's ears twitched as he wanted to scratch it, as it had been bugging him the whole day. It wasn't good to constantly be assaulted in his ear about how to answer all the questions. He sat in a hallway with other applicants, and they had just finished the entrance exams, with the following part being the one and one interviews. Apart from the dead silence, Ethan could hear some mumbling to themselves as they attempted to ease their worries before the interview. However, the interviewer decided to go randomly when selecting who went next, which made the kittens worry more.
"Almost like they are in front of a firing squad, ey?" a voice spoke to Ethan on the side, making the boy look to it to see orange kat with blond hair. The kit was broad and taller than Ethan with a bored expression as he casually sat and chuckled when re-examing the room. He turned his attention back to Ethan and grinned.
"But for some reason….you don't seem that worried. The name's Kyle Steel. So what's your story?" Kyle said, reaching for a hand to shake Ethan's hand.
"Trevor Milko," Ethan said, cautiously shaking the kit's hand and wondering what the boy wanted. He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head, "What do you mean?"
"I mean, look, we got a bunch of snobs that want to get in," Kyle said, pointing at the crowd and getting a couple of glares. He ignored them and scratched his ear, "You seem different, that's all. Me? I can give two shits about it and want to return home. Only my good old mom wants me to get in…..though. My good-for-nothing dad didn't bother to come."
"Huh? That sucks to hear. My parents want what's best for me….I guess," Ethan said, glancing at the door and seeing an applicant exit the office, appearing like he saw death for the first time. "Are the interviews that bad?"
"Eh….depends on whom you get," Kyle said, scratching his chin and leaning back as he stared at the ceiling. "I think I heard someone say it. Professor Baxter will be our interviewer. Thank the higher gods! I heard he's picky about who comes in."
Ethan's eyes widen, reaching the tip of his ear and clicking on it as if he was scratching it, "So, Professor Baxter is doing the interview? Not Professor Pepper?"
"Stand by. Hmmm….. it seems she got changed around…Damn it, this tom fails a good percentage of kits! Let me review his past applicants and see if I can find something. Just give me a second and-"
"Trevor Milko?" a school assistant called out after exiting the room and holding a clipboard. She scanned the room for Ethan and was about to say something till Ethan stood up.
"Well….. let's see what happens?" Ethan said to Kyle, internally shitting bricks as he walked casually towards the door. "Good luck on not getting in."
"Same to you!"
"Shit, keep the channel open, and let me see what we can do."
Chance and Evelyn smiled and nodded as they waited with the other parents for their children to finish for today. Some of the school staff talked to them, getting a feeling of each parent and mentally taking notes as they softly interviewed the parents. A few moments ago, a relatively young teacher talked to them about their hopes and dreams for their child and why they thought this school was a good fit for him. Both would answer the questions quickly and give her what the teacher wanted to hear.
"So, Sophia, mind if we step out for a bit," Chance said, finishing a conversation with a tom and looking at Evelyn with a smile.
"Of course, Nicholas," Evelyn said, wrapping her arms around Chance's big arms and following him out. She could faintly hear the wives behind her awing and could swear they were throwing daggers at their partners.
Chance exited the room with Evelyn, guiding them around until he spotted a door and quickly got in. Once the door closed, both kats dropped the act and let go of each other as they grumbled their annoyance.
"I swear if I have to hear another boring conversation, I will…..crud," Chance said, reaching inside his pocket and pulling out a flask. However, he quickly poked a claw into a small opening to reveal a hidden compartment. A pair of earpieces were inside, and he handed one to Evelyn.
"I hope Ethan is doing okay on his end," Evelyn said, clicking on the earpiece and putting it in her ear. He glanced a the tabby, "….you are pretty good with kats. Surprising."
"Huh? Oh…..well, you ain't bad yourself," Chance said, inserting his device and only briefly glancing at the doctor.
The unfortunate thing with the Enforcers' communication was that they could not listen to the boy's side, so they added their microphone. Evelyn had asked Jake to create something for them to listen in on Ethan during the mission, with Jake handing the device to Chance when he finished. They listened on, hearing nothing but Ethan's breath until someone else spoke.
