The sand cat held the glowing blue rod worn around her neck. Her green eyes wide in enchantment from the accessory before her. "What kind of magic is this?" She asked. "Is it a special potion? Or the work of a rune?"

"It's just a solution of substances used to create a chemical reaction, Esmeralda." Sheba answered. She then proceeded to demonstrate it for the sand cat. Pulling out a stick designed after a star wand, Sheba snapped the tube and shook up the liquid contained within it. In no time the reaction was activated, illuminating the once clear tube into a bright pink light. "See. It's just simple science." She handed Esmeralda the party favor.

Esmeralda huffed. "You mean I don't even have to be a first-class witch to make something glow without fire or electricity?" She took out a wand adorned with a crystal flower at the tip. "It took me years as a kitten to make this thing even react to spells!"

"But you can still do things like fly a broom and levitate objects without any power source." Kitty attempted to cheer up the witch. "If we need to fly anywhere, we're limited by fuel and the type of aircraft available. Even Pointy runs into limitations when it comes to flight in his inventions."

"Huh. Now that you said that, it does put things into perspective, I think." Esmeralda looked up to the darkening sky, spotting the light of a airline jet in the far distance. "I don't have to buy a ticket if I want to fly on my broom anywhere."

"Oh, trust me, that's the least of our problems with flying." Kitty winced. "Going through security is the ultimate obstacle."

"Don't remind me." Sheba groaned. "I still haven't forgotten what those overpaid busybodies pulled on my last trip. Confiscating both the coffee beans I bought and my harmonica."

"That's terrible!" Esmeralda gasped. "Did you get them back?"

"'Course not." answered Sheba. "According to them, the beans were contraband, and argued the harmonica might be used as a weapon. I think they wanted an excuse to screw with me, and they didn't want their crappy coffee in their break room." She crossed her arms, getting worked up from the memory of the whole experience. "Give me a road trip any day."

Kitty took her phone out the moment she felt it vibrate. "Good! Felix and Pointy are on their way right now."

Currently waiting outside of the roller rink building, the three felines were prepared for the night. But none were as dressed up for the occasion as Kitty. Her white fur turning out to be the perfect canvas for all of the bright colors on top of it. Lime green shorts, paired up with a florescent aqua blue top. A couple kandi bracelets around both of her wrists. Freshly activated glow sticks and bracelets further livened up the special look for the night, topped off with the LED lit hair bow made from hot pink silk. Didn't hurt to spray some glitter onto the long tuft of fur on her head, a nice finishing touch for the persian cat's get-up.

Kitty was looking forward to the boys arriving. Not to show off, though. Okay. Maybe a little of that. But she always enjoyed their company.

Things were dull until Felix moved into the area. Ever since she knew him, even all the way back when they were very little, things always became exciting when he was around. Never hesitating to jump right into action, but always still had his wits about him. Resourceful in his approach to every dilemma.

She still fondly remembers the time when they went to swim in a river. When all of the tubes were gone, Felix got an idea for them to use an old air mattress instead. The mattress turned out to be the better option, making for a more comfortable object to float down on the river. Days like those made Kitty sorely miss what Felix brought to the table when she moved away from the city a couple years ago. Candy would eventually be old enough to get a job, leaving her too busy for Kitty to have a big sister to hang out with as much as they used to. Rosco wasn't a pain in the neck like an average brother would expected to be, but it just wasn't the same without Felix.

But now, after all of those years, Felix lives in the same area as her again, and Kitty was relieved to see she wasn't wearing rose tinted glasses of the past.

Turned out she liked hanging around Poindexter, too. Kitty wasn't sure about the human boy when he first began hanging out with her and Felix. His manner of speaking in technical terms made it difficult for her to fully understand him until he reiterated in a far more simple vocabulary. It significantly toned down over time, but it still threw her off for a while.

