Disclaimer: The SWAT Kats are owned by Hanna Barbera and the Tremblay Brothers. I own the OCs.
New Chapter Time!
My Co-Author MisaRae has posted a new chapter of Two-Plus-Two yesterday. After you read mine, go read hers. As Feral would say, "That's an order!"
The three girls plus Spencer arrived in the yard behind Sally's shop. They walked over to the rear door and Helen knocked on the door in order to let Sally know they have arrived.
Sally happened to be in the back room performing inventory of what she had in stock when she heard the knocking on her back door. She went to the door, opened it and saw Callista with a she-cat she didn't know, a little girl who was dressed very well, as well as a large puma with white feathery wings. "Callista, who are your friends?" Sally asked.
Callista walked around Helen and answered, "Sally, this is Helen, her daughter Evelyn, and the big but lovable fur-ball in the back is Spencer."
"Welcome ladies and gentlecat," Sally said as she stepped aside. "Please come inside and make yourselves at home."
They entered and Sally closed the door. She turned around to face them and asked, "Can I get anyone something from my tiny little kitchen?"
"May I have a glass of milk please Sally?" Evelyn asked.
Sally went over to Evelyn, crouched down to her level, and said, "You certainly can Evelyn. Actually, my daughter is here today. You both seem to be the same age, would you like to meet her and play while the grown-ups do boring stuff?"
Evelyn already knew Apprentice was Sally's daughter, but she did not know if Sally knew that tiny little fact. Evelyn responded, "Yes, please Sally."
"Please come with me Evelyn," Sally said as she extended her right paw to her. "I think Sarah is out front with my seamstress and model Jessica. I'm sure you will like her Evelyn."
Spencer watched as Evelyn left the back room with Sally, then said, "I think I will go with them."
Sally and Evelyn walked into the front part of the store and when they passed a few racks of dresses, they spotted Sarah playing with a dirty blonde haired she-cat wearing a short pink skirt and a matching sweater.
"Sarah, its your turn," Jessica said before she looked at the playing cards in her paws.
"Do you have any fours?" Sarah asked.
Jessica's eyes darted to her hand, then back to Sarah who was smiling back at her. Jessica pulled out a four of clubs with her left paw and handed the card to Sarah.
Sarah took the card from Jessica, matched it up with the four of hearts she had in her hand, and put the pair down on a pile of cards in front of them. "I have two cards left Jessica, you seem to have more cards than I do. You sure you can play this game?"
Jessica looked at her cards again, lifted her right eyebrow, and then threw her hand down onto the pile before she said, "I concede." And started to tickle Sarah.
Sarah started laughing as Jessica tickled her ribs. Then Evelyn came over to them and asked, "Sarah, can I play with you two?"
Sarah stopped laughing for a second and noticed her friend Evelyn standing in front of her. She wanted to hug Evelyn and play with her, just like they did in Evelyn's grandmother's book store. However, she was just plain old Sarah and not Apprentice at this moment.
Sally noticed that her daughter was conflicted and really wanted to have Evelyn join in on the fun, but something was holding her back. "Sarah, please come with me for a minute."
"Sure mommy," Sarah said. She got up from the floor and went off with her mother to the other side of the store.
"That's strange," Jessica said. "She is normally very outgoing." She turned to Evelyn and said, "I'm Jessica, pleased to meet you Evelyn."
"Hi Jessica, I'm Evelyn and this is my friend Spencer," she responded.
"Spencer, who is Spen.. What in the world is he?" Jessica said as she backed away from Evelyn.
"Sarah, what's wrong?" Sallly asked.
"Mommy, I know Evelyn already," Sarah answered.
"That's good, so what is the problem then?" Sally asked, growing more concerned.
"I know her from when I was.. Apprentice," Sarah answered. "She doesn't know that me and Apprentice are the same girl. What am I going to do mommy?"
Sally hugged her daughter tightly, then answered, "Just be yourself Sarah and Evelyn will like you too, trust me on this." She kissed Sarah between the ears and brought her back to Jessica.
Jessica was cowering in the corner getting as far away from Spencer as possible. "Keep it away from me!" She pleaded.
Callista and Helen both heard Jessica and ran into the other room as fast as they could. Callista stopped next to Spencer and asked, "Spencer, did you do something to get Jessica to act like this?"