"Trevor Milko. I usually have a list of questions they expect me to give you and the rest of the kits, but…I have no interest in that."
Ethan sat across from Professor Baxter's desk in a small office-like room. It was filled with bookshelves, a fireplace, and some decorations with old medieval art. Professor Baxter appeared like a Burmilla cat breed, with yellow eyes, short orange hair, and a jaded face as he stared at the window.
Ethan blinked, stumped for a bit before examining the professor's expression. From the get-go, Baxter ignored Ethan and stayed silent as he thought about something. Baxter did not acknowledge Ethan when he spoke, tapping his fingers on the wooden desk as he kept thinking. The tom finally glanced at Ethan and sighed.
"Why should I?" Baxter said before returning his attention to the window.
"I'm sorry?" Ethan said.
"Is that your answer?" Baxter said, shaking his head and looking at Ethan again. He let out a breath as he leaned on his paw and tapped his head, "Just tell me how you want to get into the school…..how you wish to become successful and continue your family's dynasty…..or whatever."
Ethan stayed silent, thinking about going with a scripted answer they had prepared him for.
"Jeez, this kat is an oddball. Let's see, just stick with the script, and you should be fine," Ethan's monitor said.
Ethan internally nodded, prepared to go over what Trevor would say but stopped when seeing Baxter again. He rethought it as he recalled all the unlucky kits to get this professor and probably told the standard answer that would usually get their foot in the door. However, Baxter did not seem interested in that and was expecting it as he looked at Ethan with eyes that already wanted to fail him.
Ethan swallowed his saliva and wondered what he should do. He was stuck, and his head was trying to think of something to wow this professor. Ethan thought for a moment till Benson came to mind and his advice.
"A half-truth…." Ethan whispered, frowning as he prepared himself and looked at the ceiling. He thought about it and looked back at Baxter. He was going to gamble, "I don't really care about going to this school if I'm honest…."
There was a slam on the other end, with John quickly speaking up, "WHAT?! Why would you-"
Professor Baxter's eyes shifted a bit, letting go of his face and making sure he heard right. After a moment, he slowly moved himself to lean forward on his desk.
"What do you mean? Then why bother coming here?" Baxter said.
"Huh? Seems that caught his attention…..well….. let's just stick with the script from now on."
"I'm just doing it for them…my folks….that's all," Ethan said.
Baxter sighed, waving his hand, "So does every kit that comes here. What makes your situation any different from them?"
Ethan flinched, feeling he went back a step. He gripped his knee and rubbed his mouth as he carefully thought. Ethan knew he needed something to regain the interviewer's attention.
"True….but my situation is a bit different…you see, they are not my parents. I'm adopted," Ethan said, making Baxter's eyes widen, and John screamed obscenities in his ear. He flinched and rubbed his head, deciding to go with this angle. "I was a nobody that got lucky and landed in their care. Weird….one day I was poor, and now I have everything."
Baxter blinked, frowning and putting his arms together as he thought. His distant appearance seemed gone, and he now appeared focused on what was before him.
"You do know that the school prefers dynasty kittens. They aren't keen on adopted kits….despite your parent's wealth and status. Why tell me this?" Baxter said, raising an eyebrow.
Ethan ignored the annoyance in his ear and looked away toward the window. "I know….. it's just that…despite not being theirs, I want to make them happy…..proud of me, which is why part of me wants to get into the school. However, another part of me wants to do something else…..like spend more time with them."
"Hmmm…..I see," Baxter said, grabbing a nearby file of Trevor and looking at the contents filled out by the Enforcers. He sighed and put it down, "It seems your parents went to a lot of trouble to hide your past. Not really uncommon for elites when trying to cover up things. Since this file is pretty much useless….I want you to fill in the blanks and tell me who Trevor Milko is. "Let's start by understanding your origins….if you remember your birth parents."
Baxter stood from his chair and walked around his desk, leaning back and staring at Ethan.
"No lies….I want a clear picture of who is sitting before me," Baxter said, crossing his arms and waiting for Ethan to continue.