But the longer he hung out with them, the more Kitty discovered how many of their interests crossed over with one another. Never did she expect to find herself binge watching both regional versions of, Eatery Disasters, with him, and many other shows it turned out they were both into. Pulling an all-nighter working on mods for games together, teaching her useful workarounds, and with the plus of him showing her ways to fully optimize everything. His advanced knowledge in materials helping her with resin and many other DIY projects. Going to the arcade to learn the human was quite skilled at rhythm games, all of the crane games designed to eat up a person's entire wallet, even assisting her in finally beating that accursed, Keyboard of The Haunted, cabinet.

Poindexter even helped her improve at baking. Before then, everything she tried baking wouldn't rise or was plain terrible. He explained to her what she was doing wrong through his usual scientific viewpoint, and while Kitty didn't fully get it at first, she followed his advice and suggestions. It paid off, and now she was decent at it.

For all of the years she lived in, Sunrise Hill, Kitty had only seen Poindexter as the awkward nephew of the reclusive scientist up on the hill. She wished she had approached him much sooner, now.

More people showed up and entered the building as the minutes passed by. The girls kept their eyes peeled for the black cat and human boy to arrive. So far they were no where to be seen in the sight among the guests and groups showing up. They did, however, spot another welcomed pair coming. A young human woman with long blonde hair, and a tall light lavender reptillian looking creature with a bag slung over her fluffy broad shoulders.

While no where as elaborate as Kitty, the two still dressed up for theme of the night, each one appearing to have a motif of their own.

Bubbles mainly appeared to be the human's choice. Acrylic iridescent balls of varying sizes that lit up, resting atop her gold locks as a headband. Flakes of gold leaf scattered throughout her entire outfit, and the rest of the lights incorporated into her accessories a deep yellow and a light blue. The tall creature with her seemed to go with what looked like to be a mix of a circus or a toxic waste theme. Symbols on her scaley face painted in florescent green and pink paint, with the rest of it splattered in places on her black and red striped top and shorts. Yellow pom poms made up the majority of the extra details, all of them illuminated from the bright LED strips they were glued of top of.

"Hi, Kitty!" The blonde cheerfully greeted the persian cat, "Where is Felix?"

"Oh, hello, Oriana. He, and Poindexter, are on their way right now." answered Kitty.

"Well when he shows up, tell him I want like to speak with him. About his bag," Oriana gestured assuringly, "but not like in the way of the Professor. I've just been curious about where he got it. That's all."

"I know you can be trusted. You're one of the sweetest people in town!" Kitty beamed. "I'll let him know when he gets here."

Oriana swore she felt her cheeks flush slightly. "Thank you! Me and Xoe will be heading in, now. She still needs to break in her new skates."

"If I don't see Poindexter tonight, tell him I really appreciate him going through the trouble to make skates that actually fit me." Any sense of intimidation one could get from Xoe melted right away from her expression of glee. Pure giddiness lightening up her appearance, even with baring her fangs and the rest of her sharp teeth, and her towering stature. "It means so much to me that I get skate!" Probably was a good thing Poindexter wasn't around yet, actually, now that Xoe thought about it. She might scoop him up and accidentally hug him just a little too tight from the all of the excitement.

Just as the pair wished the group a fun night, and then walked into the building, another familiar face graced the girls' presence. This time it was one they rather not see, though.

"Where's Felix and Four-Eyes?"

In an instant, the girls could all collectively feel themselves internally groan, without even the need of turning around to know who it was.

"Hi, Waldo." A long, exasperated sigh followed from Kitty's openly cold greeting.

Kitty refused to greet the tiger any further than that. Just seeing his smug smirk made an urge rise in her to sock him in his broad, barrel chested form, hard enough to permanently wrinkle his green striped sweater. Couldn't tie his tail to the nearest car bumper, after all, not with his being so short and stubby. He was lucky she was in a good mood tonight. Or she was until just now.

"What's wrong? Stood-up by the shrimp and his geeky buddy?" Waldo teased.

"No, Waldo." Kitty grunted. "They will be here any minute."

"Don't you have anywhere else to be annoying at?" Sheba asked.

"Nope. My schedule is completely freed up tonight." answered Waldo. "Even if I was booked, I still see to it to remain punctual, unlike Felix."

"You should try being fashionably late more often, then." Sheba sarcastically recommended.

