Disclaimer: The SWAT Kats are owned by Hanna Barbera and the Tremblay Brothers. I own the OCs.
Well, I lied. This chapter goes very dark with a subject that is very close to my heart. I hated writing this. However, this is where the story wanted to go.
Thank you MisaRae! You made this chapter as emotional as it needed to be.
Callie and Chance had finished their breakfast and were in the middle of cleaning up the kitchen. They were nearly done, but Callie just couldn't resist getting a little playful with the sink's water sprayer, dampening Chance just enough to make him wince.
Chance grinned at her and said, "Once I am able to walk on my own again, my love, I will get even with you. You will not know when or where, but I will get even with you, my dear."
"I would like to see you try, dear. Being a sorceress allows me to know when danger is coming, so I will know what you are planning. Or at least, that is what Callista tells me," Callie said.
Chance used his crutches to get closer to her, and once he was, he dropped his crutches and wrapped his arms around her, essentially getting her as wet as he was. She slapped his chest and said, "Thanks, Chance. I really needed another bath, even though I just took a shower."
After playfully arguing for a minute, they kissed and made up. Chance then said, "Our first argument. Although, I like the making up part the best."
"I kind of like that part, too, Chance, but we need to get going. It's getting late, and I don't want to keep Sarah waiting," Callie said.
"Where are we meeting the rest of the crew, anyhow?" Chance asked, as he used Callie to support himself in order to pick up his crutches.
"They are at the diner right around the corner. They should be done with breakfast by now, or at least, I hope so. Then again, Felina is there, so anything is possible," Callie said.
"Are you saying that your best friend is unpredictable?" Chance asked.
"I have known Felina for years, Chance, and unpredictable is just the beginning of how I would describe my best friend," Callie replied.
They both laughed, and then left her apartment to join their friends at the diner.
Tim and Candice left the elevator and entered the parking garage of Candice's building. Candice hooked her left arm through Tim's right, and led him into the garage. She said, "My car is right around the corner."
They turned right and found this thing that looked like a big, tan marshmallow. Candice placed her bag down and walked over to the car. She crouched down, and using her right paw, started to remove the cover from her car.
Tim watched as more and more of her car was uncovered, and when she was done, a bright red Porsche 911 convertible stood where the marshmallow had been.
Candice ran her right paw over the hood of the car and asked, "Missed me, baby?"
Tim was completely amazed. Then again, there was so much he didn't know about Candice, and he was going to love finding out every little thing that he could.
Candice walked back over, grabbed her bag, opened the trunk, and placed her bag inside. She said, "We need to get going if we are going to get to my parents' by noon." She then opened the driver's side door and slipped into the seat. Candice fished the key out of her pocket and started the car.
Tim quickly placed his bag in the trunk, closed it, and got into the passenger seat. He fastened his seatbelt and turned his head to the left just in time to see Candice put on a pair of sunglasses. She turned to Tim and said, "Good, you are all buckled in tight, because you are going to need it." She put the car in first gear and revved the engine before letting out the clutch. The car responded instantly, forcing Tim back against his seat.
Candice stopped the car at the front gate of the parking lot. She looked both ways to make sure that the street was clear enough for her to continue. However, instead of taking it easy and slowly rolling out into traffic, she gunned the engine and popped the clutch, causing the rear tires to spin rapidly, breaking free from the pavement and leaving two wide streaks of smoking rubber as the car shot out into the intersection. Candice turned the wheel to the right and let up on the gas just enough for the tires to gain traction on the pavement and force the car in the direction she wanted, taking off down the main street as her hair flowed back from the force of the wind.
Tim turned his head to the left as he grabbed the door handle for dear life. He yelled, "Who taught you how to drive like that? I should arrest you for endangering the public!"
"Calm down, Tim. My driving isn't as half as bad as my sister's, and she is a professional race car driver. Now, as far as who taught me how to drive, that honor goes to my uncle. He always taught me when you are in a bad situation, hit the gas and get out of it. Never slam on the brake. That is when you get into trouble. Not to mention, he was a stunt cat for years."
Tim turned his head and focused on the road ahead of him. He pondered her answer for a minute and then said, "I don't know if I should envy your family, or fear them. Between your grandmother being a lioness, your sister being a race car driver, and your uncle the stunt cat, your family gives new meaning to the term wildcat."