Ethan winced, looking at the ground momentarily before deciding which path he should take, shifting from half-lies to half-truths. He looked at Baxter, who appeared interested in him now and knew a lie would not cut it.
"I do…. it's not a great memory, so…." Ethan trailed off, shaking his head and looking down. His eyes darted around, and he bit his lips, slowly looking back at Baxter as he felt the heavy chains weighing him down. He felt cornered, his heart beating a hundred miles, almost wanting to pull his ring and run.
Internally, the boy wanted to stop but could not, as he thought he was in front of a firing squad, ready to blast him if he lied. He whimpered, wanting someone here, a certain tabby instead of Baxter. He felt his mouth moving on his own.
"Please….don't tell anyone about this…..especially my parents since they don't know about my birth parents…please."
Baxter's eyes soften, putting a paw on Ethan's shoulder and nodding. To be fair, Ethan was telling this to his monitors other than Baxter, wishing they stayed quiet when hearing this.
"Where should I…start…my father was not a great kat. He would drink till stupid, and I….always found him on the floor. He was always angry and blaming others for his situation…..thankfully, his favorite object to swing at was the walls…..so I guess you can call me lucky not to have dealt with that kind of abuse," Ethan stopped, touching his arm that his father broke. He looked away, feeling less courage to continue, "My mom…..died when I was six. I don't really have much memory of her…..and that's pretty much the story of my real parents."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Baxter said, looking sympathetic at Ethan and studying the boy closely. He took a moment before continuing, "So…..last question. What do you hope to achieve here? Money, power, status, or…."
Ethan stayed quiet, hearing what Baxter said but taking his time to relax. He breathed in and out, counting to ten before rubbing his eyes.
"Not really, of course….," Ethan stopped. "If I do achieve things after school…..I want to focus on helping the less unfortunate as they did to me. But I don't give a shit about high-class life…..oh sorry, didn't mean to curse, sir."
Baxter stayed silent, reflecting briefly before signaling Ethan to exit the room with a paw. Ethan blinked but solemnly nodded and stood up, reaching for the doorknob. As he left, Baxter kept his eye on him, but his eyes dropped to a nearby photo. His assistant came into the room and closed the door behind her.
"So…..should I mark him as a fail like most of the kits or-"
Ethan grumbled, sitting on his hotel bed and eating a bag of chips. He would occasionally look at the television in the room and see international news about some lion king in a distant land wishing to create unity with other countries, planning to visit them in the coming months. Ethan would see the prince, who appeared younger than him, not wanting to be there as the cameras flashed photos of him.
"I guess being rich isn't all that great," Ethan mused before leaning back and wondering if he messed up today.
Shaking his head, Ethan headed to the room's balcony and rested on the metal pole, watching the sunset on another day. He wondered how a certain kat was doing for a second but got his answer as he felt a chill on his side. He saw Dante had returned from his exploration, donning a frown and deep thought as he sat on the balcony's rail.
"Everything good?" Ethan asked.
"Hmmm….oh," Dante said, looking at his student and eyeing him. He seemed to be really thinking his following words and shook his head, "It's nothing…..I sensed some magic when we arrived here, but it disappeared before I could find it."
"Huh? So there might be some wizards nearby?" Ethan said, glowing with curiosity and the possibility of meeting another magic user. "If you do find one, maybe I can meet them and-"
"I don't think you are ready for this."
"What? Ready for what?"
"Ethan, let's say if the possibility of another wizard been around, and they are hostile….you would lose."
Ethan blinked in confusion, wondering where his teacher was going with this. He recalled Dante getting annoyed with Ethan as he had to follow the boy here away from Megakat City, but he soon changed his attitude when they arrived.
Ethan heard the door open behind him and quickly glanced at Dante, but he already hid inside the kid's bracelet.
Evelyn was the first to arrive, kicking her heels and feeling relieved as she approached her bed. She threw herself on the bed and mewed in joy as she slowly turned to face the ceiling. She grumbled something before glancing at the approaching boy.
