Tigers, Tigers Bye Kari Gilmore Chapter 1: One evening after the zoo had closed, Tigera climbed over the gate and landed on her feet in a bush. She stayed low until the security guard passed by. She stood up and straightened her blue dress out and buttoned her coat. Then she walked over to a cage where a tiger was sleeping. "Psst. Demeter," she whispered. The tiger's ears twitched and then it looked at her. She growled softly and walked over to her. "Hello, sister. Are they treating you well?" "They feed me raw meat, but in this body, I enjoy it," the tiger said telepathically. "It's criminal to keep you like this. If I had my way, you'd be running free and whoever stole you would be put in here," Tigera said, patting Demeter's head. Demeter's head rose up and growled. "What is it? What's the matter?" Then Tigera gasped. She reached back behind her neck and pulled out a dart. She turned around and saw a dark figure holding up a double barrel gun. She stood in front of Demeter's cage and prepared herself to defend herself. Then her eyes began to droop and her vision blurred a bit. The figure slowly stepped towards her. "Easy, lady. Just relax and go to sleep," he said. Tigera said, sounding more tired with pause, "I won't... Let you hurt... The tiger." "I didn't come here for the tiger, my dear." "Tigera, resist it!" Demeter said. Tigera leaned against the railing by the cage and shook her head. She groaned and then fell to the ground. The figure swung her over his shoulder and started to walk away. Demeter roared loudly, hoping to get the security guard's attention. The figure picked up a rock and threw it at her cage. "Shut up, or I'll make a rug out of you!" She continued to roar, causing the birds to squawk. That got the guard's attention. He shone a flashlight on Demeter's cage and walked over towards her, not seeing the figure holding Tigera over his shoulder. "What's the matter, girl?" the guard asked. Demeter paced around in her cage, keeping her eyes on the figure with Tigera. The figure ran past the guard and punched him to the ground as he passed him. The guard watched the figure run off and caught sight of Tigera on his shoulder. Demeter watched them leave sadly. She laid down and whined. Meanwhile, Chance was outside the Rosemary Café while waiting for Tigera to appear. He checked his watch and looked down the street. "She better not be standing me up, that's all I've got to say. I spent good money for this ring," he said to himself, holding a small box in his paw. Then he put it in his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. He dialed up a number and waited for someone to pick up. "Buster Whitetail here," the voice on the other line said. "Bust, it's Chance. Have you heard from Tigera?" "That's a negative, buddy. Weren't you two going out on a date about now?" "*And* I was gonna propose to Tigera." "All right! It's about time!" "That's what we should be saying for you and Ann. You both are finally admitting that you're dating. Well, if you haven't seen Tiger, I'll just ask Jake if he has." "Actually, I was about to call you myself. Ann hasn't shown up all night. I called Jake and asked if he's seen her, and he hasn't along with Katney." Chance raised an eyebrow. "Is that a fact? All three of our girls are gone, huh?" "Excuse me, Mr. Furlong. I meant to tell you sooner that your date, Ms. Tigera, said she was going to be late. She was visiting a friend at the zoo," a waiter said, standing in the doorway. Chance turned to the waiter then turned his attention to the phone. "Call Jake and tell him and yourself to come to the zoo ASAP." Later, Chance was standing outside the gate of the zoo as a van pulled up in front of him. Jake and Buster stepped out and joined him. "So, what happened, Chance?" Jake asked. "Well, basically, from what that guard said, some guy was in here with a she-kat and carried her off after he punched the guard. The guard said he woulda missed them if that tiger wasn't making noise," Chance replied. "But why would Tigera be here?" Buster asked as they walked into the zoo and stopped in front of the tiger cage. Demeter growled softly. Jake looked at the tiger and reached to pat its head. "Since I'm part god, maybe I can read this tiger's mind," he said. The tiger raised her head up and licked his paw. "Easy, Jake. It's tasting you," Chance said. Jake put his paw on Demeter's head. "*She* has a name, Chance. Her name is Demeter. She says she's a daughter of Satan turned into an animal for following in Tigera's example," Jake said. "The tiger's-- I mean, *Demeter* is Tigera's sister and a *good* daughter of Satan? I'm still recovering that Tigera's one," Buster said. "Can she tell us what happened?" Chance asked Jake. Demeter growled softly as Jake patted her head. "Well, pretty much the way you heard it, Chance, except Demeter says Tigera got shot with a dart and