Fighting Bare
David Noble
Dnoble49@hotmail.com


Just a note that Buster, Skylar, Jade, Shera, and Venus are some
more of Kari Gilmore's characters from whom I had permission to use.
This will be my last Kari Gilmore based fanfic. Thank you.

Chapter one

"Touch down!" shouted Chance as he tackled Buster at wrestling in
the hangar. Buster grabbed Chance by the right arm and swung him over.
They were preparing to participate in the MK Olympics. "Can't do that,
buddy! I pinned you down."

"But you didn't say so, Chance. I get a re-match!" Buster said. He
seized Chance's left arm and pinned his wrists down with his feet.
Chance grinned used his thumbs as his next defense. Buster burst out in
laughter.

"Stop it, Chance! No fair! No fair!" he chuckled.

"Give up, pal?"

"No I don't. Cut it out!" Kari, who was now Chance's wife, came
down to the hangar with Vince and Greg.

"Please stop, Chance. Tickling your opponent's feet doesn't make
you a winner," she said. Chance nodded and stopped.

"I guess I should be a gracious loser sometimes, but it's no fun
unless you cheat a few times," he groaned.

"If Feral was your opponent, you'd better play fair!" Greg said.
Chance stood up and held Buster at his chest down by his foot.

"This is why I cheated, Greg." Buster tried to breathe.

"Chance, I'm gonna get a heart attack soon if you don't get off
me," he said with a squeal.

"Sorry, Buster." Buster lifted himself up. Chance climbed up the
latter and found Tigera, a friend and a new SWAT Kat, practicing her
archery and showing Christine and Sabina how to do it.

"Women from my time don't shoot," said Christine, taking a bow and
arrow. 

"But you know this is the future and she-kats here are doing
pretty much everything tom-kats are," Tigera replied.

"How shocking!" Sabina said. Tigera put a bow and arrow in her
hands.

"Come on now. You two shouldn't confine yourselves just because
you are ladies. She-kats are capable and so are you two. Now, Sabina,
take your aim!" Sabina did so and shot the arrow, but it nearly hit the
target.

"Not bad. Just line your eyes in the direction of your hit.
Pretend it's an enemy who's after you. You try it Christine." Christine
tried to use her imagination that the target was Louis and hit the
center. Tigera was impressed.

"How did you do that?" she asked. Christine coyly put both hands
on her bow.

"Just a little defiance," Christine replied. Tigera had heard of
her story with Louis.

"Oh I see. Well, I think you two will make it in the archery
contest."

"Thank you kindly." Sabina said, curtsying. Tigera laughed.

"That's ok. You don't have to curtsy to me," she said, finishing
her laugh. Vince and Greg came out to greet their girlfriends.

"How's the practice coming along?" Vince asked.

"Tigera says we could succeed," Sabina said. Vince shook her hand.

"You can do it. Greg and me are going to the pool to practice our
dives. See you ladies later." Greg and Christine kissed good bye. Vine
and Sabine did the same. Tigera sighed unhappily.

"Young love," she said.

Chapter two

Outside the planet, a large group of asteroids were shaping up to
challenge the best fighters in MKC. "Let's see if the felines on the kat
planet can tackle what all our opponents lost!" said a light gray
Pokemon named Mewtwo, the leader. His bone edged tail waved in
anticipation.

"There are the SWAT Kats, master," said on of his crew.

"Yes. I've heard of those impudent SWAT Kats and the enforcer
squadron. We'll challenge the leader and all the SWAT Kats. They *will*
need their paws and claws for my little idea! Head for MKC." Mewtwo
smiled impiously.

"Yes master!"

Meanwhile, Katney was doing her acrobatics with her daughters Jade
and Skylar. Skylar spun around after releasing the bar, but landed with
her left foot twisting. "Ah Christ!" Katney and Jade jumped off the bars
and ran to her.

"Are you alright, Skylar?" Katney asked.

"I think I sprained my ankle!" Skylar said. Jade massaged it. 

"I think you'd better stay in for the day, ok?" Jade said.

"Aye. I've told you that you need to level your feet and land on
your toes. Let's get you in," Katney said as she took Skylar's paw and
helped her get up.

"Really, I'm fine. I can still practice!" Skylar tried to run back
the bars. Jade ran up to her.

"You can still have the possibility of tearing a ligament and that
would mean no Olympics this year," Jade scolded, pointing a finger at
her.

