Wrongly accused

by Cytochrome_C_Writes_TCC

Summary:

After a fateful trip to New Zealand, Kit gets blamed for things she did not do - from missing stuff, annoying pranks to creating an hornet infestation. And the evidence against Kit is too strong, try as she rightfully might. So its up to Sam to prove his friend's innocence, catch the true culprits and fix the damage.

Chapter 1: The Hitchhikers

"That's another creature case- closed!"

Kit and Sam had just wrapped up a case in New Zealand involving some sleepless locals and a booming kakapo. As the sun rose, Kit and Sam headed back to their airship, ready to sleep after an entire night of investigation and loud booming noises. As Sam struggled to stay awake after turning on the autopilot, Kit was drawing Sam and herself, oblivious to the hitchhikers in the air vent.

As the airship descended in the maintenance bay, a restless Kit stared at a sleeping Sam. Carrying him all the way to their faraway room would be too tiring (Even though carrying Sam and cuddling him is cute), as Kit pondered about what to do with the snow leopard. A mischievous thought crossed Kit’s head as she grinned.

”Kit! What was that?” The snow leopard asked, his thick fur wet. The fox, holding a now-empty glass, giggled “Oh come on Sam, lets go back to our room”. Sam grumbled before lecturing Kit, who hummed all the way back to her room.

The hitchhikers, peering from the air vent, observed the fox and snow leopard strolling out of the airship. “We will have fun today…” One of them proclaimed. Another, excited, produced a handmade Kit Casey mask. The others laughed at the thought of what they could do with it, the fun they could have.

Chapter 2: Breakfast

Summary:

The pranks get out of control. It seems like Kit, but is this so?

Sam’s alarm clock ringed, at exactly 8am. The snow leopard yawned and stretched himself, before greeting an energetic Kit. Still groggy, he squeezed his toothpaste onto his just-cleaned toothbrush. It seemed foamier than usual, but probably normal. Sam then put it into his mouth. Instead of the usual slight minty taste, it was just bitter and extremely soapy.

”KIT!!!“ Sam yowled, desperately trying to spit the foam and rinse it off. Kit stared at the amusing figure of Sam foaming at his mouth. “KIT! STOP GIGGLING! THIS IS NOT FUNNY!” The fox could not help but laugh harder.

After Sam had spent half an hour washing off the soap from his mouth and the floor, he finally went for breakfast. As the duo were at the buffet table, Sam had decided to make a cup of tea to comfort himself. Being careful to put in an exact amount of buckwheat honey in his oolong tea, he set the timer for exactly 5 minutes.

Kit, somehow ravenous (even though she had a midnight snack), was busy piling sandwiches and fruits in a delicate balancing act. Despite this, the other CLADE agents, used to her doing this, paid her no attention. The timer alarm sounded and Sam started to sip his tea.

The tea, instead of being the fragrant goodness Sam had expected, tasted like seawater. Spitting it back into his cup, he dashed to the bathroom to eradicate the salty taste once and for all. This was too much for the snow leopard to take - 2 pranks in just one morning? How could this be so? As Sam ruminated in his thoughts, he saw something that snapped him out of it. He was not the only one. Many other agents were also spitting their drinks. Could everyone in CLADE have been pranked?

Meanwhile, a laugh burst out from Kit, now in hysterics. The hard gazes of the irritated CLADE agents fell on her. Kit realising what had happened, sheepishly uttered “Whoopsie.”

Chapter 3: The Office

Summary:

Kit gets caught. But is she the culprit?

“Agent Casey. In the cafeteria, many of our agents complained of extremely salty drinks. Does that sound familiar to you?”

Sam, sitting next to the giggling fox, nodded his head. “But I don’t think that it could have been Kit because…”

Director Scratch squawked, ending Sam mid-sentence, gaze directed at Kit. “Why do you think that there is salt in the tea and coffee?” Sam muttered “Director, don’t you mean to ask a master detective…” Scratch put her wing to silence Sam, gaze still on Kit.

“Hey. It wasn’t me. Whoever it was, they have a good sense of humour (Scratch scowled at this statement), but that’s a waste of good salt. Wouldn’t I keep the salt for myself? After all, it makes everything taste better, but you don’t seem to think so, so why would I waste on coffee and tea I do not drink?” The quick-witted fox replied.

Director Scratch was unamused, turning her attention towards the snow leopard. “Agent Snow, how would you tell if she was the one behind this?”

Sam, in a cold sweat, seemed like he would rather be somewhere else. “I would hold a stakeout…” Scratch replied “Egg-xactly. Tomorrow, both of you need to stay in your room. Do not leave for any reason.”

Kit interrupted “But it will be so boring! Our room is so small and I cannot even exercise or play! And the food…”

Scratch continued “Tomorrow, I will get Sam to use his Clu-bots to deliver food”, before passing Kit a parcel. “You can play with it in your room, don’t force Sam.” The fox, intrigued by the parcel, tried to open it. “And I would open it tomorrow.”, Scratch left as a closing remark.

The hitchhikers peered from the air vent above the office. The leader, eavesdropping on this meeting, commented “We cannot have fun tomorrow, or they will know it was not her.” The hitchhikers groaned. “But what we can do is gather things to have fun with.” The hitchhikers laughed quietly, careful to not let the fox they were impersonating hear them.

Chapter 4: Stuck at home

Summary:

Kit is forced to stay at home and finds ways to manage her boredom.

Kit, feeling the warmth of the morning, opened her eyes, before stretching and yawning. She jumped out of the bed before looking at the snow leopard she had snuck into the room of - last night, the thought of being stuck in their room seemed like a nightmare. Today, it did not seem that bad. And the parcel. What was inside? She did not think for long as she decided to wake Sam up.

“Come on Sam, don’t sleep all morning. Wake up and play with me.” Kit tickled Sam’s face with a feather from her collection. Sam laughed, unable to speak.

“Kit…It… Tickles…” Sam spluttered between laughs. The fox immediately stopped, reminding Sam to collect their breakfast.

As Sam controlled an increasingly overloaded Clu-bot, Kit constantly asked to pick up ridiculous amounts of food, from 2 whole salt shakers, the equivalent of 3 bowls of cereal, a whole milk carton, and a mountain of fruit. But the snow leopard was focused on the background. Interestingly enough, nobody in CLADE mentioned salty drinks. However, Cubby lost a book - typical for her, perhaps? And Indie had lost a pair of shoelaces - something was wrong. As Sam listened from the Clu-bot, he slowly realised what had happened. Every CLADE agent had seemed to lose something. This had to be stopped.

“Sam? Why don’t you bring the food back fast? I’m hungry.” Sam was snapped out of his thoughts, and brought the slow Clu-bot all the way back to the room, as Kit paced around the room impatiently.

Sam ate in silence, while Kit, noticing Sam’s expression, was concerned. “Sam? Are you alright?” She asked, still chewing on her food, albeit with a sympathetic tone. Sam just nodded, careful to keep his suspicions to himself.

After the meal, Sam set himself to work cleaning the house, from the laundry, to dusting the already-spotless bookcase and floor. Kit, seeing Sam start his boring “daily tasks”, started watching a nature documentary on Keas.

“Hey Sam. Did you know that Keas have been known to steal passports?” Kit, eyes glued to the show, gestured to Sam to come over.

“Not now Kit. Say, is one set of your clothes missing?” The snow leopard was folding their clothes (and keeping count).