The tiger feigned offense. "I'm just trying to be a good, caring pal, Miss Sheba." He leaned against the bench Kitty sat on, gesturing over to Esmeralda standing on the other end of it. "I'm sure your witchy friend can grab a crystal ball and check in on the two, anyway."

The face on the sand cat twisted in a mix of confusion, as if her craft had been devalued to a cheap party trick. "Crystal orbs are not just security cameras! It's more involved than that. A witch's heart and mind must be perfectly in tune with the person in question to accomplish it, which is harder to achieve, and more taxing than it sounds." Esmeralda huffed. "Even if I could do it at the drop of a hat, I'm not about to abuse it by violating someone's privacy."

Waldo simply shrugged as if he didn't hear a thing. "You're violating the natural law already by flying around on that broom, and levitating me in the air that one time. Now you're acting above it."

Esmeralda pulled her wand back out and pointed straight in the tiger's direction. "Keep cheapening my profession, and you will taste vinegar until the the arrival of the next new moon!"

Sheba place her hand on the wand and slowly lowered it. "Don't waste your spells. He'll just whine and beg you to undo it, and then he'll never leave."

"Sheba's right." Kitty unfortunately had to agree. "Let's not subject Felix and Pointy to one of his pity parties when they get here."

Kitty checked her phone to check the duration of time now passed between the last message received from Felix. Nothing out of the ordinary. Poindexter did live further outside of the urban part of Sunrise Hill, after all, and it took more time leaving from there. She trusted the two enough to show up. They were looking forward to the night out just as much as she was.

Can't stop!

Must keep up!

Can't let them escape his sight!

One slip-up and he'll never see him again!

Every progress Felix made his target gained distance ahead of him. Any second they disappeared past over a hill, making around a bend, further into darkness falling upon the valley, the black cat refused to let up and only propelled himself further. Never letting the significant lead they had on him deter him from pushing forward no matter what.

The first lunge of his body downhill from the Professor's home was only the beginning of the limits Felix pushed the invention Poindexter tested out on his skates mere minutes ago. Rolling faster than Felix could ever think was humanly possible.

In the heat of a such a dire situation, concerns of every potential obstacle becoming increasingly lethal barriers, making his near crash into the house's wall look like a simple bump, thrown to the side. A tree sending him into a comatose state. Flying off of a cliff and breaking every bone in his body. Running into an on-coming vehicle, ending his life in an instant. Objects that were otherwise harmless at an average speed now becoming only another deadly obstacle if Felix were to hit them. Every risk and concern that came with the insane speeds Felix reached on his skates, and the low visibility of the night almost here, pushed to the very back reaches of his mind.

All his mind focused on was the sole goal to reach his friend being carried off into the night.

Currently on the road, the cat was given only but a split second to swerve as the culprit ran down the curves conforming to the mountainous sides they were built on. Felix's swerves became very sharp drifts, leaning his body to the side where he had no choice but for his hands to briefly make contact with the asphalt beneath, in order to keep himself from wiping out and recover quickly, and as a means to further propel himself forward. Severely sharp turns becoming more frequent the further he descended. One slight mistake and he will careen off the road.

Pushing his keen feline senses and agility like he never thought was necessary. Many times Felix had outrun police, climbed up all sorts of places, leaped from high places and cleared wide gaps, outwitted adversaries, and relied on his mind to make up for his lack of brawn whenever he found himself in a fix. But this situation unlocked something more primal in him. As strong desire burning far more intense and fearful than his past mischief ever brought.

Barely in his view, the kidnapper suddenly took an abrupt turn to the left, jumping off the road, making itself down the hill almost like it was a leaping deer. Felix wasted no time and leaped right over the crude wooden guard rail, digging his claws into the wood in order to give himself more leverage over and forward. A mix of white and yellow petals flung into the air from his roller skates slamming onto the ground, no waiting in place for them to flutter back down to Earth. The grass' lack of friction compared to the asphalt hardly deterred Felix. Seems the lubricant solution on his wheels where far down for the count here.

The race down the hill only became steeper. Gaining more top speed than he had already achieved. No more terrain for the culprit to obscure his placement.