then fell unconscious. The rest happened," he said. Buster looked at the ground and picked up the dart that Demeter was referring to. "Hmm. If you can analyze this blood on the needle, Jake, and what might've been inside, we might be able to find out what happened to Tigera, and hopefully, Ann and Kat," he said. "Well, I'll try anyway. Thanks for the info, Demeter," Jake said, turning to the tiger. Demeter whined softly. "Don't worry. We'll find her." "We have to," Chance added softly, feeling the box with the ring in it in his pocket. Chapter 2: Tigera felt a pain in her right leg. She opened her eyes and looked to her right. "It's about time you came around," a voice said. Tigera's eyes were still blurred, but she knew the voice right away. "Katney? Why did you kick me? Ack, I've got such a headache," Tigera said. She tried to rub her head, but both her arms were in clamps. She looked and saw she, as well as Kat and Ann, were both on a table with clamps on their wrists. "What's going on?" Ann asked who was on a table next to Tigera. "I don't know. Last thing I remember, I was visiting my tiger sister Demeter and then I got a dart in my neck, which still hurts. And Chance and I were going to go out on a big, romantic date, too," Tigera said. "Hmm. Ditto for Buster and me tomorrow night." Kat grunted as she tried to break loose of the clamps. "Hey! Is anyone here?" she called out. A figure stepped out of the shadows, most of his body is visible, but shadows covered him from the shoulders up. Then a large white tiger appeared next to him. The tiger walked up to Tigera and sniffed her. "I see you have meet Plato," the kat said, stepping into the light. The kat had brown hair and fur, blue eyes and glasses. "He seems to like you, Ms. Tigera." As the tiger named Plato stepped back to the kat, Kat continued to struggle. "This is called katnapping. Last time I heard, it was illegal. Who are you?" she asked. "My name is Nicholas Harris, but my name doesn't really tell you who I am," the kat said. "Why have you kidnapped us?" Tigera asked. Harris walked over to a control panel and pulled a few switches. Suddenly, three machine arms, each over every table, were holding needles and plungers. Each arm approached the struggling she-kats. "I have chosen you, the three female Swat Kats, to be the ultimate weapons in the fight against good." "Forget it! We'll never join you!" Ann said. "Harris, you're crazy!" Kat said. "Sticks and stones, Mrs. Clawson. You each have already been injected with part of the brain washing formula. The shots you are about to receive will further the process." Each of the she-kats struggled violently as the needles came within inches of their necks. The needles pierced into their necks and injected a liquid in. They instantly fell unconscious again. Meanwhile, Jake was looking at a bit of blood under a microscope. "Hmm... Interesting. I had no idea Tigera could actually bleed," he said, turning to Chance and Buster. "She told me when Satan took her immortality, she told me that she can bleed, get sick, grow old, anyway possible way of dying except by fire. So what was she pumped with?" Chance asked. "Well, unfortunately, this blood is clean." Buster handed Jake the dart that they found. "But maybe there's some stuff left inside," Buster said. "Possible, but let's see." Jake tapped on the dart, causing a small bit of whatever was inside drop onto a slide. Jake placed the slide under the microscope and looked at it. "Looks like a part of a brain washing formula." "Brain washing formula? There's such a thing?" Chance asked. "Yeah. And Tigera was pumped with it. This is only 1/3 of the formula. It won't work unless the other two parts are added." "Well, what would happen if all three parts were together when they inject a kat with it?" Buster asked. "Basically, that kat's systems would overload, causing to a slow and painful death. And this guy obviously wants our girls for something... Probably to destroy us. What he would want with them as regular she-kats, I have no idea." "We can't let our girls get brainwashed. How are we gonna find them?" "Well, it may take a while, but if I tap into some files from various labs, I might be able to find out who messed around with the chemicals," Jake said, getting onto the computer and started typing on the computer. "What should Buster and I do in the meantime?" Chance asked. "I suggest you pace." "Good plan," both Chance and Buster said, then paced. Jake shook his head and resumed typing. Chapter 3: Plato the white tiger was pacing around the room and finally settled in a corner of the room. Dr. Harris came over to him and patted him on the head. "The three ladies have just received their third injection, Plato. Would you like to see them?" he asked. Plato growled softly. Harris nodded and pushed a button on a controller that opened a door. Kat, Ann, and Tigera