"Oh, all right," Skylar huffed and surrendered. She walked with a
crutch in her room. Katney wrapped her ankle. Chance walked in.

"How's my niece?"

"She's made a rough landing, Chance," Katney said.

"Sorry to hear it."

"I'm fine, Uncle Chance," Skylar said starting up. Katney gently
pushed her down.

"Lie down and rest, dear." 

"I hope she's well enough to make it into the Olympics," Chance
said.

"She will be. The Olympics don't start for two weeks, so she
should be good. We'd better meet Jake on the track team." They left and
let Skylar rest alone.

Chapter three

Mewtwo passed safely through the atmospheres and into MKC skies.
An enforcer chopper sited the spacecraft. "Stop right there you
Martians! You are trespassing the enforcer air space!" an enforcer spoke
harshly.

"They own the skies, do they?" Mewtwo fired the chopper. Feral
confronted him.

"Hold your fire! Who are you?" he demanded.

"I'm Mewtwo, the strongest Pokemon! I want an Olympic game to take
place today at the field with you, your best enforcers, and all the
heroes known as the SWAT Kats for my little game."

"You're crazy! We don't start playing for two weeks. Now get back
to where you belong before I take you down!"

"Suit yourself." Mewtwo shot Feral's chopper. Feral's chopper
grabbed by the grabbling hook of the Turbokat.  

"Need a lift Feral?" T-Bone asked. 

"Thanks, but your help is unnecessary, SWAT Kat," Feral replied.

"I say it is! You're refusing a reasonable offer here, commander.
I have an Olympic sport for you. If you win, my powers will be yours and
my team and I will live the planet in peace! If you loose, I will
destroy not only destroy the SWAT Kats and your enforcers, but the
planet as well. Doesn't that sound nice?" Mewtwo said.

"No! It sounds ridiculous! But I don't have a choice," Feral said. 
T-Bone nodded. 

"All right!"

"Good. At four sharp on the field!" Mewtwo then sped off. Feral
grumbled.

"Do I *really* have to fight alongside the SWAT Kats? I hate
this!"

"See you at the fields, Feral. Let's round up the others," Razor
said lowering the chopper on a roof and sped off with his partner.

"I guess we have to. I'd better get Vincent, Kari, and Gregory,"
Feral mumbled. His pilot was listening to him.

"What's that, sir?" he asked.

"Never mind what I said! Head back to Headquarters!" 

Chapter four

Vince and Greg were practicing their dives. Greg dived headlong
from a twenty feet board and landed on his back in the water. Vince
dived in after him and pulled him out. "You ok, pal?" he asked.

"I landed on my back." Greg replied and gave a grunt of pain.
Vince rubbed it. 

"You've gotta slide down, not point."

"Now you tell me." Their intercoms beeped. "Yes Commander Feral?"
They asked together. 

"Vincent, Gregory! Get over to the Olympics field at four-o clock,
sharp this afternoon. Another Martian has threatened MKC."

"Who is it this time?" Greg asked.

"Don't worry about who he is!" Feral snapped. "Just have your
tails there sharp!"

Vince and Greg dared not to argue or question with Feral. "Yes
sir!" 

"Feral out!" Greg rolled his eyes.

"A fine time for Olympics! Nobody's ready and they're having it
today?!"

"I wonder what kind of games, the men from the moon have got?
Let's get ready and please be easy on your back." Vince patted Greg's
back.

"Thanks." Chance and Jake got the same message from Callie.

"But the competition's not in two weeks." Chance said.

"I know, but a Pokemon named Mewtwo is in charge and it's already
three."

"Oh yeah, Kari mentioned the Pokemon before. She has big interest
in them. We're on our way!" Jake said and hung up. "This is ridiculous."

"Yeah. I wonder what this Pokemon weasel wants," Chance said. Jake
told the others. 

Tigera became Venus and grabbed her bow and quiver full of arrows.
"Don't leave base without 'em!" Christine walked up to her.

"May we come too?" she asked.

"Do you think you're ready?"

"Of course! With that little trick you taught us." Tigera put her
paw on Christine's shoulder.

"All right. Good luck." Buster became Boulder, grabbed his
boomerang, and joined them.

"I called Ann and she'll be there," he said.

"Good." T-Bone said.

"And one thing. Don't tickle my feet again." T-Bone chuckled and
slapped him on the back.

"You got it, pal." Skylar got out of bed and prepared to fight.
Quiver saw her.