The fox dismissed this with a wave of her paw. “Heh, I could have lost it. Maybe it is in my room.”, not bothering to move from her seat. Sam signed at the remark, and finished folding the last jacket, before yawning.

“See you later sleepyhead” Kit said as Sam entered his bedroom for his afternoon nap. The ending credits appeared on Kit’s screen as she looked for something to play - normally, she would have gone for exercise, but today, she was stuck in her room. For some reason, it seemed worse yesterday than today. And she had a parcel to open from Scratch. What could be inside?

Chapter 5: The Parcel

Summary:

Kit finds what is inside Scratch's parcel, much to Sam's annoyance.

Notes:

It gets much more serious from now, lets see how this goes.

Kit tore the wrapping from the package in glee, before taking an air pump from her bag and inflating whatever was inside. The turquoise-coloured thing inside was crumpled but felt rubbery in her hands. As Kit continued pumping, she noticed it was already as large as the sofa.

This could be fun, Kit thought. The present was starting to take shape, looking more like a doughnut than crumpled paper. By now it was the size of her bed - her extremely large and messy bed. As Kit began moving the coffee table to make space for the gift, she thought about Sam. Shame he won’t like this sort of fun, she thought.

Half an hour later, the sound of splashing roused a confused Sam. As he prepared to look for the water source - which was much nearer to him than he would like, he looked out of his door, not expecting to see this.

“Finally you wake up. Last one in the pool is a rotten egg!” Kit, wearing her wetsuit and scuba goggles, dived into the water, splashing a horrified Sam. She had set up an inflatable pool in the middle of the living room. IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LIVING ROOM.

“Come on Sam, the water is fine.” Only then did Sam realise that he had not breathed for a full minute, and how Kit had filled the pool. The overflowing kitchen sink was right next to the pool and dripping into it. As the snow leopard stared, still frozen, at the water puddles around the house, Kit responded by splashing more water onto a drenched Sam, before diving into the water, a trail of bubbles leaving her snorkel.

“Kit! Seriously?” This sudden outburst surprised the fox, who emerged from the pool. She replied with a “Oh come on Sam, you never have fun, it is boring at home.”

It took a minute for Sam to realise the full extent of Kit’s doing. There was a pool in the living room, a blocked kitchen sink, a half-eaten salted potato chip packet, a pyramid of soft drink cans (2 emptied) and a number of bath toys, including a water gun.

“Worried about getting your perfect fur wet again?” Kit swam to the edge and stared at Sam, a complacent look on her face. Sam went nearer to the pool, before withdrawing.

“Ah, forget your fur! Just dive in!” When the snow leopard did not respond, Kit grabbed the scruff on Sam’s neck before dragging him in, ignoring his squeaking. She was secretly thankful for how light snow leopards actually are and their scruff.

After the fox released his scruff, Sam emerged from the water gasping “Kit, seriously?” All Kit could do was giggle at Sam, his fur drenched and messy.

Chapter 6: Escalation

Summary:

The hitchhikers get serious and manage to frame Kit for mischief.

The hitchhikers stared in awe at their new outfit.

It made them look like the fox they wanted to impersonate - with a mask made beforehand, some clothes they had stolen (“That fox can’t even organise their clothes, by now she will not even have noticed!”) and one of Kit’s old backpacks and even shoes that looked like Kit’s (Painted over with Kit’s own paint)

“Let’s try out this outfit.” Upon the leader’s cue, the hitchhikers put on the real-sized outfit. It might have been too large for one kea. But each controlled a limb. They laughed as they thought of the chaos they could create with it.

The hitchhikers exited from the vent as one, before searching for mischief to make.

The honeyguide noticed who he thought was Kit first, deciding to greet. “Good morning Kit!”

The hitchhikers, in the Kit outfit, were startled, careful not to let it show. Indie, glancing at who he thought was Kit, asked where Sam was. This earned a startled response from the hitchhikers as the leader’s mind was blank. She was not expecting this kind of response. But it would be a good opportunity for prank-making, she thought. And another one had the response.

“Oh, Sam’s still sleeping, he will come down soon.” The honeyguide immediately noticed the different voice, before asking about it. “Yeah, not feeling well today, I think I have a sore throat.”

Indie gave a wave as he walked off merrily, oblivious to the sticky note on his hat.

Back inside the vent, the hitchhikers giggled as they praised each other for their quick thinking. “When do you think anyone will find out?” One asked, mocking the CLADE agents. Another hinted at never.

Meanwhile, Kit and Sam were strolling to the cafeteria, sharing about yesterday’s experience. “I was mopping and drying the floor the whole night! Couldn’t you have at least set it up somewhere else?”

Kit smirked at Sam, who looked like he did not know whether to laugh or cry. “Forget the water, Sam. Let’s get some breakfast!”

In the cafeteria, Indie grabbed a tray and walked off. Out of Sam’s corner of his eye, he saw a sticky note on Indie’s hat. “Umm Indie? You have a sticky note on your hat.” The honeyguide took the note and read it, before walking off, mumbling something about Kit.

“Is Indie okay?” The fox asked mid-bite, still chewing on her cereal. Sam stared at her, but the fox simply continued chewing on her food.

Later, as they walked back to their room, several agents pointed at Kit and whispered, which struck a nerve through Kit. “What in the woolly world is going on?” She got no reply except for the other agents hiding from her sight.

Immediately after entering their house, Sam returned to drying the floor in Kit’s bedroom, still grumbling about the pool that Kit had set up and her antics. The floor had not been seen for hours: Kit had a talent to leave a trail of mess in her wake. As he picked up the first book, he noticed something wrong.

The book was the CLADE handbook.

It had Cubby’s name on it.

The snow leopard wondered if he should report it, return it to Cubby as if he had found it, or simply leave it in Cubby’s room and pretend nothing had happened.

Chapter 7: Random Kindness

Summary:

Someone surprises Kit with her kindness after her comb is stolen. Director Scratch notices this!

Notes:

HOW COULD HAYCAT DO THIS WITHOUT ME? (Yes he did it himself.)

Today’s lunch was horrible for Kit, to say the least.

Upon her arrival at the cafeteria, most of the agents got up and left, pretending not to see her and staying as far from her as they could. Except for three agents - the Director, Sam and a wolf.

As Kit started piling up food on her plate, she tried to take a deep breath to calm herself down. She was interrupted with a pat on the shoulder.

Hannah, the wolf, was looking at her, picking up a comb from her bag. “Kit, I see that you like my comb.”

“What in the woolly world…” Kit’s voice trailed off as she stared into Hannah's eyes There wasn’t a trace of sarcasm in her voice, and she seemed kind… Strangely?

“Come, let’s use it together.” Hannah, after reclaiming her comb, started brushing Kit’s fur with it. The fox watched as dandruff fell from her fur like snow, the wolf not judging or commenting on her on this. Kit did not move, expecting an unfriendly remark at least. It did not come.

“And… Done. Next time you could ask Sam, his fur is perfect.” As Hannahkept her comb, Kit was stunned, unsure of how to react to this random act of kindness.

Sam, who was watching the whole time, stared longingly at this scene, before Hannah also combed him. While Sam was purring with contentment, Director Scratch gestured to Kit.

“We need to have a talk.” Kit could only groan at this remark, having nearly forgotten her presence.

Chapter 8: Interrogation

Summary:

Director Scratch tests Kit's Guilt. Sam plays a part - is she innocent or guilty?

Kit rolled her eyes as Director Scratch prattled on about what she had supposedly done.