stepped out in short red, blue, and black dresses, moving and stopping in unison. "In the music group, Misty and the Harmonies, your names were Misty, Adora, and Angeldust. But if the three of you prove useful, as far as I'm concern, your names may as well be Poison, Lethal, and Death. Let's put you to the test, shall we, ladies?" "Whatever you desire, sir," the she-kats said in unison. Dr. Harris pushed another button on the controller that opened another door. Five guards stepped out. Kat, Ann, and Tigera turned to face them and put their gloved paws on their hips. "Kill these she-kats," Dr. Harris said. The guards took out their guns and aimed at the she-kats. The she-kats only stood there in their short, tight dresses, making them look tempting. The guards lowered their guns and stared at the she-kats. Kat stepped forward, as did one of the guards. She pulled up her dress a bit, which made the guard's eyes widen. She continued to lift until a leg holster with a gun was found. She pulled out the gun quickly and fired at each of the guards. Each let out a shout and fell to the ground. Kat dropped the dress, brought the gun barrel close to her mouth, and blew the smoke away. "Magnificent, Katarina, my dear. You prove to be a deadly weapon," Dr. Harris said as Plato sniffed the dead bodies. "I make a habit out of it," Katarina said, grinning a bit. "The other two will have their chance to destroy, but we'll wait for the Swat Kats to appear." Meanwhile at the zoo, Demeter could not sleep. She continued to pace her cage, trying to find a way out of it. "Had I my powers back, I could just break out of here and save Tigera. But I *don't* have my powers," she said to herself. She laid down again and whined a bit. She looked at the bars that held her in the cage. She extended her large claws and swiped at them. Then she rested her head on her arms again. Suddenly, the part of the bars where she swiped her claws broke off. She looked, eyes wide. The space between the bars was large enough for her body to get through. She escaped and sniffed the ground. She resumed until she reached the front gates, which were closed. She swiped her claws across the lock holding the gates closed. The lock fell off and the gate cracked open slightly. She pushed it open and walked out. She sniffed the ground again. "Hmm. The guy who took Tigera went one way..." She sniffed the ground again. "And Tigera's friends went the other way. I better go with their scent. I can't do much in this form and I could use their help." She then ran off. Meanwhile, Razor continued to type on the keyboard while T-Bone and Boulder continued to pace. "You guys better stop pacing. You're gonna wear the floor down," Razor said, looking over his shoulder at them. T-Bone finally sat down and sighed. "Anything yet, buddy?" he asked. "Negative. There are no reports on anybody who made that formula. None on who stole them either." "Damn it. It doesn't look like we're ever gonna find them," Boulder said, sitting down. Then T-Bone's ears perked up. He heard a faint scratching sound. "You guys hear that?" "Affirmative. What is it?" Razor asked. T-Bone got up and headed for the hangar door. He opened it up and suddenly, a tiger jumped down the entrance, landed on T-Bone, knocking him down, and ran over to Razor. "What the--?! Get that tiger out of here!" T-Bone said, wiping the blood away from his mouth. The tiger growled a bit, rubbing her head furiously on Razor's paws. "Easy, easy! T-Bone, it's the tiger from the zoo. Demeter, what's the matter?" Razor asked, putting his paws under the tiger's mouth and bringing her face up to meet his. Demeter whined and rested her head on Razor's lap. Razor gently patted her head as she whined. "What's her problem?" Boulder asked, helping T-Bone up. "She says she knows which way that guy went with Tigera. His scent is still fresh," Razor said, petting Demeter's head. "Hmm... Can she take us there?" T-Bone asked. Demeter growled quietly. "Affirmative." "Then let's hit it." Later, Demeter lead the Swat Kats who were on the Cyclotron through a forest. Demeter stopped and looked back at them. "I wish you guys could smell this, but you can't," she said. "What are you talking about, Demeter? One of us can smell what you smell," Razor said. "I doubt you can, Razor. Tiger noses are different than kat noses." "What's she saying, Razor?" Boulder asked. "She assumes that we can't smell what she smells. Go show her, T-Bone," Razor said. "Huh? Oh, I get it. Roger that, buddy," T-Bone said, stopping the Cyclotron and getting off. Demeter swished her tail as she watched T-Bone come over to her. Her eyes widened as she watched him shrink into a panther. "What in the--?" she asked. "Hey! I can understand you!" T-Bone said. "Of course. The lower species understand each other while the higher species don't unless they are part or all god in this