But then Felix saw it. The figure he had been chasing all the way back from Poindexter's home, suddenly jumping off the end of hill, and then entering right into a floral curtained entrance the very moment it made contact with the ground.

Even with the lack of visibility, Felix could tell it was long drop down. Hastily, he grabbed his yellow bag that's been hanging over his left shoulder this entire time.

Three!

Felix's heart pounded.

Two!

He focused his sharp feline eyesight beyond what he thought would ever be crucial.

One!

The jump and descent down occurred faster than the internal countdown. Throwing both of his arms up in the air, the bag in his hands instantly morphed it's fabric into a crude, makeshift handheld sheet parachute of sorts. It was adequate enough to slow his fall just enough to break it, giving Felix enough time to aim his descent forward, and bend his legs. With a rough thud partially knocking the wind of him, the cat tucked and rolled forward into the entrance the figure had just ran into.

Felix laid on his back for only less than a minute, sitting himself up as soon as his vision came to and when his body allowed. Despite his determination, he still froze in place, making sure he wasn't discovered first before making any further moves.

Before he had the chance to get up on his feet, a loud hiss was heard, followed up by a loud heavy door shutting and locking behind him. Clicking came, dim green and blue lighting giving the cat vision again within the once dark place he rolled into. The entire environment cold in it's metal and technological build, only seeming to be designed of being good enough to get the job done in mind and nothing else.

Taking a quick scan of his surroundings, a spiral case of stairs leading up caught Felix's eyes, the glow from what must be screens peaking down from the floor's opening. He didn't want to risk any possible detection, so he quickly removed his skates, placing them into his bag once the yellow, black swiss cross patterned fabric of it reverted back to it's natural state.

Carefully, he crept up the stairs, treating it no different than the many nights he would spend sneaking about to get up to his mischievous ideas of fun. Not even peaking his head into the room's opening, he already saw the evidence that this place wasn't a building, but a ship of sorts. It wasn't fashioned the same as the inventions and tech the Professor used against him in the past, though. Felix couldn't quite put his finger on how he would describe the general look of it all. Appeared so alien and advanced, yet, somehow simultaneously ancient in it's very otherworldly design.

It didn't require a more thorough inspection for Felix to instantly notice one of Poindexter's hands hanging off the side of what looked liked a levitating stretcher. It was clear the human was just strapped into it, seeing the very person responsible for the abduction moving away from it. Felix took this as an opportunity for him to fully climb onto the floor, once the person had moved to the other side, guaranteeing they couldn't spot him easily. Just like as if he was sneaking around the urban sprawl he used to live in, Felix swiftly made his way behind the console the stretcher was located in front of. For good measure, he also took it upon himself to climb up the back of it, in order to give himself a better view of the whole room.

Felix had to stop himself from gasping once he got a good look of the state Poindexter was in. His skin was paler than normal for a human. With the exception of his chest rising and falling, he laid there perfectly still, limp as a lifeless body itself. Those signs were alarming enough on their own, but the one that was cause for most concern was the large puncture in the boy's upper left shoulder. If he could even call it puncture; it was more of a rough gash, if anything. There was no sign of the wound bleeding out any further, but, the evidence of previous blood loss was soaked right into Poindexter's light blue t-shirt and his white buttoned shirt.

Felix tried to think of his next course of action. He needed to get Poindexter out of this place, now. But he wasn't even afforded the time for that, unfortunately. What seemed to be a grey fox had already set up most controls.

At least, a grey fox is what the kidnapper in question appeared to Felix as.

Smoky fur melted down into slick, sickly pale green skin. Fingers fusing together into tentacles replacing the paws. The fox's whole body twisting and morphing into a significantly taller form, now resembling an unearthly cephalopod.

Patterns of circuit lights snaked up one of it's tentacles once it made contact with a large board on the ship's control panel, shining right through the skin they lit up underneath. As it turned it's head. it gave Felix a good luck at it's facial features, and he could have sworn it's yellow sclera glowed slightly as well.

The full picture of who was truly responsible had the fur on Felix's tail standing straight up. It couldn't be.