"Sorry, they had us for a while. I hope you weren't too bored out of your mind," Evelyn said, patting the bed for Ethan to sit with her.
"It sucked for a bit. At least we have a TV in our room…..I guess kats still don't trust me around by myself," Ethan grumbled, remembering his monitor telling him to stay in this room despite Ethan wanting to explore the hotel. On the other hand, Alex would tell Ethan to go for it and have fun. He pressed the tip of his ear, "I can't do anything without supervision…..next time, sign my permission slips, Eve, so that John can get off my ass!"
"I wouldn't get on your ass if you stayed with the script! Turning off communications for now. Goodnight!"
Ethan huffed, crossing his arms and thinking about getting back at John after the mission. It was nonstop nagging from his monitor and worsened after the interview. Ethan leaned against Evelyn and hoping he did not fail the mission.
"Did I…..mess up?" Ethan mumbled, feeling Evelyn knead his neck, making him purr and relax. It felt weird but good. He nuzzled his head towards the hand as Evelyn kept going. "Now I know how cats at home feel when you pet them!"
"Hmmm…..it would be interesting to see these cats from your world," Evelyn said before her eyes softening when looking at the boy. She frowned as she recalled what she had heard, "Speaking of your home…do you mind if I ask you a question?"
"Sure….shoot," Ethan said.
"How was….your birth mother," Evelyn said, feeling Ethan tense up and look down at the floor.
Ethan felt his heart tug, hating that he had already told a stranger about his real mom. He scowled, sharply glancing at Evelyn till seeing her soft look like a patient parent waiting for a response. Ethan froze, looking back down and thinking about it for a while.
"If you still don't want to talk about it, then-" Evelyn stopped, feeling Ethan move away.
"Just…don't want to….maybe sometime later," Ethan said, shaking his head and grumbling at the memory. "It's just….not something that I want to remember."
Evelyn nodded, but her heart wanted answers, and she licked her lips, "Was she abusive towards you?"
"What!? No…..no, she was not. I know Chance told you about my dad but don't assume the same thing about her!" Ethan snapped, standing up and walking away. He paced around the room and gripped his arm, "God, I wished he kept his mouth shut about that!"
"Don't blame him…..he cares about you," Evelyn said, watching Ethan give her a look. "Is something the matter? You've been acting pretty odd with him recently…everything okay with you and him?"
"I can ask the same thing about you and Chance," Ethan deflected, seeing the doctor look away at the mention of the tabby. He winced, easing up, "What happened after I left? You two are acting so weird..….. I can tell something is up."
"We just had a misunderstanding about things."
"Like?"
"Grown-up stuff," Evelyn said, looking back at Ethan and noticing his concern. She attempted to smile, "Don't worry, we just need time to let it pass."
"Uh huh," Ethan said, unconvinced and wanting to know what was happening with his two favorite kats.
The trio would spend time together, whether Evelyn joined in with them and laughed at how childish Chance was with Scaredy Kat or Chance coming to bug the doctor when she was teaching Ethan first aid. Unlike the first weeks they met, they ate together and got close as they lived in the Strays. It was fun, something Ethan cherished when standing between the two.
It hurt like a million knives stabbing Ethan's heart when they ignored each other, almost reminding him of how his parents acted with each other – distant, cold, and almost like they were blaming each other for something. He hated it and wanted them back the way they were before this mission. Ethan looked at the doctor, and a thought came to him.
"Say….you have your coin with you?" Ethan said, getting the doctor's attention. He pinched himself to move forward with his plan, "If you win, I'll tell you about my mom…but if I win, you will tell me what's going on with you and Chance."
"Ethan, let's not-"
"Please….." Ethan said softly before weakly grinning, "Or are you too scared to lose to me?"
Evelyn momentarily looked at the boy, cursing herself as she was too weak to answer the boy's question directly. Whenever she wanted to say anything personal to Ethan, she would freeze up, and her mouth would stay shut. Chance almost got her to tell Ethan about her crime, but the sudden appearance of her dead kitten made her back off. She glanced at the door, wishing Chance would hurry up with whatever he was doing and interrupt this. However, she felt her hand thinking for her and pulled out her favorite coin.