By one afternoon, after a day of no pranks (she was at home for the whole day), she had apparently managed to attach a rude message on Indie’s cap, made Cubby’s CLADE handbook vanish into thin air, steal someone’s comb, divert R.O.N. to Antarctica when the Stinkwells were doing repairs, and set Sam’s tea on fire.

“Agent Casey. This cannot be tolerated.” While Director Scratch was reprimanding Kit, the fox had to try her best to not just walk out. Seriously, how could tea be set on fire?

“But we have no proof that it was Kit. Maybe somebody could have planted these objects? And did R.O.N. actually go to Antarctica? I did not see my tea being set on fire.” Sam looked like he was pleading, his pupils visibly dilated.

Director Scratch turned on her screen, and let the CCTV recordings play. There was a clip of someone who looked like Kit pasting a sticky note on Indie’s cap while conversing, and another of the wolf showing Kit the comb in her backpack. Kit’s eyes widened in surprise.

Sam, looking at the videos intently, seemed reasonably pleased. “Whiskers, that’s it! It…” On the other hand, the fox looked increasingly bewildered as she looked at herself. Did she actually do all of these? In the morning?

The director turned off the screen, leaving Kit, initially bored, now bewildered. “And now be honest. Where were you when this happened?”

Kit earnestly shared what she was actually doing, while Director Scratch stared into Kit’s puppy-dog eyes. Eyes that only showed confusion, slight amusement, and panic. Realising a possible trick, the director broke the gaze.

Sam had nodded along to Kit, being with her since the morning, before excitedly chiming in “Did you notice something in the video?”, gesturing to Scratch to replay the video.

Sam pointed at the fox in the video. “The fox in the video was wearing full-length sleeves. Kit usually rolls up her sleeves!”

Director Scratch looked intently at the footage, trying to spot if that was the case, before breaking the tension with a squark, suddenly changing her tone.

“Agents. Your mission is to find who is doing this and why.”

Kit and Sam looked at each other, frustrated at this random briefing.

Notes:

Is my work getting weaker? Please tell me, I want to improve!

Chapter 9: Alienation

Summary:

Kit gets blamed for everything and feels... alone.

Kit wondered how her life at CLADE had, in a flick of a switch, turned upside down.

Ever since that Kakapo case, she had been blamed for increasingly ridiculous pranks, from pouring salt into the tea and coffee canisters (Which would be a waste of DELICIOUS salt), to setting Sam’s tea on fire (Supposedly witnessed by Cubby and Director Scratch. If THAT WAS EVEN POSSIBLE).

“Why…” Kit signed in resignation. Sam, reading a book, turned towards the fox.

Sam immediately noticed something amiss. Kit was avoiding eye contact, the normally happy and bubbly fox now silent, eyes downcast. “Kit? Is everything alright?”

Kit answered with a sob, sprinting out of the door.

“Kit!” Sam yelled. Taking a deep breath, he ran, going in the direction Kit had disappeared in.

Sam found her in the cafeteria, chomping on salted potato chips. Kit was surrounded by shredded wrappers, everyone in the cafeteria deliberately staying away from her.

He didn't want Kit to run off again… so he silently walked up to her, sitting down beside her. She recognised his presence behind her, but she did not run- not this time- and continued chomping on her snacks.

Sam looked at her face - tear stained, eyes glossy- she was quite clearly upset. Slowly, he placed his arm on top of hers. "Kit... what's wrong?"

She turned towards him, her eyes shimmering in the light. "Sorry for running off...." she whispered, eyes downcast.

"That's fine...but tell me... what happened? Is everything alright?" He asked, gently holding her hand, prompting her to speak.

Kit took a small, shaky breath. “It’s just… So annoying. Everywhere I go, everyone avoids me. It’s as if I am some sort of disease.”

Sam gave her a pat on the back, prompting her to continue.

She continued “First of all, someone keeps doing pranks, and I get blamed. Then everyone decides that I am not worth talking to, and now they keep whispering about me and running away. Why does nobody believe me now? What did I actually do?”

Sam considered listing down all the mischief Kit had made over the years but decided against it.

He held her hands, staying silent for a moment, before speaking up. "Well… It could have been worse."

Kit’s ears perked up, and she tilted her head in interest and surprise.

Sam continued “At least… We still trust each other. And Director Scratch knows that you are innocent. We have lived with each other for quite a while… And I know that you could not have done all of that.”

Kit smiled for a moment, but this quickly disappeared. “But what about the others? They still keep spreading rumours about me… And who actually hates me enough to keep framing me and pranking others?”

The snow leopard gave a worried sigh. He so desperately wished he could tell Kit that he had a way to stop this. Had an answer to all their problems. But he didn't, and that was the sad part.

But he and Kit- they could do anything...that's what he believed. "At least we are together. That's the important part. When we stick together… we can do anything." He held her hands. "We'll figure something out."

Kit replied with a hug, wrapping her tail around Sam. “Thanks for… Just now.”

“No problem! You can always talk to me if you need something. This has been difficult for us but remember…”

“Yeah, there’s one thing that I need you to do.” The snow leopard took notice, expecting something about the earlier talk.

“Can you help me set up the pool again in the living room?”

Sam sighed, secretly glad that Kit had returned to her usual bubbly self.

Chapter 10: Digression

Summary:

A case happens, and the hitchhikers take advantage.

Notes:

Chapter 9 coming on May 29. Stay with me!

“Come on in, Sam!” Kit, having set up the inflatable pool with Sam, gestured for him to enter.

“When I asked you to talk to me if you needed something, I did not mean…” Sam trailed off.

“Ah, you as always. Seriously, you are the first person who I know will spend hours on their fur. Can’t you just have a little fun?”

Knowing what Kit would do next, Sam backed away, noticing a familiar image on the pool. “Kit! The CLADE crest! Director Scratch has a new case for us!”

The snow leopard clicked the crest, relieved about not going into the pool - and Kit’s talent for finding loopholes being put to waste. The duo dived into the cavity left behind by their egg-shaped bookcase.

”Agents!” Director Scratch squawked. “We have a case in the Asian Jungle.” She turned on her projector to show photos of a pack of wolves grabbing their own arms, back and tail.

“I need you to know who stung them and why…” She was interrupted by a volley of water droplets.

“Kit!”

”Sorry, I was in the pool” Kit continued shaking herself dry even after she spoke.

“SQUARK!” Director Scratch pressed the button, sending the duo into the airship.

The hitchhikers watched this scene from a vent. “Did they mention stinging? We can bring whatever is stinging back here.”

They giggled, and another produced a butterfly net and jar. “I don’t know what Asia is, but this will probably come in handy.”

The leader gestured to the group to fly down to the airship, giggling all the way in the vent.

–––––––––

The duo greeted the wolves, who were screaming in pain.

“I’m Agent Sam Snow”

“And I’m Agent Kit Casey”

“We’re from CLADE, and we are here to help you find out what stung you”

The wolves could only manage short patches of speech “We were carrying the log… Expanding our house… Then gigantic bees came out… It hurts…”

Kit paid attention to the description, before noticing the wolves’s swellings and seized arms. “Do you feel a burning sensation or numbness?” The wolves nodded weakly.

“I would say it’s Asian Giant Hornets”, Kit said while applying ointment over the wolves' wounds. “Asian Giant Hornets have an extremely venomous sting, and they live in dead logs. You must have disturbed them.”

Sam chimed in “Aren't Hornets a type of Bee?”