"Skylar, what are you doing?"

"I'm coming with you, mother! Swollen ankle or not, I'm coming
with you." Quiver sighed heavily.

"You have too much of your parents' persistence! All right, but
stay by your sister and me. I don't want to have to put you in the
surgery room!" she said sternly. 

Jake became Razor and made sure everyone was in either of the two
Turbokats. "Is everyone all clear?" he asked.

"Sure. The only one missing is you, love." Quiver said.

"Right." Razor hopped in and T-Bone leaded Boulder out of the
hanger to the fields.

"Don't get too close to my tail, Boulder. Keep a cushion."

"Rodger that, T-Bone."

Chapter five

Feral waited on the track with Kari, Shera, Vince, and Greg. It
was getting close to the time. "What's taking those other SWAT Kats?"
Feral looked at his watch, which read 3:57.

"They'll get here, commander," Kari said.

"Shut up." The two Turbokats appeared in the nick of time. "What
took you hotshots so long? Not so fast with the extra crew, eh?" Feral
mused.

"Keep your tongue to yourself, Feral," Quiver said as she stood by
Skylar and Jade. Mewtwo showed up. His large crew followed behind him.

"Look's like the gang's really here," Razor said. 

"What obstacles do you want?" ordered Feral.

"Be ready ladies," Venus whispered to her friends. Then she turned
to Mewtwo. "We can play anything you want. Any of you Martian boys want
to prepare your target?" she asked seductively. Kari rolled her eyes.

"David, what are you doing to my creation?" she asked. Mewtwo was
amused, but shook his head. 

"No, no, no, it's not what you think. I had you all gathered here
to play *without* your weapons." T-Bone gasped and squinted his eyes.

"You must be crazy, reptile!" 

Kari whispered in his ear. "He's more of a feline, than a
reptile." 

"Whatever. None of the SWAT Kats fight without our gadgets."

"Then you're just going to have to make due without them,
kitties."

"Watch who you're calling kitties, lab rat!" Jade said sharply
with her eyes flashing red. Feral shook his head and gave in.

Razor mumbled to himself. "I was wondering when she would get her
mother's temper." 

"We'd better do what he says. I believe he's capable of keeping
his promises. Enforcers, release your weapons!" Feral commanded.

"I guess that means us too," Shera said. 

"It's a good thing I and our daughters still can use our claws,"
Quiver said extending hers. Skylar and Jade did the same.

"It looks like we're just going to have to use our martial
skills," Boulder said to the male SWAT Kats. 

"You think I don't know that? Anyway, take these shield-belts. I
think they're enough for everybody, including the enforcers," Razor said
as he distributed them. Christine and Sabina were disappointed as they
put down their archery items. 

"Sorry this couldn't work out ladies. You two had better stand
behind me," Venus said.

"Oh no they don't! As long as they're present, they're to fight as
well," Mewtwo commanded lashing his bolts that pulled the ladies back on
track.

"Just remember what I told you," Venus said to them. They nodded
and every opponent lined up in place.

"All right. Let the match begin." Mewtwo raised his hand and
hurled it down. The aliens lashed forth their bolts.

"Now!" Razor shouted. Protection shields shrouded the entire good
group. The shots bounced off them and back at the Martians. Mewtwo was
angry.

"Didn't I say no weapons?! Men, grab their belts!" 

The crew had to face the charging aliens. The shields were
protecting them from the rays, but not from invading claw-nails that
reached the belts and yanked them off. Quiver and her daughters were
able to scratch out a few Martians' lives, but were seized by those that
sneaked up in back of them.

"Aw, come on, creep of clay! You're not playing fair!" Shera
shouted. "We've got to have an equal deal, right? Substance on
substance."

"I could say no, but I'd rather be just. All right, have it your
way! But don't forget substance on substance. And this time no belts,"
Mewtwo said, pointing a finger.

"Give them back to us now!" Kari demanded.

Quiver and the girls were released. "Oh you'll get them back, but
I don't think you'll be needing them after this fight is through,"
Mewtwo said with an edge of conceit.

"This guy doesn't know when to quit!" Shera remarked. 

"He's gonna strip us bare," T-Bone said.

"Didn't I say this was going to be a bare fight?" Mewtwo asked
them.

"Enough talk, pocket monster! Time's awastin'. What do you want?"
Razor asked, crossly.

"I want you kats to use your best physical skills you have! You
were well trained for them I see. Proceed!" 