"No I didn't Callista," Spencer replied. "Evelyn simply introduced me to her and she started acting like this."
Helen went over to Evelyn and asked, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine mommy, why won't Sarah play with me? I thought we were friends" Evelyn asked.
"I don't know honey. But here comes Sarah and her mother and we will find out," Helen said.
Sarah and Sally returned to the group and Sarah saw a black puma that was just a hair smaller than Persival. She let go of her mother and went over to Spencer and asked, "Are you related to Persival?"
"Yes I am, he is my cousin. I'm Spencer and you are?" Spencer asked.
"My name is Sarah," She responded. "You don't talk like Persival does."
"No, I don't. Persival is a bit too old fashioned for my tastes. Just maybe his mate will loosen him up a little," Spencer said.
"Sarah, you aren't scared of, whatever that is?" Jessica asked.
Sarah turned to Jessica and answered, "Why would I Jessica? His cousin is one of the nicest and politest toms that I know."
Jessica stood up, went over to stand next to Sarah, then asked, "So what is he then?"
"May I answer her Evelyn?" Spencer asked.
"Go ahead, my knight," Evelyn responded.
Spencer turned his head to Jessica, then to Sally and said, "I'm Evelyn's guardian as well as her familiar. I'm supposed to help her use her abilities. As for what I am, I'm a fifteen year old, winged, talking puma."
"I have never seen anything like you before," Jessica said. "May I touch your wings?"
"Certainly Jessica," Spencer responded and extended his left wing to her.
Jessica nervously reached out with her left paw and lightly touched the wing. His feathers felt silky smooth as they slipped through her fingers. "They are so soft and light, can you fly?"
"I most certainly can Jessica and maybe later, I'll take you for a flight,"Spencer said.
"Wait a minute," Jessica said. "I vaguely remember reading what a familiar is, a magic user's teacher or something like that."
"Jessica, Spencer is more than that," Evelyn said. "He is one of my best friends, one that I know I can rely on, until the bitter end."
"Evelyn, then I guess you know who I am?" Sarah asked.
Evelyn went over to Sarah, hugged her friend, then whispered in her ear, "Yes, I know you are Apprentice."
Sarah smiled and hugged Evelyn back. She then said, "Good, I like you a lot Evelyn and I would like to call you my friend."
"I'd like that too Sarah, where is Inferno?" Evelyn asked.
"He's at home with my father Evelyn," Sarah answered. "Can we play now?"
"Yes!" Evelyn said and pulled Sarah and Spencer off to a corner so they could catch up and she could show Sarah her powers.
Sally watched her daughter play happily with Evelyn and Spencer. She turned to Helen and asked, "Since Evelyn is your daughter, are you a sorceress too?"
"Yes I am and I am proud of what I am," Helen said before she turned to Callista and asked, "Right your majesty?"
"Your majesty?" Sally asked. "Callista, what is she talking about?"
"You can ask Sarah Sally but the answer should come from me," Callista said. "You know I am a sorceress already. But what you don't know is I'm over five hundred years old as well as the former queen of these lands."
"You have to be pulling my leg Callista," Sally said. "I have known you long enough to know whether you were a queen or not."
"Sally, I have been alive since the dark ages," Callista said. "Don't you remember any of the history lessons you were taught in school?"
Sally turned to Jessica and asked, "Jessica, can you bring me your History book please?"
Jessica went over to her back pack, riffled through it, and pulled out a book. She handed it to Sally.
Sally opened the book to the section about the dark ages. She started reading the section regarding the queen that ruled the kingdom and how she was loved by all. Sally eventually came to a photo of a painting located at the bottom of the page. As her eyes fell on the photo, she dropped the book to the floor. She lifted her gaze to Callista, then to the photo again. Nervously, she asked, "Is that really you?"
Callista lifted her hand to her chin, wiggled her fingers, and levitated the book into her hands.
Jessica's eyes rolled back in her head and fainted from the shock of seeing her book floating through the air and into Callista's paws.
She looked at the photo on the page, scrunched her face, then answered, "Ugh, I was wearing a very ugly gown that day. I just had to listen to Amelia's advice and wear that gown. But yes, that is me, wearing a gown that is too low cut for my tastes."
Sally was already by Jessica and had her head in her lap. "Can someone get me a cold compress please?"