world. Now, get a sniff of this, T-Bone." She pointed with her paw at a spot on the ground. T-Bone sniffed it. "Smells familiar," he said. "It's Tigera's scent." T-Bone sniffed again. "And this other smell is the guy who took her?" Demeter nodded. T-Bone walked ahead a small distance and sniffed the ground. "Hey, Demeter. You recognize this scent?" Demeter joined him and sniffed where he was sniffing. "Can't say I do," she replied. "I do. It smells a bit like my sister Katarina and Ann Gora. And I got that guy's scent again." "Then the same person who stole your sister and friend captured my sister. I want to join you in getting them back." "Negative. This is a job for Swat Kats." "You're not gonna talk me out of it, T-Bone. The guy who took Tigera said he was gonna make a rug out of me. I'm gonna make a rug out of *him* first." T-Bone looked back at Razor and Boulder and said, "Well, I can't get her to back off, so I guess we're gonna take Demeter along with us." "It's all right with us," Razor said. T-Bone took a step forward and found a piece of paper on his foot. He shook his foot furiously, but it would not come off. "What is this?" he asked himself. Razor came over to him and took the paper off his foot. "What's the matter, T-Bone? You never heard of a foot-note?" he asked, grinning. "Very funny." Razor looked at the note. "It's from the writer. She says to take the TurboKat II and head out till we reach an island. That's where we'll find the guy who took the girls." "Remind me to thank her later. Let's head back." Chapter 4: Later, the TurboKat II was soaring over the sea. "An island coming up in range, T-Bone," Razor said, looking at his targeting scope. "Roger that. Prepare to eject, guys," T-Bone said as he began to lower down closer to an upcoming island. The cockpit opened and each Swat Kat jumped out, Boulder holding onto Demeter. "Deploy delta packs!" T-Bone said. Suddenly, hang gliders appeared on their backs and they glided down to the ground. T-Bone used the glovatrix to set the TurboKat II down on the ground. Boulder then set Demeter down. "Now what?" she asked, looking at Razor. "I guess we look for this guy's hang out. Let's go," Razor said, walking ahead of the group. The group followed. After a few minutes, Demeter stopped. Boulder looked back as T-Bone and Razor walked on. "What's the matter, Demeter?" he asked. T-Bone and Razor looked back at them. Demeter growled. "She says she hears something," Razor said. "It's times like these I wish we had Quiver's ears around," T-Bone said. Suddenly, there was a rustle in the bushes. The Swat Kats aimed their glovatrixes at them. "Get ready for anything, guys," T-Bone said. "Roger that," Razor and Boulder both said. Then Ann stepped out of the bushes. "Annie!" Boulder said. Demeter cocked her head as she looked at Ann. The other Kats lowered their glovatrixes as Boulder walked over to her. "I'd keep my distance if I were you, Swat Kat," Ann said in an almost deadpan voice. "Swat Kat? Ann, what is--?" Ann reached behind her back and pulled out a knife and stuck it into Boulder's shoulder. Boulder let out a scream and fell to his knees. Then Ann ran off. "Boulder!" T-Bone said as he and Razor rushed over to him. Boulder clenched his teeth and gripped onto the hilt of the knife. "This hurts like Hell," he said. "Keep a hold on him, T-Bone," Razor said, grabbing onto the hilt of the knife. T-Bone grabbed onto Boulder's shoulders. "OK, Boulder. Take a deep breath." He quickly pulled the knife out of his shoulder. Boulder let out another scream. "I figured you were used to a little pain fighting in wars and such," T-Bone said. "I've forgotten, OK? Besides, I've hurt more," Boulder said as Razor started to dress the wound on Boulder's shoulder. "Such as?" Razor asked. "When I thought Katarina was dead and when my sister was killed. Kat was after Jettona's blood more than I was though." "Even I don't approve of my half sister that much," Demeter said to herself. "Well, come on. Ann couldn't have gotten far." T-Bone and Razor helped Boulder to his feet. Demeter sniffed the ground. She nodded her head in one direction. "Let the journey resume," Razor said as he and the others followed Demeter. Meanwhile, Ann returned to Harris's lab. "Welcome back, Ann. Did you enjoy your walk?" Harris asked. "The Swat Kats are here," Ann said. "Are they now? Excellent. I hope you found the time to say hello to them." "I did. I stuck a knife into Boulder's shoulder." "Well, it appears Tigera is the only one here who has to prove that the brain washing formula works." "If you want me to, I can finish them off for you," Tigera said. "Not quite yet, my dear. You'll have your chance though." Meanwhile, Demeter continued to sniff the ground while the Swat Kats followed. "How's your shoulder holding up, Bould?" T-Bone asked. "Better now since the knife's out," Boulder said, looking