"Heads or Tails," Evelyn said, looking back at the boy.
"Tails!"
The coin was flipped, spinning briefly as it landed on her wrist as she caught it. Ethan got close to seeing the results, and both held their breath. The doctor moved her hand and revealed….Tails. Ethan was relieved, letting out a breath, and Evelyn's ears fell.
"So…..what's going on between the two of you?" Ethan repeated.
"Damn it," Evelyn whispered, sighing and nodding her head. She saw Ethan sit beside her again and wait patiently as she prepared herself. Her eyes darted around and thought about it. "After you left…..we kissed for a moment."
"That's it?" Ethan blurted out, relieved, "I thought you guys were fighting about….. never mind about that. Is he a terrible kisser or something?"
"No….he's not," Evelyn blushed, touching her lips as she recalled it. "It's just that…."
Chance stared at the night sky, looking like he just got the worse news ever, and looked at the communicator he had left on the edge of where he sat. He had just finished an awkward conversation with Pops. Calling it a conversation would do no justice as both males stayed quiet and asked the other how they were doing like two strangers. Pops finally broke the stalemate, asking Chance about Ethan and their history.
A big lie is what follows. Chance would tell Pops he was unaware of Ethan's existence until later in jail. The mother approached him, and he had slowly gotten to know his 'son.' After making a deal, he exited the prison and worked with the Enforcers again. He's trying to help the mother as she focuses on her career and him raising the kit. A bunch of half-truths that Pops bought. Only now, Pops wants to meet the mother when he can.
"Shit…the more I open my mouth, the deeper the hole I dig myself," Chance growled, grabbing the communicator and heading back inside. The roof was quiet and away from anyone to hear him, plus the view eased him a bit.
It was short for the tabby to arrive on his floor and approach his room's door. Chance almost turned around to go to the bar but knew he could not avoid the two problems. He had already planned it out, planning to take the couch and let the two take the beds. Chance was about to reach for the door handle but felt conflicted about going in. He grabbed the flask and opened the secret compartment, taking the two earbuds and hoping to hear silence.
"…..what's going on between the two of you?" Ethan said.
Chance's ears perked, wondering whom Ethan was referring to, until hearing a sigh from Evelyn.
"After you left…we kissed for a moment," Evelyn said.
Chance would have shut off the communication device, not wanting to be eavesdropping on their conversation, but his hands refused to move, and he leaned against the wall as he waited.
"That's it!?... I thought you guys fought about….. never mind about that. Is he a terrible kisser or something?"
Chance raised an eyebrow, thinking back at the kiss and shaking his head.
"No….he's not…It's just that…it's hard for me to imagine myself with someone new. I've only been with one tom for so long…and it ended badly. I don't think I'm ready to enter another relationship," Evelyn said.
"You don't like him?" Ethan said, "I mean, he's an asshole sometimes, but he's not that bad. Then again….he snores like a truck, is rough around the edges, and has a temper like a volcano."
Chance tensed up, almost ready to turn off his communication and planning to chew the kid out later.
"…I mean….. he's childish, angry, and very annoying at times," Evelyn said quickly, making Chance feel like he was getting shot. He sighed, regretting staying on and about to pull out, "….but….."
Chance stopped and listened closely.
"But?" Ethan asked for Chance, making him want to hug the boy.
"He's so much more….he's kind, gentle, strong….handsome…..oh….I uh….forget that part," Evelyn said before letting out a huge sigh. "I just don't know…..I don't want him to get hung up on me….or get his hopes up when I haven't made peace with myself."
"I don't get it."
"Wait until you find someone. You'll understand the feeling."
"Yeah…..I don't think that will happen, especially with me being a human and only kats around…this sound complicated, and I'll stick with my comics."
Chance felt hopeful, but another part thought about what Evelyn said, making him question if he was rushing into his feelings. He did not want Evelyn to be his rebound but someone with whom he could form a strong connection. Chance felt that he did like the doctor, but maybe a part of him was trying to hold on to the past and use her to get back what he lost.