Callista wiggled her fingers again and the compress appeared in front of Sally.
She took the compress floating in front of her, then said, "Thank you." Before she applied the compress to Jessica's forehead.
Helen knelt by Sally and Jessica, then said to Sally, "Evelyn really likes Sarah, I hope what you have learned today does not effect their friendship?"
"Why should it Helen? You have a lovely daughter and I can sense she and Sarah are going to be great friends. I admit, I am shocked to find out that one of my clients is a five hundred year old queen. But the rest of this Sorcery business doesn't faze me anymore."
"Then you also probably know, Evelyn knows about Sarah's secret identity," Helen said.
Sally looked down at Jessica, then said, "I figured that was going to happen Helen. Evelyn seems like a bright little girl and with her abilities, she was bound to figure it out."
Helen put her left arm around her, then said, "They met at my mother-in-law's bookstore before. I think they were playing with a she-cat named Sniper. She had these unique markings on her cheeks."
Upon hearing 'Unique markings' leave Helen's mouth, she instantly thought of Tina and her unique markings and how well she and her daughter got along. "That would probably be her friend Tina Helen. Was she with a she-cat with a European accent?"
"Yes, she was," Helen responded. "Another female member of SWAT told me they were engaged to marry."
"That would be Katerina and yes, they are going to be married," Sally said. "Katerina also goes by the name Havoc and my daughter's code name is Apprentice. I guess she is a member of SWAT in training."
"Sarah is definitely an amazing little girl Sally," Helen said. "No wonder she and Evelyn get along so well."
"I knew those two girls were going to be life-long friends," Callista said. "Helen, if I am right, Evelyn is destined for greatness in her life. If it were the Dark Ages again, she would probably be able to take over being queen."
Helen rose and faced Callista before she asked, "What do you mean Callista?"
"Sorry Helen, I can't reveal any more than what I have told you. Her life must run it's course without any influence from you or Michael," Callista replied. "I know you both love her and wants what's best for her. However, if I tell you what I know, you both will try to stop her with all your might. I can not allow that to happen. Please trust me Helen, Evelyn is a beautiful and lovable girl and will not let anything bad happen to her."
"I appreciate your sentiment Callista but this is my daughter we are talking about here!" Helen said. "I deserve to know what my daughter's future holds for her!"
"I can't do that Helen!" Callista said. She brought her right paw up to the bridge of her nose, squeezed it and closed her eyes for a second, then calmly said, "There is more at stake than just Evelyn's involvement. The future of our kind is at stake here Helen."
"Callista, you have been queen of these lands for centuries and we all respect you," Helen said as tears formed in her eyes from worry. "Evelyn is mine and Michael's life. Please tell me what her future holds?"
Callista relented to Helen's desperate pleas. She brought Helen to her and whispered into her ear, "You must not act on what I am about to tell you Helen. Evelyn is going to be taking over David's position in about fifteen years. She, with the help of you, your husband, and her friends are going to lead The Society back to greatness as well as restore its mission to help our kind assimilate."
Helen could not believe what her ears just heard and craned her head around to watch her daughter play with Sarah and Spencer. She paid very close attention to Evelyn's large smile while she showed Sarah how Spencer liked to be petted. Helen turned back to Callista and asked, "Evelyn is really going to be able to do al of that? She is only five now and her powers are just coming forth. Is my daughter going to be powerful enough to challenge David for the reigns of The Society?"
"No, she won't be able to do it on her own Helen," Callista replied. "Both you and Michael will lead a rebellion against David and Michael will take over until Evelyn has matured enough. By then, her powers will have surpassed mine as well as Callie's and she will be more than capable of leading The Society."
"I certainly hope so Callista," Helen said. "Evelyn is still my daughter and I only want what is best for her."
"I do too Helen, she is such a lovely girl. Actually, she is sort of like I was when I was her age." Callista said with a twinkle in her eye. "If the prophecy is correct, Evelyn will be able to do everything I said, and she will find the love of her life as well."
Helen shook her head then said, "She is only five years old Callista, please let me enjoy her being my little girl for a while longer before I have to start worrying about boys."
Callista smiled at her, then said, "I can do that Helen. Don't we have a dress to purchase that will make Michael a pile of goo when he sees you in it?"