at his shoulder, bandage already soaking up blood. Then Demeter stopped again. "What is it now?" Razor asked. T-Bone turned into a panther and walked over to Demeter. "What is it?" he asked. "I smell something and it's not very nice," Demeter replied. Then Plato leapt out of the bushes and onto T-Bone. Both roared and fought. Then T-Bone got thrown back over to Razor's feet with several scratches. T-Bone panted and watched as Plato approached them. Then Demeter stepped in between both of them and growled. Plato cocked his head as he looked at her. Demeter just growled and stared. "What are they doing?" Boulder asked. "Like I would know tiger behavior. Right now, they're just staring at each other," T-Bone said. Then Plato walked away. Demeter snorted. She looked back at the group and nodded her head in the direction ahead of them. Razor helped T-Bone back up and continued on their way. Plato watched them behind the bushes and kept his eyes close on Demeter. Chapter 4: The Swat Kats had reached a large building at the heart of the island. They raised their glovatrixes and shot out grappling hooks. T-Bone grabbed onto Demeter and started climbing up the building with her and the other Swat Kats. "I'm getting the feeling that this is a little easy, guys," Boulder said. "Of course it is, Boulder. They sent that tiger over just to say hello to us," T-Bone said somewhat sarcastically. Then they reached the top. Demeter walked over to the skylight window and looked down where she saw Harris mixing chemicals. "If I could just get a clear sniff of that guy, I'd know he was the guy who took Tigera and the others," she said. Then a shadow loomed over the group looking down in the window. Demeter sniffed the air and turned her head. She turned around and roared. "Demeter, what the--?" Razor asked. "We don't take likely to uninvited guests," a voice said. They turned around and saw a huge muscled kat standing over them. Down below, Harris could hear Demeter's roaring. "Gus! Bring them downstairs!" he said. Then the Swat Kats jumped through the skylight and landed on the ground, with Gus in T-Bone's headlock. "Well, that's one way to do it. You can let him go now, T-Bone." "I don't know. I kinda like watching him turn colors," T-Bone said, grinning. Razor nudged him in the gut hard, making him release Gus from the headlock. "That will be all, Gus," Harris said. "Are you sure they'll be--?" Gus started, getting back to his feet. "Yes, I'm sure. Leave us." Then Gus left. "All right. Where are those she-kats you captured? Hand them over now!" T-Bone demanded. "Temper, temper, T-Bone. If you wish to see your beloved she-kats, here they are." Harris pushed a button on a remote control, making a door open. Kat, Ann, and Tigera stepped out, moving and stopping in union. Boulder whistled, "Lookin' good, Annie." T-Bone and Razor each nudged him in the gut. "She's the one who put that knife in your shoulder, remember?" Razor asked. Boulder coughed and grabbed onto his stomach. "Did you have to remind me so hard?" "Obviously," both T-Bone and Razor replied. "I'm sure you're aware of what I've done to them," Harris said, stepping behind the three she-kats. "You injected them with some kind of brainwashing formula," T-Bone said. "Indeed. If you want me to restore them, you'll have to prove yourselves that you really do want your ladies back." "How?" Boulder asked. Then Plato appeared, growling and approaching the Kats. Demeter stepped in front of them, growling at Plato. "Tell your cub to play nicely. She's not the one who has to beat Plato," Harris said. "Beat Plato? In what?" T-Bone asked. "If you can survive a chase of Plato around the island and return here, I'll restore your ladies back to normal." Demeter growled at Plato who growled back. "How do we know you'll keep your word?" Razor asked, pulling Demeter back to him and petting her head. "You don't." Then he led them outside. "I'll give you a generous head start. I'll release Plato when you're out of sight," Harris said. Demeter started to walk ahead when Gus appeared and picked her up. She roared a bit. Razor looked back. "Demeter! Put her down!" he said. "She'll be safe here. We'll take good care of her," Harris said. "If we come back to find her attacking us, your tail is mine," Razor said, running ahead with T-Bone and Boulder following. Demeter struggled while in Gus's grip. "What should I do with the tigress, Doc?" Gus asked. "Lock her up in that animal enclosure," Harris said, watching the Swat Kats disappearing from sight. Gus complied and walked inside, dragging Demeter with him. Plato watched this and roared a little. "It's for her own good, Plato," Harris said, petting the tiger's head. He looked ahead again and smiled. "Go after them, Plato." Plato looked up at him and growled questionably. "They're prey to you, my boy, as no more concern as a rabbit is to a