Kit shook her head. “Hornets are different from bees. Bees store honey (Sam licked his lips) while Hornets do not. Bees appear fuzzy, while Hornets are smooth. And most importantly, bees leave you alone if you leave them alone. Hornets do not.” She turned to the wolves. “You are lucky that you left the log quickly, Hornets are very territorial.”

––––––––

While Kit shared about Hornets, the hitchhikers observed the duo from a distance. “Did she say that Hornets sting?”

”Yes she did. What do you think we should do with them?”

”Bring them back there? They will know the fox did it because she’s immune to pain.”

”How do you know that?”

”She landed on a sparkly music-playing metal box when she played Trapeze. And she did not seem to notice the hard box until she saw it.”

The hitchhikers laughed at what they could do with the nest.

Chapter 11: Inner Strength

Summary:

Kit finds strength in a chaotic CLADE HQ. Sam, on the other hand, needs strength.

“Another Creature Case… Closed!”

The hitchhikers flew back into the airship, ensuring that the duo could not see or hear them.

Kit and Sam strolled into the airship, unaware of the fate that befalls them. “Sam, remember the last time you got stung by just a bee?”

“Umm… No?”

“You were literally crying yourself dry. Some days I wonder how your tears never run out.” Kit responded playfully, giggling.

The eyes of the hitchhikers, in the airship, lit up in surprise. They started discussing over hoarse loud whispers.

While the airship took off, Kit heard a suspicious buzzing noise, before she gestured to Sam. Sam merely shrugged his head and pointed to the jet engine.

––––––––––––––––
“Oohhh, When I get back I am going to get out my smoothie and drink it underwater in my pool.”

Sam pointed to the launchpad. “Home sweet home! Wait… Kit, is that even…” The duo were cut off by a metallic chime.

"Activating lockdown mode"

Kit ushered to Sam to leave. The agile fox sprinted out of the gallery, and hopped through the ever-shrinking gap between door and wall.

The snow leopard leaped and bounced off the hatch. He felt a sharp pain on his back.

As he willed his muscles to get up, they would not listen to him. "Ugh, come on! I can do better than this! How can I be so weak..."

His thoughts trailed off with a click. The only exit was now another wall. He was stuck.

Sam tried with all his willpower to get up. He whispered what would normally encourage him. "You have to get a hold of yourself. Stop acting like a dummy. You are at the mercy of the world right now. I must do something before Kit abandons me - has she? Yes she has." Unexpectedly, Sam felt himself weaken with each statement, the initial thoughts replaced with ones of despair. "It was my fault. I deserve what happens to me. I made the wrong choice with Kit." The Snow Leopard could only collapse in helplessness.

–––––––––––––––

Meanwhile, Indie was passing by the maintenance bay. He shivered when he heard the noise emanating from the ship.

“They are not bees. These are Murder Hornets.”

“What are you talking about?” Indie turned away and refused to speak.

Kit felt a growing sense of burning injustice. “Look, I did not steal your cap. I did not cause all of this. Why me?” She spoke louder with each word, her voice increasingly thick with bottled anger. It felt so… Annoying to be treated as guilty.

Before she could ruminate in her thoughts, a swarm of orange and black escaped the vent. The initial feelings seem to evaporate: Survival was key now. Indie had seemingly faded into thin air. It was her vs the hornets.

She, fuelled by adrenalin, sprinted to her room. It was far away. But nobody else could help. Strangely, the running made her feel… numb about the feelings. At that moment, she could not care if she was the single most hated person in CLADE.

She dashed across the corridors, with hornets in close pursuit. In Kit fox fashion, she seemingly turned each corner instantaneously. Then came the door.

“Come on… Open faster!” Kit willed the door. The sound of buzzing was approaching. A crack opened in the door. She dived through before closing it.

Kit looked at the door in satisfaction before feeling a stinging sensation on her arm. Apparently, some of the hornets had managed to squeeze in with her. But she had a way. She was wearing her wetsuit underneath. And the scuba mask (with snorkel) was on the table. The pool was overflowing.

In a mad dash, Kit ran a circuit to grab her scuba mask, and dived with a splash into the inflatable pool. She held her breath while donning the mask. She watched as the intruders gave up and left.

Kit sighed with relief for the first time since she first used the pool. She had escaped a group of murder honerts. Maybe the entire CLADE organisation was just as manageable. With newfound confidence, she emerged from the water, feeling power. Strength. And determination.

And these feelings seemingly melted away. Was Sam okay now? Was he stung? Hurt? Kit willed them to return as she sprinted to the bay to retrieve her snow leopard. They did as commanded. “Sam, I will rescue you. Don't worry.”. And it felt good to be the hero against Hornets, CLADE, and for Sam.

––––––––––––––––

Meanwhile, Indie was in front of the Director, playing a recording.

“Kit is trying to attack us all.” He said, completely confident over his claims.

Director Scratch nodded.

Chapter 12: Rescue

Summary:

Kit rescues Sam, only to be further accused.

Kit peered into the cockpit of the airship.

Sam was a sorry sight. There were wet stains below his eyes, and he was just lying down in the cockpit. The usual confident look in his eyes was gone, replaced with emptiness. He was just staring into space. It was almost like… he gave up on hope. He was normally much more arrogant than this, and while he sometimes needed a cuddle… It was never like this.

“Sam!” The fox knocked on the cockpit panel. Sam got up and smiled weakly, looking into Kit’s eyes. His normally immaculate fur was matted, covered in tear streaks. Silent tears from the lack of hope, and his need for Kit.

Kit knew that a desperate Sam would need help quickly. But the Stinkwells - they probably did not trust her. And she knew all she needed was herself. “R.O.N, can you please open the hatch?”

There was a cold metallic reply. “Current mode: Lockdown. Ventilation blocked.”

The sight of her friend like this was too much for Kit to bear. She could not passively watch this hopeless Sam. She had to do something. Kit took a deep breath as she took matters into her own paws. She looked at the tools next to the airship - No access pass, no code, no override controls. The override switch on the wing was disabled due to lockdown. But there were more tools.

“Sam! I'm coming in!” Kit shouted warmly, attempting to soothe the snow leopard stuck in the airship. He looked at the hammer-wielding Kit with a mixture of hope and surprise.

“Kit! Are you…” Sam mouthed. Kit nodded before dealing the first blow.

A rosette of breaks appeared in the glass. The airship blared: “Error. Airship cockpit window damaged”, highlighting the break exactly where Kit struck.

“If you had opened the hatch, I wouldn't need to do this…” Kit struck another blow, desperate to save the partner who cared for her for many years. The alarm blared louder.

Kit dealt the critical blow. The hammer hit the cockpit with a bang, propelled by Kit’s worries and determination. And the glass broke. Kit watched as a segment of the window shattered into large fragments, opening a hole for Sam to pass through.

“Sam, come on out. It's fine now.” The Snow leopard crawled out of the gap before jumping into Kit’s arms, a weak smile on his face.

“Kit… Thanks.” Sam choked those two words, voice raw with fear and pain, out before snuggling into Kit’s fur, the normally brave and contact-averse snow leopard needing affection. Kit felt Sam’s heart thundering next to hers. The steady beat of Kit’s heart was soothing to Sam, even if she was destroying windows beforehand.

“Aww don't worry big kitty cat, you are safe with me.” Kit cradled the surprisingly light Sam in her arms. Sam hugged her further, burying his face into Kit’s fur, enjoying Kit’s warmth. The fear of losing her was so overwhelming. At least… It was over.

The duo enjoyed this moment of warmth and connection even as the alarm blared. Sam’s heart steadied. His confident demeanor returned as he piped up a question.