"General Clang reporting, Master Cylinder. I have secured the Earth man, Poindexter. Paralyzed in place." The nature he spoke uncanny, like someone who only learned the planet's language through artificial intelligence, yet always on the verge of glitching out. "Setting a course straight to Mars."

Now Felix was really scrambling to think up a plan. What would the Master Cylinder want with Poindexter? Why did he order General Clang to capture him now, when they've already had many encounters with them before this? Felix didn't like the sound of any of this, and he didn't want to find out.

But any chance Felix had to even attempt to rescue Poindexter was put on hold once he felt the whole ship shutter around him. Too late. It was taking off, evidenced by the outside of the window above the control panel. Only in a matter of seconds the ship's engine switched into a hyperdrive mode and they were traveling through space, no longer on their home planet.

Felix internally cursed himself, sliding down the console and sitting behind it.

Damn!

How was he going to get himself and Poindexter back to their planet? He's never even been on Mars. Who even knows where on Mars they're being taken to. This was a far different situation. They were no longer on Earth, but on their way directly into the middle of enemy territory. This was really bad!

So many possible scenarios Felix tried to run through his head, but he was getting nothing. All he could think about was the human boy lying helplessly just beyond the console he hid behind. Felix wasn't concerned about what the boy's uncle would do to him, if he failed to rescue him. It was the unknown of what might be in store for Poindexter if he failed. Seeing the human's body, it appeared lifeless to the cat at first glance. Who knows if he would even survive the trip on the way to Mars, with the trauma his body was already put through.

Felix couldn't just sit there in his hiding space. He had to see Poindexter, again.

Peaking out from behind the console, making sure Clang kept his eyes on the endless void of space they were traveling through, Felix slowly crawled out from behind it, keeping his bag close to his side just in case. Once he reached the table, he stopped. He needed to let his friend know he was right there with him in some way. Seeing the boy's hand still dangling from the table, Felix reached his furry hand out and held it. Even if his hand was most likely numb and couldn't feel it, this was all Felix could do for now.

He didn't let go of Poindexter's hand right away. Felix refused to for as long as General Clang's attention remained on controlling the ship. He wasn't entirely keeping track of the time, but, Felix swore he could feel the human's fingers twitch momentarily after a certain time.

An hour would inevitably pass by. It was a long, agonizing one. Just waiting and seeing drove Felix crazy more than trying to think of a possible plan of escape. The only thing resembling a spark of an idea was Felix noticing how the hovering stretcher had bars, and enough room for him to grab onto and hide underneath.

Most of the time was spent worrying over what they were possibly going to do to Poindexter, if the volatile means used in seizing him was any indication. It hurt Felix to even leave Poindexter's side and go back to hiding behind the console.

In both a cruel twisted mix of relief and dread, the wait was over, the ship finally arriving and docking at a base on Mars.

Felix acted fast. Before he could even be detected, Felix grabbed onto the bars underneath the floating stretcher, and firmly held his body up against it, keeping his bag securely tucked in-between himself and the table. Just as planned, General Clang hadn't had no idea he was there. And no sooner after he secured himself, he felt the table move forward, eventually making it's way out of the ship and into a brand new place completely unfamiliar to him and Poindexter.

Felix used whatever visibility he had, obscured from hanging upside down and the table blocking half of it off, in an attempt to map out the path from the docking bay to wherever General Clang was headed. Keeping his eye out for any details or patterns unique to an area they passed through. Trying his best to count and memorize the hallways, turns, and doorways. They soon entered an elevator, and judging by the seconds Felix counted, went up several floors before exiting it.

He felt guilty for it, but Felix was grateful when Clang finally entered what he assumed was a holding room, and finally stopped. He may have that special feline endurance, but even his arms, legs, and tail giving him extra leverage, began to turn weary from holding himself up for much longer than expected.

"Be a good human and stay still, okay?" General Clang's condescending tone only matched by him patting the incapacitated human on the head like a special trophy. "I will be back in a few to deliver you to Master Cylinder."

Felix wanted to make absolutely sure Clang had left the room, watching the aquatic creature glide in his unsettling movements across the floor to the door. But he was still unsure when to make the move, even when the general had left the room, and after he slowly settled himself down on the floor underneath the floating stretcher.