wolf." With that, Plato took off after them. Meanwhile, Demeter laid down on a tree branch and whined. She was inside a glass cage with a small pond and a few trees. She swished her tail as she watched Tigera walk by. "Oh, sister, what have they've done to you? You're too strong to be subjected to this," she said. Tigera looked at her. She walked over to the door of the cage and walked in. She then pulled out a gun. She aimed it towards Demeter and fired. Demeter jumped off the branch and landed on the ground as the bullet broke a security camera. Demeter growled as Tigera approached her. Tigera pointed her paw at her. "Come any closer, Tigera, and I'll--" Demeter stopped. She just realized she was talking out loud. "What--? How--? I'm talking!" Tigera walked over to her and put her paws over and above Demeter's snout, closing her mouth. "Shh. If Harris found out that the formula didn't work on me, the Swat Kats would be in great trouble. You have to go out and find them," Tigera said. Demeter nodded. "Of course, we have to make this escape look real, so just play along." Tigera took her gun again and pointed it into the air. Then she fired. Demeter ran. Tigera followed. "She's getting away!" she yelled, firing her gun at Demeter, missing on purpose. But one of the bullets scratched Demeter's front leg. She roared and ran out. Tigera panted and put her gun away. Now to try to get Kat and Ann back to their senses, she thought to herself. Meanwhile, the Swat Kats walked through the forest, waiting for Plato's first attack. "Man, it's too quiet. Where's Quiver or Demeter when you need them?" Boulder asked. "Brainwashed and locked up," Razor said. "You gotta admit though, the ladies look fab in those dresses," T-Bone said. "Hell, yeah," both Razor and Boulder said. Suddenly, Plato leapt out of the bushes and pounced on T-Bone. T-Bone kicked him in the stomach, making him hit a nearby tree. "Deploy grappling cables!" T-Bone said, aiming his glovatrix at Plato. The three Swat Kats fired their cables, making the cable tie Plato tightly to the tree. "No!" Plato growled. "He can talk!" Boulder said, eyes widening a little. "My master taught me," Plato said. "You're master is a maniac playing with chemicals," Razor said. "Yeah, he's Dr. Viper, only he's not a reptile," T-Bone said. "He told me to destroy you, and I will!" "Don't count on it, Tony. Those cables should hold you for awhile," T-Bone said as the Swat Kats continued. The moment they walked away, Plato began to chew away at the cables. Chapter 5: Demeter leaped from tree branch to tree branch best she could with a wounded leg while looking for the Swat Kats. She jumped down and found some broken cables lining the tree. Then she saw some tiger and kat tracks. She sniffed the ground. "Fresh trail. They were here within the last hour," she said to herself. Then she followed the tracks. Meanwhile, the Kats where walking across a rope bridge. When they looked down, they could see nothing but fog. "Hate to think how deep this canyon is," Boulder said. "Just worry about balancing, Boulder. This bridge ain't very strong," Razor said. T-Bone looked ahead and stopped, making Razor and Boulder walk into him. "What now?" they both asked. "How'd *he* get loose?" T-Bone asked, pointing ahead. Razor and Boulder looked and saw Plato growling. "Oh, shit," Boulder said. "Move back! Move back!" T-Bone said, running backwards with Razor and Boulder ahead. Plato took a great leap and landed in front of them. "OK, who wants to try to run back again?" Razor asked. Plato roared and leapt at them. The Kats dodged out of the way by leaning on the right side. Plato landed and growled. "What now?" Boulder asked. T-Bone took out his sword and said, "Hang on!" With that, he cut the rope on the opposite side of the rope bridge. Plato, having lost ground to stand on, started plummeting into the fog below. The Swat Kats watched and inched their way to land. "There's no way he could survive that," Razor said, looking down. "Come on. We still gotta make our way back to Harris," T-Bone said, leading the way. A few minutes later, they heard some rustling in the bushes. They stopped and got into protective positions. Demeter stepped out, limping a bit. "Demeter!" Boulder said. Demeter limped over to them, making a few painful noises on her way over. "What happened to your leg?" Razor asked. "A bullet scratch me while I was getting away," she said, licking the wound. "I can understand her!" Boulder said. "So can I. How'd that happen?" T-Bone asked. "There's no time to explain. We need to head back and--" Demeter said, then stopped. She perked up her ears. "What is it?" Razor asked. Demeter looked up, gasped, and back away a bit. Suddenly, Plato jumped down from a tree branch and roared. "*Him* again?!" T-Bone asked. "No way!" Boulder said. Plato was about to attack when Demeter jumped in front of