"Shit."
Evelyn laughed, bringing the kid close and wishing he stayed like this forever. She gently brushed his hair and looked at his eyes, heart-gripping slightly as she still saw Atlas. Evelyn sighed, placing her head on Ethan's, and thought about her late son.
"I wished you could have met Atlas," Evelyn said, "You two probably would have liked each other?"
"How was he?" Ethan said.
"He was kind, a bit shy, but would love to explore and get himself into trouble…..one time, I once lost him at a shop. He scared the tail out of me, and I tried finding him, only to discover him hidden behind a rack of clothes. He said, 'You found me!' and I couldn't get mad after seeing his smile. Of course, I did ground him, but….he was my little explorer, and it wasn't the only time he pulled something like that," Evelyn said as she recalled the memories. "I just wished…..I could have been a better mother…..sometimes work kept me away from my kitten….. I could have been there and…."
Ethan felt her shiver, and he pressed himself closer to her, nuzzling her neck in hopes of easing her. Evelyn accepted it and nuzzled him back, hugging him tighter as she released a shaky breath.
"You seem like a great mom….Atlas was so lucky to have you as a mother," Ethan said, closing his eyes and feeling the warm embrace from the she-kat. He opened his eyes and hugged her tighter, "Trust me on this…..I wish…..my birth mother could have loved me like that…."
"Ethan….you don't have to…."
"It's fine….just know she didn't abuse me or anything like that….she," Ethan said, letting go of Evelyn and looking at the floor. He scratched his arm, "She…..didn't see me…It's hard to explain…..I don't remember one bad or good memory with her, if I'm honest. She was just there…..she fed, clothed, washed me…but that was it. Then she….."
Ethan shook his head and smiled at Evelyn.
"Let's move on…talking about things like this is such a drag, no?" Looking away towards the balcony, Ethan said, "A beautiful night today…..right?"
Ethan didn't react when he got no response and attempted to ignore Evelyn's stare.
Evelyn was about to reach for the boy when she heard the door open. She looked to see Chance entering the room, messing with his tie and throwing it to the side. Evelyn saw him approach them, sitting beside her and glancing at the kid. She raised an eyebrow as they had avoided each other apart from when they played Sophia and Nicholas.
"So….." Chance began, getting both of their attention. He grinned, "I thought since we won't get an official answer till tomorrow. Why not enjoy this little trip? Whadda ya say…..both of you?"
Ethan gave Chance a look to protest but glanced at his mini prison, "Sure…..better than staying locked up here."
"And you…my dear wife?" Chance joked.
Evelyn was surprised, wondering what happened to the tabby, but smiled as she was glad. She played along, "What are you thinking…..my husband?"
"Hmmm….so I was thinking, let's check out one of those restaurants from another land….I saw some stay open late, and then let's walk around the beach. How does that sound?"
Citizens in Megakat City are aware that the city is filled with mysteries, danger, and developing issues. They have been attacked by psychotic geniuses like Dark Kat, mutated creatures like Viper, and a magical wizard like the Pastmaster. At this point, expecting the unknown was the norm for all who resided in this city. A few hoped that the Pastmaster was the only being with magic they had to deal with in their nine lives, unaware that the Enforcers and Strays were working with one.
However, all were unaware, and hidden from Dante's vision, there was a secret world of magic and a society of wizards that lived in Megakat City. Using enchanted doors, some of these wizards would live a double life and serve as guardians to the doors that lead to the Megalith Kingdom, a name to honor their ancestors that the Pastmaster killed. Traveling through this door would lead kats to a mirror world of the city's center, shrouded in darkness with lanterns and scattered light sources. The city would appear engulfed in a cave with a black sky that sometimes shows glimmers of light. Thousands of wizards lived in this city, increasing every decade.
If ordinary citizens knew about this, they would ask why this society did not help them when dealing with the Pastmaster or any other problems they dealt with. Unfortunately, they would soon find their answer with the disgusting looks wizards would give them. Of course, the wizards would never allow that to happen in the first place, as they vowed to separate themselves from 'blanks' situations and keep to themselves. Only act if something could pose a problem to them or something that the blanks should not have.