“Why do you smell like…”

Kit turned pink and quickly interjected “Yeah, it turns out that hornets hate the smell of…”

“Agent Casey!” The duo watched as 4 figures stood at the doorway. Director Scratch, Indie, Hans and Harold were glaring at them. Director Scratch was known for her glare - one that supposedly bore through solid titanium, one who froze all who dared to look into it.

It didn't help that Kit had put the hammer in her pocket and was right next to the wreckage.

“Agent Casey. Come with me now.”

The other three were muttering amongst themselves, their buzzes somehow audible in the din of the alarm.

Chapter 13: Trial

Summary:

Kit proves her innocence in front of a furious Director Scratch and misguided Indie.

“Agent Casey. This cannot be tolerated.” The Director could barely maintain her formality. She was a tasteful shade of red, visible even under feathers. And she shook as if something was trying to burst out of her at this very moment. “Are you aware of the incidents?”

The other CLADE agents talked at once, each voice indecipherable but to Kit and Sam.

“She vandalised R.O.N!”

“Kit dumped salt in my tea. AGAIN!”

“You got lucky! My tea was set on fire!”

“That snivelling fox set a paintball gun in my room!”

“I still cannot believe that she actually…”

The Director squarked, much louder than she intended. “Agents! Today your mission is to prove whether she has caused all this chaos and pranks.”

Kit looked like she would rather be anywhere else. This was the third time the Director was wasting her time - for rescuing Sam. He could not have saved himself. So why was she so annoyed about it?

“Agent Casey. Explain this incident.”

“R.O.N. went into lockdown as I exited - Sam was trapped inside. So I had to get him out. R.O.N. wouldnt open when I asked, so I had to open him myself to get Sam out. The override switch did not work, so I had to…” Kit grabbed an imaginary hammer and hit a layer of air, making a surprisingly realistic shattering sound for dramatic effect.

Indie interjected: “So why did you release that swarm of hornets? Luckily for you no one was hurt.” Kit couldnt help but notice that Indie was pointing at her the whole time, his tone becoming increasingly accusatory, his gaze increasingly harsh. And that was exasperating.

Director Scratch squawked. “Agent Indie! Can you prove that Agent Casey caused the hornet infestation? At least the hornets have been removed.”

Indie pointed at the screen with a dramatic flourish. The other agents were seemingly mesmerised with the image on the screen. Kit leapnt out of R.O.N. as the door closed, before looking at the camera. She looked confused, and opened her arms, seemingly asking for something before looking at the airship. The airship, for no apparent reason, released a black and orange swarm before the camera pointed towards the corridor, shaking wildly as it quickly moved away from the swarm.

The agents were muttering about the camera and the video. Kit let out a sigh of relief as she heard that nobody believed she had done it - despite her past history of pranks.

This relief would not last long as Hans showed another recording. “We got this from the maintenance bay.” Kit grew increasingly annoyed as she watched herself on screen. This recording was barely 10 seconds long, showing Kit hammering the cockpit window. It would have been comical - if the situation at hand wasnt so serious.

Kit was seething in her seat. She, together with Director Scratch, looked like she was ready to explode. She knew she was innocent. So why were these two wasting her time trying to victimise her? She felt the rage in her core, threatening to leak out soon. It would feel so good to get those two to…

“Kit? Are you all right?” Sam, stretching a hand to her, looked concerned, and strangely, more involved in the discussion than Kit herself.

Kit jumped a little in her seat, realising that her ears were warm. “Not really… Im just sick of all of this. Who would want to blame me for all of this? Without even letting me have the pleasure of…”

Sam muttered to himself “Who would want to frame sweet little Kit? Shes so nice. She hasnt harmed anyone before - even in her pranks. I will help you out. Its the least I could do as she helped me out.” His cheeks felt warmer as he thought of innocent Kit - she is so cute, so fluffy, so adorable. Remembering to explain these strange feelings with a “she needs my help”, he continued by clearing his throat.

“While I was inside, I found this feather. It blew out from the ventilation.” Sam brought a green feather from his pocket. Kit took the feather and examined it as if there was something inside. Like a proof of innocence. But no matter how she willed for one, the feather did not change. But in her brain, she was hard at work identifying it. Could it be from the culprit?

Kit’s eyes lit up with determination. “Sam, it could be from a Kakapo. But they are not normally as mischievous as this.”

“And also, it must be able to fly well to get into R.O.N’s vent.”

“But Kakapos are flightless birds, which is because of their short wings…” Kit found each word increasingly difficult to say like the zoologist she was. It was so exhausting to pretend that everything was alright - especially with burning anger threatening to work a way to her bones. She wasnt calm or numb - she was filled with burning, white-hot rage.

Indie continued “And why should there be murder hornets inside the very airship that Kit took? And how do we prove that the feathers come from the culprit?” The duo had no answer to this frustratingly loaded question, except for the fox’s ears becoming increasingly red.

Cubby piped up “Last week I lost my CLADE handbook. I found it on Kit’s bed…” Indie had an increasingly triumphant look on his face. “But there was a green feather on it. I didnt notice until I heard a cracking sound when I closed it.” She held out a feather with a clean break, which Kit snatched. Indie looked like a ghost had appeared.

“Definitely from the same bird.” Sam observed. Kit responded with a nod.

“Excuse me, I hope you dont mind me pointing out what I found. When my comb was stolen, I initially thought she wanted to style herself. But after I put it back, I found claw marks. X-shaped claw marks. And these are definitely from a parrot.” Kit had an increasingly smug look on her face, her tail wagging slightly as Hannah brought out her comb.

Director Scratch looked pleased as the agents leapt in one by one to defend Kit. “Agents, I think we can all say that Kit is innocent.” One particular agent looked like he was ready to faint, while another looked like she had won the lottery. “Your next mission is to find who is framing her.” The Director ended the meeting with a squark.

The hitchhikers lurked in the vents, blissfully unaware of the turn of events. “So what should we do next?”

“Im planning on something epic. We may get caught, but its all good fun.” The group laughed, ready to go for their next mission - of mischief.

Chapter 14: The Search

Summary:

Kit finds the hitchhikers. And they are ready.

“Twist my tail! When I get that parrot, I shall…”

“Kit! We have got to be serious.”

Kit rolled her eyes before continuing to look around in her iSpy goggles. No signs of claw marks. Her ears twitched as she tried to listen out for… anything. There was no strange activity - just Cubby droning about her hero worship. She sniffed the air as if there could be something. “No musty smell.”

“Kit, what musty smell are you talking about?” Sam’s eyes looked bloodshot - earlier he had completed an entire case, was separated from Kit (for good, or so he thought), had to defend Kit after she rescued him, and now had to search for an invisible parrot. Needless to say, he looked like he could fall asleep at any moment.

“Kakapos have a musty smell! Its normal…” Kit was pleased with how naturally these words flowed out, honed by habit and continuous practice. Or maybe… It felt much better to know that everyone was on her side, with nobody to accuse her of all the pranks. It was strength flowing in her veins.

Except Indie. She would take care of him later.

“Kit, look! Claw marks!” Sam weakly but passionately pointed out X-shaped claw marks on the vent grille. “Whiskers, that's it! They must have been travelling through the vents, that's why we haven't seen them before…”

Kit tapped Sam’s shoulder and crawled into the vent. She sniffed the air inside… And noticed a faint smell. It was faint but sickly sweet.

“Sam! Can you smell something?”