him. "Stop, Plato! Don't do it," she said. "Why?" Plato growled. "The Swat Kats have done nothing to you." "They are my enemies, and my master's enemies! With them out of the way, the higher species will have no power over us." Demeter shook her head, "I can't agree to that." "But, the master said..." The two tigers were now face to face. "He's wrong. Search your feelings, Plato. You know he's wrong. If you don't want the lower species to be controlled, then why are you taking orders from the higher species?" Plato turned away from her, roared, and ran away. "Do we follow him?" Boulder asked. "Follow or not, he's heading back to Harris," T-Bone said. Later, Harris was growling. "I'm very disappointed in you, Plato! I'm ashamed of you!" he said, scowling at Plato. "Master, please..." Plato began. "Three hours of hunting, you should've killed the Swat Kats by now!" "Why? They are not food. And they are not my enemies." "He's right," a voice said. They looked to the top of the stairs to see the Swat Kats and Demeter. "We're not his enemies. All we want is the antidote and the she-kats," Razor said. "And you!" T-Bone said, eyes glowing red and growling. Gus growled and charged at them. T-Bone got ahead of the Kats and kicked Gus back down the stairs, knocking him out. The Swat Kats then jumped down the stairs and approached Harris. "Plato, stop them! They'll take me away from you!" he said, backing away. "This is out of your paws, Plato. He captured, drugged, and experimented with large animals and kats," Boulder said. "It doesn't matter. He's my master, I have to obey him," Plato said, shaking his head. "Swat Kats!" Demeter called. They looked up at Demeter, who was looking down at Harris holding up a gun at her. "This is your fault, I'd wager! You've ruined him!" Demeter cowered as Harris was about to fire. Suddenly, the gun was fired out of his paws. "What the hell--? Who did that?" T-Bone asked. Four objects few past them and someone caught them. Quiver, Shera, and Venus stood in a row, each grinning. "Didn't think we'd let you boys take all the fun, did you?" Quiver asked. "Quiver! Shera! Venus!" T-Bone said, smiling. "You're back to normal!" Razor said. "Yeah. Good thing the formula didn't work on Venus," Shera said. Venus watched as Harris reached for the gun again and aimed at Demeter again. "Keep away from my little sister, creep!" she raise, raising a paw to shoot fire. But Gus sneaked up on her and grabbed hold of her. "Plug the tiger, boss!" he said, keeping hold of Venus. Just as Harris fired, Plato knocked him down to the ground. The bullet passed over Demeter's head. Harris struggled to get back to his feet, but Plato was standing on top of him. "Let me up! I won't accept this behavior, Plato. I made you and I can still break you." Plato roared, picked up the gun in his mouth, and threw it into a tank of gasoline, causing a fire. "Ah, crud!" T-Bone and Razor said. Venus kicked Gus in between his legs, making him release her. "We gotta get out of here!" Shera said. "Don't have to tell *me* twice!" Quiver said as she and the other Swat Kats ran up the stairs. Plato continued to destroy the lab, causing the fire to get more out of control. "I only wanted you to be strong! To have no weakness or pity!" Harris said as Plato was about ready to knock a barrel of extremely flammable chemicals into the fire. "As you wish... *Master!*" As they reached the top of the stairs, the Swat Kats turned away as they heard an explosion. "Plato!" Demeter shouted. A few moments later, they were outside, watching the fire eat the outside of the building. "Plato didn't deserve this," Demeter said, lowering her head and shedding a tear. "No need for tears yet, Demeter," Boulder said, watching the door. The Swat Kats watched the door, then saw Plato slightly scathed and walking out with Harris on his back, out cold. Demeter smiled and walked over to him. They rubbed heads for a moment as the Swat Kats walked over to them. Plato looked up at them and gently dropped Harris on the ground. "The chemicals caused the master to lose his memory. He won't remember what has happened or who the she-kats are. He needs help. You will help him, won't you?" he asked. "Yes. Boulder, you grab the jet," T-Bone said. Boulder nodded, and walked off. "What will you do then, Plato? Just stay here?" Quiver asked. "There's nothing for me anywhere," Plato said, turning towards the forest. "Plato, wait," Demeter said, walking in front of him. Plato looked at her. "Would you come back with us?" she asked. "I'm not sure," Plato replied. They rubbed heads, then Demeter licked his face. "Where would I stay if I came with you?" "I belong to a zoo. There's more than enough room in my cage," Demeter said. Plato shook his head. "I can't. I can't live the rest of my life locked up in a cage." "Then I'll stay here." "Demeter, are you sure you want to stay