"Trust me, Tim, you have nothing to worry about. Well, except for my grandmother. Her teeth and claws are still as sharp as they were when she was younger, and she is not afraid to use them," Candice replied. She then entered the highway and weaved the Porsche through traffic with absolute precision.
Callista, Adonis, and Pirouette had finished their breakfasts, and Adonis was cleaning up the leftovers when Nancy knocked on the door frame and entered. She said, "Excuse me, Adonis said it was alright to stop by."
Adonis turned to Nancy and said, "Hi Nancy, this is my fiancée Pirouette, and her friend Callista. Please come in."
Nancy entered the room and made her way to Pirouette's side. She extended her right paw in order to shake Pirouette's.
Pirouette extended her right paw as much as she could with the sutures in her shoulder holding the surgical incision closed. She winced in pain as the sutures stretched.
"Oh, I am so sorry, Pirouette," Nancy said as she noticed Pirouette's difficulty in extending her paw.
Pirouette rested her arm back on the bed and replied, "It's alright, Nancy. How would you have known the extent of my injuries?"
Nancy's tail drooped, and her face fell. The last thing she had ever wanted to do was put Pirouette in any more pain.
Adonis and Callista noticed it immediately and went over to her. Then Adonis said, "Don't worry about it it, Nancy. She has been through a lot worse back when she was a professional ballet dancer. The bruises she used to come home with after a rehearsal were quite interesting looking."
That comment caused Pirouette to grab the extra pillow from the side of her bed and throw it at Adonis' head. It hit its mark without fail.
Adonis flinched as the pillow hit him. He turned to his fiancée and grinned like a Cheshire cat, knowing he would get even with her later.
Callista and Nancy laughed as the two lovers had a tiny squabble over nothing, and especially at how Pirouette handled herself.
Callista extended her right paw to Nancy and said, "Hi, I'm Callista. I owe Pirouette my life, since that bullet she took was meant for me."
Nancy shook Callista's paw, then turned to Pirouette and asked, "You did that for your friend?"
"Yes, and I would do it again in a heartbeat," Pirouette replied.
"That makes you a hero!" Nancy exclaimed as she clasped her paws around Pirouette's left one, excitement shining in her eyes as she looked directly into Pirouette's and said, "You deserve a party or something in your honor. There are not many who would put their lives on the line like that."
Pirouette's blushed at Nancy's comments. She did not consider herself a hero. She had only done what was necessary to protect her dear friend. Pirouette said, "That really isn't necessary, Nancy. I just want to go home and get back to my life, as boring as that may seem."
"How could you consider what you do boring? You get to ride on and fly in some of the most amazing machines in the city. You get to protect those who can't protect themselves, and most of all, you get to be loved and cherished by this," Nancy pointed at Adonis, then continued, "hunk of a tom, who is madly in love with you."
"I guess you're right, Nancy, but I am still not a hero. I just do what is right," Pirouette replied.
Callista said, "You are my hero, Pirouette." She then leaned very close to her left ear and said, "I was right. You would have been an excellent captain, right alongside Amelia. If you had been alive in the dark ages, you and Amelia would have been an unstoppable team." She then returned to her original position at the side of Pirouette's bed.
Adonis coughed and then said, "Nancy, Razor is not here yet, but Callista is. She is the special guest I was talking about in the cafeteria. Why don't you ask her for that tiny little favor?"
Nancy turned to Callista and asked, "Are you also a SWAT Kat?"
Callista smiled and then replied, "No, I am not a SWAT Kat, Nancy, but what is this tiny little favor Adonis is talking about?"
"This hospital has a cancer ward dedicated to young kittens. As much as the staff tries to keep everything positive and fun in there for the kittens, there is still so much pain and suffering they have to go through that we can't whisk away. Some of the kittens are facing very grim outcomes, and this is the last place they will ever see. I wanted to see if the SWAT Kats could visit the ward and make the kittens' day just a little brighter." Nancy cleared her throat, trying to get rid of the lump there as tears pricked the backs of her eyes.
Callista wrapped her arms around Nancy and said, "I might not be a SWAT Kat; however, I dabble in magic. I would love to help out in that ward. In fact, why don't we go there right now, if that would be all right?"
Nancy's face lit up. She took Callista's paws in hers and said, "Thank You! Thank You! You have no idea how much this will mean to everyone in that ward! It's been way too long since we had anyone come in to entertain those kittens. They are going to love you to bits."