Helen giggled for a second, then answered, "Yes we do Callista. I'm thinking of getting a strapless dress with a very low back and a high hem line that will show off my legs. Maybe in a nice maroon?"
"Oh, I think I actually have something very similar to that already Helen," Sally said. "Would you mind watching Jessica while I go and get it?"
Helen and Callista swapped positions with Sally before Sally went towards the rear of the store and started sifting though the racks of dresses. She eventually found the dress behind a ball gown she made for a client who decided to go a different route, leaving Sally high and dry. Sally grabbed both the gown and the dress in her paws, then brought them back to Helen and Callista.
"Ugh, what hit me and why am I on the floor?" Jessica said as she started to waken.
"Jessica, how do you feel?" Callista asked.
"I feel like I was hit by a truck," Jessica said as she raised her left paw to her forehead.
"Not quite Jessica," Helen said before she asked, "Do you think you can stand?"
"I think so," Jessica answered.
Both Callista and Helen extended their paws to Jessica in order to help her up.
Jessica took their paws in hers and pulled herself from the floor. She dusted herself off, then said, "The last thing I remember was seeing my History book floating through the air. Like that is even possible."
Both Callista and Helen held their paws their mouth in order to suppress their laughter. Then Jessica asked, "Was it something I said?"
Helen lowered her paw to Jessica's shoulder and said, "Nothing at all Jessica."
"Oh good, you're up Jessica," Sally said as she walked towards the group with the gown and the dress draped over her shoulders. "Helen, I have two things that I want you to try on."
Sally handed the gown and the dress to Helen and led her towards the dressing rooms.
Helen hung the two garments up by their hangars on a pair of hooks installed on the far wall of the dressing room, pulled the curtain closed, and started to disrobe. Helen removed the dress she really wanted to make he husband drool over her. She pulled it over her legs, setting the waist line in its proper place on her body. But when she set the bodice on her upper half, she quickly realized her bra had to go. Helen snapped the fingers on her right paw, making her bra disappear from her body, joining the rest of her clothes. She finally looked at herself in the mirror, spread her legs open and jutted her hips to the left, and said, "Oh Michael, wait until you see your wife wearing this." She closed her legs, turned to the left, and took a look at her back in the dress. The dress's back was cut low enough that her entire back was exposed with the exception of a few whips of material connected to the waist. The only thing she was not happy with was the color. She wanted a maroon that would accentuate her very light brown hair and this one was dark brown. Helen left the dressing room and rejoined the group of females. She then asked, "How do I look?"
Sally went over to where Helen was standing, brought her right arm over her chest, her left arm rested on her right, and brought her left paw to her chin. She thought about how the dress fit Helen. Sally eventually said, "Something is just not right but I can't put my finger on it."
Jessica took one look at Helen and said, "I think I know what is troubling you Sally, may I try my fix?"
"I trust you Jessica, go ahead," Sally said as she lowered her arms back to her side.
Jessica walked around Helen, examining every little flaw in the dress and how it sat on her body. She paid particular attention to where the hem fell on her legs. Now knowing what to do. Jessica fell to her knees, put her paws on the hem, and raised it two inches. She rose back to her feet, then asked, "What do you think now Sally?"
Sally responded, "I like it, what do you think Helen?"
Helen walked over to a mirror that was by where the girls and Spencer were playing. She liked what the reflection showed, then turned to the girls and asked, "Do you think daddy will like this dress Evelyn?"
Spencer turned first to face Helen and his mouth dropped open.
"What's wrong Spencer?" Evelyn asked before her eyes fell on her mother and said, "Mommy, you look beautiful."
Spencer closed his mouth, shook his head to regain his composure, and said, "Helen, please don't take this the wrong way but you look ravaging in that dress."
"Thank you Spencer," Helen said. "I'm not sure about the color though."
"What don't you like about the color Helen?" Sally asked.
"I have never been a fan of how the color brown looks on me Sally," Helen responded. "I was hoping for a maroon or a deep red that will accentuate the color of my hair."
"I think I can arrange that Helen," Callista said before she wiggled her nose and Helen's dress changed color to the maroon color she wanted.
"Its perfect! I'll take it!" Helen exclaimed then Jessica started to feel lightheaded again and said, "I don't feel so good." Before she passed out.
End of Chapter