A lone robbed figure walked across the city. A red kitten with a patch of white on the left of the face, cold eyes despite his warm white eyes, and around eleven, was heading towards the exit. His robe was red with some black, a book strapped to his side, and a white jewel on his neck. He seemed bored as he ignored the citizens around him and kept to himself.
Wyatt Woodward was his name.
"So….not saying goodbye, leader?" a tall snow leopard said, late-twenties, strong as apparent to his big naked arms, slash mark across his face, and wide grin as he picked on his teeth. He flicked the food away and laughed as Wyatt brushed him off, keeping his focus ahead. "So mean! At least say bye to your pa…or the king wizard will chew me out later."
"Shut it, Blaine," Wyatt said, finally stopping and glaring at Blaine Moon with disgust. He was about to say something till he thought about it and shook his head. "I'll be back in a few days…. the lady watchers have reported minor disturbances in the Broken Isles. Probably some blank finding an artifact or low-deity getting loose."
"Need assistance?"
"Do I ever need assistance?"
"How about some emotional support? How will you ever get friends if you keep having a stick up your ass? Or a mate when you come of age?" Blaine said, laughing as Wyatt fur frazzled and scoffed at him.
"How about instead of focusing on me…..you focus on finding that new wizard? Speaking of which, any luck so far?" Wyatt clicked his tongue when noticing Blaine's ignorance, "Have you even attempted to look for him?"
"Kit, don't worry about it! Plus, it's hard to get close when he's surrounded by kats all the time," Blaine said, playfully patting Wyatt's head. "Calm down! He's still a category ten issue….so stop glaring at me like an adult and act more like a kitten for once!"
"Better assess the situation right away and see if he is a threat to our kats," Wyatt growled, slapping Blaine's paw away. He chanted under his breath, turning to light and zooming out from the adult with him, saying, "Get serious for once!"
Blaine pouted, putting his hands behind him as he watched the light orb head toward the exit some distance away. His grin faltered as he could see the kit left, making the adult look towards the castle in the middle of this world.
"Wished you could talk to him, o' great king…..he's your fucking kit," Blaine said, shaking his head and looking towards the black sky. He sniffed something delectable close by and headed toward the source. Blaine grinned as he recognized the fresh smell of pie and licked his lips. "Don't worry, Wyatt…I'll take care of it later…no harm in taking your time and enjoying the small things around you."
Ethan grumbled in his sleep as Chance gently placed him in the bed and Evelyn wrapped him. They stayed a bit later than anticipated, with Ethan falling asleep on the beach. It was fun for them, distracting themselves until they received the news tomorrow.
"The kit is a heavy sleeper," Chance yawned, watching Evelyn brush Ethan's face before going to the other bed. He grumbled to himself if he should shower but was too tired like Evelyn, grabbing some pillows and sheets. Chance eyed the couch with disgust, "I think my bed in prison was better."
"What are you doing? The bed has enough space," Evelyn said, seeing the tabby's expression and sleepily pointing at the king bed's other side, "Just stay on your side, and I'll stay on mine."
"Uh…." Chance said, eyes drifting towards the bed and the couch before finally looking at Evelyn for confirmation, "You sure?"
"Fair warning, I'll hurt you if you try anything," Evelyn half-warned and half-joked as she chuckled at the tabby's lost expression. "That couch looks uncomfortable, and I don't want my husband, Nicholas, to be cranky tomorrow."
Chance snorted, shaking his head before slowly making his way to the left, plopping down with a thud as he sighed in relief at the soft bed. Evelyn followed suit, glancing towards the tabby that had his body facing the wall.
Soon, sleep took over them, and they waited for the results for tomorrow.
AN: Another chapter in the books! Hopefully, you guys are enjoying this story! I was trying to find the best time to introduce the secret magical world in Megakat City and some new issues that Ethan and the team would have to deal with later. Friends or foes? Only time will tell. Until next time!