"You are very welcome, Nancy," Callista said. She then turned to Adonis and asked, "Would you mind postponing our trip for about an hour or so? Seeing kittens smile is something that is very dear to my heart."
Adonis replied, "No problem, Callista. I can keep my fiancée company while you are gone."
"I bet you can, Adonis," Callista replied, then turned to Nancy and said, "Lead on. We don't want to keep those kittens waiting, now do we?"
Nancy's smile never left her face as she said, "No, we don't." Nancy took Callista by the arm and led her out of Pirouette's room.
Adonis and Pirouette watched their friend leave, and once she was gone, Adonis asked, "Do you think this is a good idea? Callista and Callie are trying to keep their abilities a secret, but then Callista goes off to entertain a bunch of kittens."
"She will be fine, dear. This is what she used to do in the dark ages when she was a queen. Callista loves playing with kittens, and seeing them happy really warms her heart. Who knows? Her powers might even be strong enough to cure that awful disease," Pirouette replied.
Callista and Nancy exited the elevator on the sixth floor of the hospital and stopped outside of a set of heavy double doors. Nancy turned to Callista and said, "What is behind these doors is very gut wrenching, to say the least. The kittens here have IVs inserted in their arms, are losing their hair and fur from the chemo, and some have red blotches on their bodies from the radiation treatments. The nurses and doctors all know that some of them are not going to survive and are prepared for it. However, we keep a smile on our faces at all times and try our best to keep everything positive. Negativity in there spreads like wildfire, and that is the last thing those kittens need. Are you sure you want to do this? You can go back to your friend's room and no one would think any worse of you."
Callista didn't bat an eye at the challenge in front of her and said, "If there is anything I can do to make those kittens smile, I am going to do it!"
"Ok Callista, here we go," Nancy said as she punched the access code into the security keypad with her right paw. The doors opened and they stepped inside. Instantly, the warmth from the skylights hit them like a brick, and the whole ward was bathed in the natural light from the sun. The walls were painted in a very subtle yellow in order to reflect the light throughout the ward. Speakers had been installed in order to have the sounds of the wind and birds echo in the ward and make it feel as if they were outside. They turned right at the nurse's station and walked down a small hall to one of the common recreation rooms. Nancy took a deep breath and put a huge smile on her face before she opened the door and led Callista into the recreation room.
As soon as they stepped in, Callista found herself fighting tears, and her heart throbbed painfully. Nancy's description had only skimmed the surface of how much the horrible disease ravaged such tiny young bodies. The kittens present were just skin and bones, had almost no hair left, and had multiple tubes coming from their tiny bodies, connected to various machines pumping medicine into them that increased their suffering, but was all the medical establishment had so far to help fight the terrible disease.
Nancy placed a comforting paw on her shoulder and asked, "Are you alright?"
"No, I am not alright. How did could this happen to such innocent lives? What did they do to deserve such a horrible disease?" Callista asked, not expecting an answer.
Nancy replied, "We really don't know why they were cursed with this, Callista. However, the doctors are working very hard to find a cure. A lot of them end up sleeping here and not going home because they are determined not to quit until they find out what is causing this and put a stop to it."
"Then they need help, and a lot of it from what I can see. Believe me, they are going to get it. Before I lose what little courage I have left, please bring me to the first kitten that needs their spirit lifted," Callista said.
"Alright Callista," Nancy said as she led her to the bed of a little girl who was watching some mindless television show. As they stopped at the foot of the bed, Nancy said, "Penny, this is Callista. She is a magician, and is here to entertain you."
Penny focused on Callista and said, "Hi Callista, I like ponies. Can you make me a pony? A cute pink one with a long mane and a tail?"
Callista tried her best to keep a smile on her face, but seeing little Penny lying in her bed with almost no fur on her body was a very gruesome sight. She walked over to the left side of Penny's bed, grabbed the chair by the wall, brought it over to Penny's bedside, and sat down. She then stroked Penny's right paw with hers and concentrated on what was ailing Penny. As Callista focused on the area of Penny's lungs, she saw the remaining healthy tissue glowing with radiance. However, centered in the middle was a very malignant black mass, pulling Penny's life energy into it. Callista was not going to let cancerous mass get the better of Penny, and sent some very strong magic into her body. After she completed her task, she waved her left paw in the air and created a small stuffed pony, just like the one Penny wanted.