The snow leopard sniffed the air from his position behind Kit, before suppressing his desire to retch. ”All I smell is salt, ammonia and sulfur. A little like the Stinkwells…”

“Not that smell. The sweet one.”

Sam looked bewildered and disgusted as Kit continued “I wonder what parrot has green feathers and a sweet smell. It could be a lorikeet, kea or macaw…”, reciting oblivious to Sam’s disgust.

“Kit! Look!” The fox looked up and saw a cross-junction. The light was little more than pure darkness at this point, with Kit placing her hand along the wall following the sweetness and Sam following by scent.

“Maybe we should check each tunnel, I will go by the left.” Sam slurred.

Kit signed as she thought about the state of Sam, before speaking in a mischievous tone. “Are you sure you can stay awake? Because if you sleep here the whole of CLADE will have to find you again.” Sam heard her giggling slightly, the echoing sound amplified by the cold metallic walls.

Sam recalled the last time he slept in a vent. It was peaceful when CLADE HQ was renovating - the ridiculously drilling and hacking noises hurt his ears. Especially in the afternoon.

Until Kit found him. “Sam! I wondered where you were. I can’t believe a big kitty cat can be so hard to find. Even at home. Are you actually not hungry…” He couldn’t tell if she was genuinely concerned or just sneering at that time.

Needless to say, he did not want a repeat of this incident.

Kit watched as Sam crawled back towards the light. It took him nearly twice as long to go back than forward.

Pressing her left hand against the wall, she turned as the wall turned, being sure to sniff the air regularly. For some reason the smell was equally strong everywhere she went - faint but sickly sweet. She shivered as the cold air rushed by her, seemingly ignoring the fox blocking the vent.

Kit’s ears twitched as she picked up a sound. Wheels rattling against the ground. The sound of something being cut. The low hum of a laser.

The low hum of a laser? Kit brought out her screwdriver to remove a metallic panel from the vent. The screws were rusty, but she grunted as she exerted her strength - which was enough to break laminated glass. Twice. She was not expecting the sight that befalled her.

She realised that she was above the ceiling, thankful that the wind was blowing from the opposite direction from her. Whoever was below could not possibly smell her. They were green, small and riding a rocket cart with a laser attached. She watched the laser cut through the walls, leaving a smouldering black mass behind. And the green parrots seemed to be enjoying it.

Her heart leapt as she saw what was on the cart. Her missing set of clothes - that only Sam noticed. Until now.

A mask of her own face. She stared into the recreation of her face. It was… strangely perfect. It could rival a mirror - not like she often looked at herself in it. It felt weird to look at yourself in this way.

She thought of the CLADE members accusing her. They said she poured salt into their drinks. They thought she set the tea on fire. They thought she broke R.O.N’s cockpit - hang on, she actually did that. To rescue her best friend.

She felt her blood boil as she watched the green parrots blissfully ride the cart for destruction. Destruction of the walls. Destruction of her reputation. Destruction of CLADE.

She balled her hands into fists as the cart left the frame. It would feel so good to jump down and attack these intruders. Destroy them completely. And maybe even find out what those green parrots tasted like. She felt her stomach rumble, seemingly to agree.

She made a promise. “I will get you, green parrots.” She then continued with a stream of curses.

Chapter 15: Payday

Summary:

Kit is hungry for REVENGE.

(Why did I make something like this?)

Kit attached a CLADE claw to the roof of the vent, before using the claw as a grappling hook to lower herself to the floor. Thankfully the Keas - she could make out what exactly they were from above the ground - were too busy having fun. And easier to jump scare. All the better for cooking - Roast Kea is a nice form of revenge for these… Kit couldn’t help but let her mouth water as she thought of the possibilities.

“I WILL GET YOU LITTLE GREEN KEAS!!!” The Keas’ attention was suddenly diverted to Kit’s battle cry - and the furious yellow fox leaping from the rope.

“Hi there! Welcome to the circus! We were just about to…” The leader was promptly interrupted by Kit pinning her down to the floor.

”YOUR TIME IS UP. YOU HAVE KEPT THIS UP FOR LONG ENOUGH. YOU ARE EVIL…” As Kit continued spewing expletives, the leader, with an innocent gaze in her eye - which made Kit’s blood boil - pointed out “Is she stark raving mad?”

The other Keas hinted to keep on having fun as a furious Kit sprayed saliva all over the leader, who seemed bored at that point. “Have you heard of something called chillaxing?” The leader continued mocking and taunting the fox.

Kit turned increasingly red - even visible under her golden-yellow fur. She felt pure, white-hot rage as she felt that all her pain had disappeared.

Rage at these Keas who framed her for arson.

Rage at these Keas who framed her for vandalism.

Rage at these Keas who framed her for theft.

Her claws dug deeper into the Kea’s feathers. Her eyes narrowed into slits. Her fur bristled. As she brought her fist to the leader’s face, she felt something knock her to the side.

The Keas boarded their cart, which Kit saw had knocked her over. All she knew was that she wanted to destroy the cart - and their delicious creators. It was a primal instinct - or what she would have said if she was calm.

The Keas watched in surprise as Kit snatched a stray piece of crumpled paper, her muscles coiling like tense springs - and aimed at their cart. It shattered into many pieces with a satisfying crush. Small, plastic pieces. The laser and rocket had large dents in their metal hulls - even Sam, with a hammer, could not have created these.

“Okay, she’s crazy at this point. Let’s just leave…” The world around Kit turned red, and all she could focus on was those creatures' pain. It was the primal instinct, a fiery desire that surged through her veins.

She had to make them pay.

As the green birds took off, Kit aimed a piece of plastic at each Kea.

She watched in sadistic satisfaction as the Keas found their pathetic wing-flapping useless, their primary feathers razed by each piece of plastic. Just like a knife to butter.

“Oh, no. You are not going anywhere. But here.” Kit called out, pointing to her stomach. Her voice was smooth, filled with hatred and darkness.

“Yep, this yellow thing is absolutely bonkers.” A Kea called out before returning with a bonk, to earth.

Kit took a deep breath. She had never felt such a burning rage before. These green birds did not show even a trace of… fear? Was she not doing enough? Fuelled by this thought, she continued launching plastic pieces - or what she saw as nuclear missiles - at the unamused Keas. She longed for the smell of fear - or at least blood.

“Hey Ms Yellow Thing, what’s making you so mad?” Despite the various slash wounds and cut feathers on the leader, she still kept her composure. And irritating sense of humour.

”YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DESERVE.” Kit, with a mad glint in her eye, considered ending the miserable thing’s life. But thought otherwise. It would be more fun to watch them suffer. Which they didn’t seem to be doing.

The Keas deftly dodged the plastic pieces fired by the furious fox. One piece struck the wall and remained lodged there, half of it visible like an iceberg in the sea. All Kit could see was a group of Keas, her white-hot anger and missiles of justice - plastic ones.

She wanted to make them pay. With their pain. Blood. Suffering.

“Nobody frames me. AND GETS AWAY WITH IT!” The sudden increase in volume, albeit with the dark and hateful tone throughout, surprised the Keas.

“AGENT CASEY!” Director Scratch’s voice pierced through Kit’s rage like a shard of ice as she looked at the ceiling vent. The Director was staring down at her with a look of disdain. One that expected better of her. A silent plea for forgiveness - even for those who wronged her. And what Kit saw as a blatant lack of sense of justice.

”Agent Casey. Follow me now.” Kit groaned at this voice telling her to forgive the ones who ruined her life.