"I'm sure," a hoarse voice from stretcher, "he's gone, Mr. Felix."

In that instant Felix's ears perked right up from hearing that welcomed voice. "Poinsy?" He didn't hesitate a moment and crawled out from underneath the stretcher. He was still weak, but, Poindexter was trying his best to sit up, only for the straps to make the effort a feeble one.

"The paralysis wore off sooner than he intended." Poindexter quickly explained, as if he already knew what Felix was thinking and wanting to ask. "I played possum." He winced in pain. "I did not want to risk another dosage of his neurotoxin being injected into my system."

No time for any small talk or further questions. Felix jumped straight up and got to work unstrapping the human and freeing him from all restraints. That's when he finally got a closer look at Poindexter.

He looked much worse than he initially thought, now that he was right there in front of him. The boy's face beaded with sweat, making his current pale complexion only appear far more sickly than before. Touching his hands was unnecessary in order for Felix to take notice of them, and his whole body, trembling. Poindexter instinctively placed his hand over his shoulder in pain once he attempted to move it, but Felix had plenty of time for a good look at the dark nasty bruising already forming around broken skin and tissue on it.

Felix wanted to ask Poindexter if he was fine. But that was a simple, direct question Felix wasn't even given the chance to get out. Poindexter hurried himself to climb down from the table. Though maybe it was too fast, nearly falling to his knees once his feet touched the hard floor, bracing his right hand on the table saving him from a complete collapse.

"I'm okay, Felix." Poindexter swore, straightening himself up."Let's just locate the docking bay and get out of here."

"Do you know how to fly any of their ships?" Asked Felix.

Poindexter shook his head. "Not yet. Just like you, I'll figure it out as we go." He followed it up with rolling up his left sleeve and pressing a button on a wrist device, a small red light now flashing. "If we can't use those as an escape, Martin will pick up his signal sooner than later."

Felix didn't say a word and simply nodded in agreement with Poindexter. "Let's go!" Assisting the human to fully stand back up, Felix grabbed his bag, and stayed the closest to Poindexter's side than he thought he ever had to. "I'm not about to let some stupid tin keep you here." Wanting to lighten up the situation they had both found themselves in, "Let's make sure our no-show to Kitty's invite is our only worry by the end of the night back on Earth."

8888

General Clang stopped in front of the holding room door, carrying a tray holding an assortment of syringes, empty vials, and unused swabs. He scanned his tentacled appendage on a panel next to the room's door on the wall, the door sliding open following after.

"Preparing to collect samples right now, Master." He said into the communicator in his free appendage. "Should be quick, and be ready to report to Minister Grum-"

He froze dead in his place at the sight of the empty stretch right in front of him.

"What's wrong, General?"

"Uh, umm, uh..." He struggled for an answer. "Just a delay in the collection process. I may have misplaced something..."

"You mean, he's gone?"

A dead, intense silence followed from General Clang.

"Are you sure nobody was following you?"

"N-No, Master- I-I mean, yes! I am sure!" His speech proceeded to abnormally stall. "He tried to turn around and scream, but- but, it was a quick snatch and grab."

The long pause that followed would have made the toughest warriors uneasy over it's potency.

"You defective, butterbrained, idiot!"Master Cylinder's voice shouted over the communicator. "That mangy black cat is here!"

"F-Forgive my shortsightedness-"

"Shut up! Don't waste anymore precious time with useless begging! I didn't wait for the go-ahead for this to listen to that crap." Words and tone sharp enough to slice right through steel. "Dispatch every cylinder and cube located in this base! I don't care if that means tearing every last corner of this place apart!" The audio peaked on the speaker. "Don't allow Poindexter to leave Mars!"

Dropping the metal tray from his tentacle, he made a salute. "Yes, Master!" His voice cracked.

Author's notes:

- Since there's so many cat characters in this, I went and based them on different breeds/types of cats of in real life. For example, Kitty is meant to be Persian cat, Sheba an Abyssinian, Esmeralda a Sand Cat; you get the point. Thought it would help make things a little more varied here.