Penny's face lit up as soon as she saw the pony materialize from out of nowhere.
Callista smiled as she handed the pony over to Penny and said, "Here you go, Penny."
"Oh, thank you Callista! This made my week!" Penny said enthusiastically.
"You are quite welcome, Penny. You should start to feel better soon," Callista said as she checked on the progress of the infusion of magic she had given Penny. It was already working, the cancer cells shrinking and new healthy tissue growing in its place.
Penny leaned forward and gave Callista a hug. She then said, "I hope so; I want to go home and be with my family again. I hate it here."
"I'm not a fan of hospitals either, Penny. However, if you stay strong, you should be able to go home soon," Callista said as she pulled back from Penny's embrace.
Penny leaned back and rested her back against the mattress again, clutching her new pony tightly to her chest. She eventually fell asleep.
Callista gave Penny's paw once final caress before standing up and returning to Nancy's side. She then said, "She is so sweet. I hope I was able to make her stay just a little bit better?"
"Callista, I have no idea what you just did, but Penny has never slept here before without sedation. When you said you were a magician, I wasn't expecting that kind of magic trick," Nancy said with a wink, her joy made obvious by her smile. "Ready to see the next kitten?
"Bring it on; I'm ready," Callista said as she looked around the room to see how many kittens she could get her paws on and infuse with the same magic she had given Penny.
After another 45 minutes, Callista had made her way around the recreation room. In total, there had been about twenty kittens she had been able see and start the healing process on, each one receiving the same gift. Both she and Nancy waved their "so longs" to the kittens and left the ward. Nancy thanked her once again, and turned down a hall to continue with her rounds. The moment Nancy was out of sight and earshot, Callista crumpled. She leaned back against the wall and broke down, tears streaming down her cheeks as her entire body shook with the aftermath of what she had just witnessed. Eventually, the storm ran its course and she was able to recover her composure. As soon as she felt well enough to speak without the threat of tears, she took her cell phone out of her pants pocket and made a call.
"Good morning, C. C. Enterprises, how can I help you?" a cheery voice on the other end of the line asked.
"This is Callista. I need to speak to Beth right now," Callista ordered.
"Certainly, please hold," the cheery she-cat said.
After a few seconds, Beth answered the phone and asked, "What can I do for you, Callista?"
"How much money is available in the charity fund?" Callista asked.
Beth pushed a few buttons on her computer, and the correct fund was displayed on her screen. She replied, "Just under two hundred and twenty million, Callista."
"I want ten million transferred in care of the cancer ward at MegaKat General, and I want property lot number 83 bought out and cleaned up for a day care facility," Callista ordered.
"Callista, I know this is your money to do with what you will, but lot 83 is a disaster. It is going to take approximately 45 million to buy it out and another 50 million to clean it up for that type of use. I am sure I can find another property that will be more cost effective and in a much nicer area," Beth replied.
"Beth, I trust your judgment on most things. However, lot 83 is right in the center of where the day care facility needs to be. I want this place to be a safe haven for the kittens of hardworking parents that can't afford to send their kittens anywhere else. Now, I want the paperwork filed with City Hall on Tuesday morning so we can petition to get that property rezoned, and be sure to get that ten million transferred to MegaKat General today. Make sure that it is done anonymously. C. C. Enterprises does not need fanfare, or get thrown into the spotlight over this," Callista ordered.
"I'll do as you say, Callista, but I am not thrilled about throwing good money out the window for a day care center in that hellhole of a neighborhood. We'll need a security detail on duty 24/7 in order to protect the workers from the local gangs," Beth replied.
"You let me worry about the gangs in that area, Beth. I have my ways of keeping them at bay, and if they push back? They will learn the hard way not to cross me. Get your job done and go home. Oh, and Beth?" Callista said.
"Yes, Callista?"
"If you ever call that neighborhood a hellhole again, even in jest, consider yourself fired! There are a lot of decent families that live down there that need this center, and I am going to give it to them!" Callista barked.
"Yes, Callista, I understand," Beth replied.
Callista slammed her phone shut and said, "She is lucky that I am such a forgiving she-cat. If I wasn't, I would turn her into the mouse she really is." Callista then started walking back to Pirouette's room.
End of Chapter