Notes:

Hope this is okay, it cant be too bad... right?

Please give suggestions to improve! And leave comments too!

Chapter 16: Plotting

Summary:

Kit is ready for revenge. Served raw.

”You can’t tell me that you sent them to the medical wing!” Kit protested to an overly bureaucratic Director Scratch, her voice filled with pent-up anger and injustice.

“Agent Casey. CLADE helps all animals in need. Regardless of whether you like that or not.” Kit’s fur bristled at these words, spoken smoothly and overly formally. Formality is boring, Kit thought. And why does the Director of an organisation meant to help the innocent, help the enemy? How did she get to the top without any sense of justice?

”Agent Casey. I understand why you feel like this. Maybe you should go back with Sam, he must have missed you for a while.” This sterile, clinical voice irked the fox, who realised that she was speaking her thoughts out loud. In front of the single most emotionless person in CLADE.

“Ugh come on! THEY don’t deserve help, they were the ones who caused this mess.” Director Scratch ignored the grumbling fox and continued walking, careful not to show any emotion.

Inside the Director, it was a different story. Everyone needs to be treated fairly - but is this worth it? When a CLADE agent is hurt, in any way, emotionally, psychologically or physically, should they be helped first? Even if it impedes the help of others? There were many Keas but one Kit fox. And what is morally right? And how should she solve the problems that the Keas caused - and the big one the fox created? Who is in the wrong here? She sighed as the thoughts flowed through her head like fish in a stream.

Kit let out a sigh directed to who she saw as “Director-with-abysmal-sense-of-moral-fiber”. She wanted to sit down and vent her grievances to someone - anyone who would actually listen. Like Sam. Not an emotionless robot.

“Agent Casey. While I understand why you feel this way…” - Kit rolled her eyes - “You will have to calm down and reconsider your actions. If word gets out…” While Director Scratch continued droning, the fox thought of what she could do to the Keas. Maybe put them in the oven, add some sauce and share the labours with Sam. If he rejected - she knew it would taste good - there would be more for her anyway. Even though he is so nice…

The stern gaze of the Director fell upon Kit, who realised she was drooling. As she stared into the Director’s eyes - filled with suppressed rage, frustration and embarrassment - Kit swore that her gaze could penetrate walls. If only she used it on the Keas. “Agent Casey!”

The fox looked up to see the Director blowing steam from her nostrils. If the Director was expecting submission, that couldn’t have worked. “Shame you don’t seem to know what justice is.”

“AGENT CASEY! GO. TO. MY. OFFICE. NOW.”

At these words, Kit sprinted away from the red-faced Director. To find someone who would help her. And not team up with the Keas.

Director Scratch was in close pursuit. She tried to grab Kit’s bushy tail but only grasped air. Her comb was a vivid shade of red, and her narrowing, piercing eyes were focused on the fox.

The Director gasped as Kit leapt into the vent, blowing a raspberry at the face behind before crawling onwards. The sweet smell of Keas was no longer present, but Kit congratulated herself for leaving marks - exclusively on the left side of the metal shafts. She shivered a little as the air blew past her and she felt the icy cold metal on her hand - pressed against the walls of the shaft.

Kit’s ears pricked. There was a soft, dark, hateful voice below. “I swear, if I get these people who released the hornets, I will…”

Indie was interrupted by Kit falling from the ceiling as she unscrewed the panel. His face was pale with a look of horror - as if he had seen a vengeful spirit.

“Kit? I’m really sorry for accusing you for the past few weeks. I genuinely thought that you did all of this - but who did it?”

The fox flashed a sly grin. “No worries! Everyone makes mistakes sometimes - but would you like to help me handle these pranksters?”

Indie’s eyes lit up with newborn courage. He nodded.

Kit’s tail started wagging wildly, knocking over Indie’s handbook from the table. “The culprits are Keas. Little, green, evil birds. We will make them suffer. They are the cause of all of this AND NEED TO BE FRIED!” She shouted the last few words with the charm of a politician. A particularly angry, orange one.

Indie continued with a cold, calculating voice. “I agree. How do we handle them?” Kit brandished a bottle of bleach, rubbing alcohol and cooking oil, carrying them from her backpack.

Indie stared at Kit, her bravado and the items in a mixture of horror and awe.

“Okay, just go to the medical wing, and put on a mask. Go into the vent. I left marks. Keep them on your right until the next junction, then follow the path of older marks. You will be able to tell the difference…” Kit felt power and strength flow through her veins, warming every part of her body. She was no longer helpless. She would get her well-deserved revenge. And not even a morally corrupt Director could stop her.

Notes:

This was a little short - is it too short to be bad?

I need to improve. Please give feedback!

Chapter 17: Nuclear Revenge

Summary:

Kit and Indie get well-deserved revenge on the Keas. But something happens - leaving them confused.

“They are so gonna get it.” Kit and Indie said almost in unison, before laughing maniacally.

Kit and Indie were crawling inside the vents, the fox going forward first and sniffing frequently at the right. The warmth in her body repelled the ever-present cold air blowing in the vent. Her tail was pointing directly up - she knew it was a sign of confidence.

“Ugh, the vents smell like…”

“Yeah, I know, that’s how I…” Kit saw a glimpse of a medical bed from the window and gestured to Indie to watch.

There were a group of green birds surrounding an arrangement of pills and medical supplies. They brought a green feather and paraded it through a hallway of pills, an IV drip bag and a small container.

“Ha. If only those Keas knew what that container was used for…” Kit giggled at her statement, while Indie seemed more fixated on the scene.

“Kit. Look! They must be plotting escape. The pills represent…” The fox’s pupils dilated as she listened to Indie’s words. A smirk grew on her face.

Indie watched as Kit donned a mask and passed him one. Once both had masks on, Indie was fixated at what the fox did next.

Kit brought out her bleach and rubbing alcohol - or rather Sam’s. He had enough cleaning materials to sterilise the whole of CLADE HQ - and he couldn’t notice just two of his beloved items gone.

The honeyguide watched in fascination as Kit poured the alcohol onto a tissue.

Followed by a generous serving of bleach.

Kit stole one final peep through the vent grilles.

The originally chaotic scene was replaced by silence. The Keas had vanished into thin air, leaving only a solitary feather behind. The one they were playing with. The collection of items lay inert on the floor, save for the container. It released a hollow rattling sound as it rolled across the floor.

Kit heard her heart thumping against her chest. She could not have made the Keas vanish - she simply couldn’t. Director Scratch was on the hunt. If she was caught… The Director would probably ban her from taking more than one plate of food. Lock her in her room. Force her to do the chores. Deny her CLADE cakes.

The blood in her veins turned cold, and her face went pale.

“Kit! The Keas must have escaped! They were rehearsing it just now! We have to hurry” Indie waved a wing in front of Kit.

”But there’s no other way but the main door and the vents. There’s only one system of vents which we are in and…” Kit spoke, with an increasingly tense voice.

”Director Scratch and the Stinkwells were careful to make sure the door could only be opened from the outside. To prevent them from escaping.”

”So what happened? Let’s go down!” Kit brandished a screwdriver and started turning the numerous screws furiously.

”Kit! It could be a trap!” The fox paid no heed to Indie’s words, pulling open the panel and hopping through to the light.

Kit turned around the room, watching every detail. Hearing every sound. Sniffing every corner. There was a faint smell of Keas and anesthetic - but no other trace. The feather fluttered across the room mockingly.