here?" Venus asked. Demeter nodded. Then the TurboKat II landed behind them. "Well, let's go, Kats," Boulder said as he opened the canopy. "Move back to your seat, Boulder. I'm flying," T-Bone said, climbing onto the wing. "*My* jet, buddy." As the two argued, Demeter looked at Venus. "Good-bye, sister," Demeter said. "You know where to find me, Demeter," Venus said, sitting behind T-Bone because of the shortage of seats. With the Swat Kats in the jet, the canopy closed and the jet lifted into the air. Demeter and Plato smiled at each other and rubs heads together. Chapter 6: The next night, Chance and Tigera were at the Rosemary Café having dinner. "It's a shame we had to take a rain check on this dinner, eh, Stripes?" Tigera asked, sipping some wine. "Yeah. So, tell me, Tiger. When you received those injections, how did you come out of it?" Chance asked, rolling up some pasta up and putting it in his mouth. "Actually, they didn't have any affect on me excepting making me pass out. I had to play along and do everything Kat and Ann were doing. I did it perfectly." "Yep. You always were the best actress in the school's plays, Tigera." "Yeah. Remember when we did Romeo and Juliet where we were the title characters?" Chance grinned, "Do I ever. We hated each other then. But we after the characters first met, we *really* got into character." Tigera grinned. Chance rehearsed, "'O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear; Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear! So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, as yonder lady o'er her fellows shows. The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand, and, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand. Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.'" "Whoa. You remember it that well?" "Just about." Tigera grinned again. Chance took her paw in his and brought it close to his mouth. "'If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gently fine is this: my lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.'" "'Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this; for saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.'" "'Have not saints lips, and holy palmers, too?'" "'Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.'" "'O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do; they pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.'" "'Saints do not move, though gran for prayers' sake.'" Chance kissed her. "'Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take. Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged,'" Chance said. "'Then have my lips the sin that they have took,'" Tigera said. "'Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again." They kissed again. "'You kiss by the book.' We *really* got into character. We fell in love." "Yeah. We were only in the 7th grade then, but I still remember it," Chance said, smiling. "Yeah. You couldn't fool me when we did the death scene. You really did cry. You imagined I was really dead and you were really bawling," Tigera said. "What can I say? It was *way* too realistic." "And here we are, 15 years later. And we're still together." "Yeah. But there was something that we were planning on doing after we graduated, but we never did it." Tigera wrinkled her eyebrows and said, "We never planned anything after high school. We broke up after I told you I was going to Paris to study a modeling career. What plans did you have?" Chance stood up and took her paw in his. "Come on. I wanna show you something," he said as she stood up. "Come on, Stripes, you didn't answer my question," Tigera said as he lead her outside. "I'm getting to that. I just wanted us to be alone for this." They sat down on a stone bench next to the fountain. "Oh, don't tell me that we're going to relive that one night where we made love under that tree." "Well, that came to mind. But that's not what we're gonna do." Chance got up and got in front of her. "What are you doing, Chance Furlong?" "Answering your question about what I wanted to do after graduation." He moved his paws quickly and a small red rose appeared. Tigera smiled as he handed her the rose. "The paws are quicker than the eyes, my dear." "Apparently." Chance did it again and clasped both paws together. He got on one knee, pretending to tie his shoe. Then he looked up at her. "Stripes, answer my question before I burn your tail off. What did you want to do after graduation?" Tigera asked, sniffing the rose. He handed her a little case and said, "This should answer our question." Tigera looked at him curiously, then opened the case. She gasped quietly when she saw a diamond ring inside. "Marriage?" she asked, smiling. "Yeah. So, will you marry me?" Tigera smiled and nodded. Chance took the ring and put it on her finger, then kissed her. They stayed that way the rest of the night. THE END