WAIT! PLEASE READ MY AUTHOR'S NOTE BEFORE YOU READ THE STORY! I would like you SWAT Kats fans to please understand my preference of a certain mutant's traits in this SWAT Kat fanfic of mine.

You see, I despise horror stuff. In fact, the only SWAT Kats episode I have in my SK folder where Dr. Viper appears is the Origin of Dr. Viper. (I also avoid the episode Cavern of Horrors, otherwise I like the rest of the episodes)

Anywho, in my AU SWAT Kats stories, Dr. Viper, even though he is a very dangerous criminal, I have given him a more misunderstood personality in this. Here is his gene pool: Phantom of the Opera 2004, Arbutus from the Aladdin series episode "Garden of Evil", and Pterano from the Land Before Time movie "The Stone Of Cold Fire".

As for his deeper story, he had no love from negligent parents; he had no friends to understand him, so he desperately wants love in life.

His love interest is a she-kat whose voice is the same as Jodi Benson's.

One last thing, Dr. Viper's pets in my fanfic are mutated animals similar to creatures from different shows, movies and video games. In this one, my particular favorite is Malcho from the Aladdin series. Only difference is, he can't talk, but is very loyal and supportive to his master and his goals.

One last thing: No, the SWAT Kats don't exist in this fanfic.

Anyway, I hope you like this short story and God Jehovah bless. I own nothing.

Prologue

Three years before a certain scientist's horrifying transformation…

Elrod Purvis sat in a park all alone, sullen with anger and envy thinking of how yesterday people complimented Dr. Zyme at a reptile house for a lecture on snakes, lizards and such, and how they paid absolutely no attention to him, as if being the latter's assistant made the former invisible.

It was always like this, Dr. Zyme had all the credit and Dr. Purvis never received even a glance in his direction and the former didn't think to tell them to give the latter any notice.

He frowned when he remembered how his parents were even worse with their negligence. They had never even wanted any children, but they had Elrod by mistake and had to feed and clothe him until he was old enough to leave home.

His whole kittenhood, he detested them so much for their indifference, he worked hard in school to graduate early at the age of fifteen and earn a scholarship in college so he could leave home. He even attended summer classes to avoid having to live back at his parents' house.

After graduating college at nineteen, he had received a letter his parents had both passed away and he had inherited their house.

Wanting nothing to do with that place with sad, lonely memories, he sold it and used the money to afford an apartment. Frankly, he would have loved to have it torn down, especially after he had read an additional letter from his late parents saying they were sorry, but the house felt like a bribery rather than a heartfelt apology gift.

He didn't even shed a single tear of their passing. After all, what real favors had they ever done for him? And that bribery was the last straw. His only regret was never thinking of airing out his grievances to those two rotten people he was spawned from.

That wasn't the only pain he had endured in his life. He never had a friend he could relate to before and after college. And now yesterday's disappointment… Was this his fate, to be overlooked and unappreciated? All he wanted was to be cared for and understood. Why was that too much to ask?

At that moment, he had thought of just quitting the labs and running, but where and with what? Still, though, what was the point anymore?

"Dr. Purvis?"

An unfamiliar but gentle voice brought him out of his depressed train of thought as he looked up to see someone whom he knew he had never spoken to but had seen somewhere very recently.

Her medium length red hair and snow-white fur were familiar.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I just recognized you yesterday. You know, the reptile house?"

Ah, that's right! That's where he had seen her, nearby and paying close attention.

"Oh, yes, I remember now."

"You were wonderful back there."

Wait, wonderful? Did she just say…? "You mean Dr. Zyme and I?" he guessed, not wanting to fool himself.

"Well, he was good, but you impressed me the most."

Did his ears deceive him? Was this girl actually talking about him?

"Oh, well, I didn't even say anything."

"No, but I loved how very calm and professional you were, handling those reptiles with care and no fear. Not many people I've seen are that good with lizards and especially snakes."

He had to be dreaming. It didn't feel like a dream though, and he had had plenty of dreams like this before.

"I'm sorry, I'm forgetting introductions. I'm Rosella Pearl. I actually work at the reptile house."

"You do? Most women hate reptiles and amphibians."

"No, I'm partial to both, reptiles particularly."

The conversation lasted for several minutes, though it felt like a few seconds to him. His spirits rose when she requested to see him again tomorrow.

000

Elrod met with Rosella countless times and learned she loved music and nature, too, and understood his point of view. Rosella was highly pleased with him, too. Nothing about him disappointed her and she felt he was someone she could always count on since he always listened and even made time from his work at the Biochemical Labs to be there whenever she needed him.

She hadn't gotten to know toms this much, but Elrod was the best tom she had ever known, intelligent, reliable, sensible, good-humored, appreciative, and someone she felt absolutely safe with.

One day, after an outing in a secluded place in the park, he couldn't hold back his feelings any longer.

When he confessed, she gladly accepted. Overjoyed, the tom startled her when he made no hesitation to kiss and embrace her on the grass, holding her tightly, afraid she might disappear.

She knew about his past and she completely understood because all the friends they had in the world were each other. She held him close, too, vowing to herself to never leave his side.

Elrod kept her on the grass for a good twenty minutes, only freeing his right hand to cup her face as tears fell down his face. She cracked her eyes to wipe them off.

He responded by lifting her upper torso off the ground to hug her tightly, making her smile before he slowly tilted her head backwards and pressed his lips on her neck to her chin.