The door was shut. The room was somehow perfectly made - every bed was immaculately made. Except for the map on the floor.

Kit examined it, sniffing the small cylindrical container - which smelt like herself. Apparently the Keas had planned to escape through the vent and create fake copies of themselves - not in sight - before Kit realised that she could only see much before she set up her alcohol and bleach.

The stained tissue was now mixed with the map.

Indie gestured to Kit to go back up. She stuck a CLADE claw to the vent before hauling herself back up.

The fox and honeyguide stared at each other in a moment of silence and horror.

Someone else had also wanted to take revenge on the Keas. But who?

Notes:

PLEASE DONT LET THIS BE BAD!

I worked too hard on this to be bad - will there be a part 18? Thats for you to answer as an exercise for the reader.

I owe Kit some well-deserved reparations.

Chapter 18: Deportation

Summary:

Sam and Scratch deport the Keas - but Kit is missing.

The Director stared at Kit in the vent. She blew a raspberry before crawling away.

”AGENT CASEY!” Kit paid no attention to her words - like her normal self. Director Scratch felt the burning anger growing inside her, flowing through her veins.

She racked her brain on how to stop Kit.

Kit, understandably, wanted her revenge. She knew had to stop her from doing anything too extreme. Like what happened the last time she asked Kit to organise the files - suffice to say, everyone in CLADE was disgusted. Only Kit would talk about it in full detail.

She needed Sam’s help.

As the Director walked into Sam’s room, she was greeted by the sight of Sam sleeping peacefully. His chest was rising and falling regularly and slowly. He looked so... peaceful... his fluffy tail occasionally swishing in his sleep.

But she couldn’t let Sam keep sleeping. Especially since she had a new case. Even though he was cute, she had to be professional.

“Agent Snow.” The groggy snow leopard woke up at these words, looking disorientated.

”Director?”

”Agent Snow, listen. Our mission is to return the Kakapos to their habitat.”

“You can count on… me, Director? Where is Kit?” Sam noticed the usually cold and detached Director using the word “our”. It felt… strange.

The Director led Sam to the medical bay, where the Keas were. Sam smelt the faint lingering smell of anesthetic - and squinted at the harsh bright lights.

“We need to lure the Keas out into this carrier.” Sam only realised why he mentioned the carrier after seeing what was in Director Scratch’s hands.

”Egg-xactly.” Director Scratch knew she could trust her top agent.

”Last time I handled them, I remember laughing and tricking them with Kit to solve a puzzle.” The Director nodded.

”But Kit… Where is she? She hasn’t left me for good… right? What did the Keas do to her?”

A scene from “Attack of the cheese people: The Last Stand” flashed in Sam’s mind. A cheese person… simply absorbed a running yellow fox. She was caught mid-dive with a protruding arm. But the yellow fox tried to fight her way out. She used her claws to scrape the cheese away. Push it from her body. Thrust herself from the deadly, sticky cheesiness. But the gooey cheese just flowed over her body, despite her best efforts. She was never to return. Not even a stain or strand of fur to symbolise her existence.

That night, he could not even rest - the scene just kept replaying itself in his mind. Kit laughed during that scene. He could only finally sleep when Kit cuddled with him - and kept a lookout for marauding cheese people.

Cheese people… “Whiskers, that’s it!”

The Director paid attention to Sam this time, nodding with approval. “They will not fall for the same trick twice. We will have to put something in to interest them. Like… Kit’s cheese sculptures!”

Kit had created two cheese sculptures in an attempt to get Sam to “face his fears”. That attempt’s outcome was Sam jumping into Kit’s arms - and refusing to leave for a week.

Director Scratch watched in mild amusement as Sam put on a mask before carrying the two sculptures back from the fridge as far from himself as possible.

He looked at Scratch for reassurance before placing the two sculptures inside.

Scratch, despite her cold and clinical demeanour, had warm, hopeful eyes.

She opened the door to the medical room. It opened with a beep and click.

The Keas were inside, playing with an arrangement of pills and medical supplies. They brought a green feather and paraded it through a hallway of pills, an IV drip bag and a small container.

“Okay, so we go up the vent, take the first right, second left and go down to the entrance.” The Leader dictated. The other Keas nodded.

”Do you know how to start the engine of that airship?” One Keas nodded and giggled.

”Good. Let’s take off… Hey, what are those things?” The Leader gestured to the cheese sculptures in the carrier.

“Huh. One of them looks like that fox. She’s just plain psycho.”

”Let’s go find out.” The Keas, in unison, flew out of the door to the carrier. Director Scratch watched each green bird enter before shutting the door.

“We have to load it to R.O.N.” The Director and Sam nodded in agreement, panting as they heaved the now-heavy carrier to the airship.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Director Scratch and Sam sat in the cockpit of the now-repaired airship. There was not even a crack to show that Kit had broken it - to rescue him.

”Set course for New Zealand.” R.O.N. replied with an affirmative.

As Sam stared at the cold void that was the black, starless sky, he felt an equivalent void in his heart.

Kit was gone.

Sent into the void. Beyond the edge of space and time.

He couldn’t help but let out a sob. Director Scratch took notice.

“Agent Snow?”

At this word, Sam realised that he could not hold back a floodgate of tears.

“Kit… She’s gone. I hope… she comes back.” Sam choked through sobs. Director Scratch placed a supportive wing around Sam, not minding her tear-soaked feathers.

“She is gone… It is my fault.” Sam’s tone was increasingly filled with dark self-hatred, his tail becoming limp.

“Agent Snow. It is not your fault.” Sam sobbed more violently, unable to speak but in whimpers. His eyes clamped shut, and all he could see was Kit’s disappearance.

Director Scratch searched Sam’s face. His thick fur absorbed the tears like a sponge - but they were visible in his eyes. Maybe a moment of unprofessionality wouldn’t hurt…

“Agent Snow. We can talk about it later.” Scratch rubbed the top of Sam’s head in the same direction he always groomed it, careful not to mess up his perfect hairstyle.

Sam felt the warmth from Director Scratch - her feathers felt comforting against his fur. The looming thought slowly dissipated - but leaving a constant shadow in his mind.

“Thanks… Director.” Sam only pulled away once he realised the awkwardness of relying on your supervisor for support.

The Director only blushed a little, seemingly happy to help but embarrassed. “Agent Snow. I know both of us are uncomfortable with it… But I knew you needed a hug.”

She was promptly interrupted by a “Now arriving at destination: Oceanic Mountains.”

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“Thanks R.O.N!” Sam unloaded the carrier and opened it. A small group of Keas flew out.

”That was fun! See you again!” The Leader greeted Sam, whose face immediately soured.

”You should have seen that fox’s face!”

“Yeah, she’s crazy. Shame we can’t have fun there!”

The flock watched Sam and Scratch enter the airship, and fly off, back to CLADE HQ.

“And… I got this.” A jubilant Kea brandished Kit’s notebook with a flourish. “Took it from her when she was attacking us.”

The group laughed as they flew off into the mountains. A fast-talking, energetic Piwakawaka was waiting for them.

“Hi Keas! You missed out the news about Kit and Sam - have you seen them? A Kakapo told me all about them. They are a married couple - Kit is that yellow Fox who wears pink and Sam is that grey Snow Leopard who wears green. Everyday, Kit wakes Sam up by kissing him…”

The Keas opened Kit’s notebook and saw exactly that.

“My, she will go for it.” The group giggled, passing the Piwakawaka the book.

Notes:

Hope its not too bad, stay tuned for the epilogue!

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