"Don't be sourpusses, guys. This isn't the first time we've been
forced to play bare," Quiver said, getting situated.

"I know, but do you think we enjoy it," Boulder added.

"Just grin and bare it, hon," Shera said, kissing his cheek, which
made him feel more confident.

The Martians set their mark and charged after the good team like
knights at chivalry. 

Feral was about the same height as his own. He took them by the
arms and flung them over. "Nice work commander! It's good to have
opponents your size," Vince said.

"That's enough! Cuff them!" The three enforcers handcuffed the
aliens.

"Yuck! These guys are slimy!" Kari complained as she cuffed one's
claws behind him.

The male SWAT Kats pounced on their opposites. T-Bone became a
panther and bit into the alien's neck. He screamed and flung T-Bone off
in the air. He was able to land on all fours and resume fighting. Razor
used his kicking skills and struck two Martians right on the crotch.
"Give it to 'em where it really hurts!" he shouted.

Christine and Sabina used their imaginations and fought them off.
Venus grew her bat wings and started fighting with several dives at her
opponents. One of them grabbed Venus and Christine by their shirts.
Sabina followed Boulder's headbutting experience and rammed herself into
the alien's back, which knocked him over facedown. "Thanks Sabina,"
Venus said.

Boulder headbutted three opponents in the stomach. "Boulder on the
league! Three down! Several to go."

"Don't get cocky yet!" T-Bone said. A Martian grabbed T-Bone by
the right foot and used his fore finger as a defense. T-Bone cackled.

"No fair! That tickles, that tickles!" Boulder kicked the creep in
the backside, which forced him to release T-Bone and go after him.

"Why don't you torture someone your own size!" He seized Boulder
by the throat. Boulder tried desperately to slash his claws. T-Bone
stomped on the creep in the head, which knocked him out. Boulder got
back up. "Thanks T-Bone."

"No problem. What a cheater! Sometimes I wonder why the tom SWAT
Kats go barefoot?"

"That's why he cheated." An alien chased Skylar. She tried to
flash her eyes red and a beam of heat blinded him.

"Holy kats! Wait till the others hear about this. Ah crud!"
Another Martian pounced in front of her. She jumped out of the way and
rolled over. He turned and readied his foot to kick her. "This is not my
idea for football!" she thought. She found a set of unparalleled bars
and ran toward them.

"Skylar no!" Quiver shouted. She ran towards her, but Mewtwo
noticed and used his bolts, which forced her away. She struggled and
growled. 

"Let her handle her own calls, mother-dear," he said
sarcastically.

"You'll wish your mommy was still alive if you don't mind your
damn business!"

"You need to mind yours in the meantime." Quiver was surprised
that he would interfere between a mother and child.

"You've got a serious problem, mister!" Skylar did the best tricks
she could to escape the Martian. He imitated the flips and did a vault
over from the lower bar in which he was able to get to the very bar
behind her. 

"He's good!" Skylar thought as she swung to a higher bar with her
legs.

"Skylar, be careful!" Jade said. 

"Hey, who's the big sister around here!" Skylar shouted back to
her. The monster grabbed Skylar by the waste and dropped back on ground.
Skylar turned into a panther and bit into his shoulder. He screamed and
released her. She then used her eyes, which blinded him. Her flashing
red eye idea came back to her.

"Mother, Jade! Flash your eyes now!" Skylar shouted. Quiver turned
into a panther and leaped for Mewtwo, but he used his bolts that knocked
her to the ground. She fell flat on her back and lost consciousness.
Mewtwo looked into her eyes as he opened the lids.

"I'm too strong for you! Your panther skills can't stop me. I was
intending to destroy the world even if your good team had won."

Quiver tried to breathe and passed out. "No!!" Skylar and Jade
screamed. Razor also noticed. 

"Quiver!!" Jade ran towards her mother, but was cut off by an
alien who grabbed her hair. Skylar flashed him with her eyes.

"Lay off my sister, you a**hole!" Jade squeezed his claw and was
set loose. Skylar patted her hair.

"Are you ok, sis?"

"I'm fine. How did you do that?"

"Use your red eyes to flash this lightening lizard!" Mewtwo became
nervous as the two girls' eyes turned red. The fighting with the other
good team and the Martians stopped as everyone looked on.

"Spare me and I will spare the world," he pleaded.

"Why should we? You killed our mother!" Jade retorted.

"I will revive your mother. I can see that another team is capable
of winning the game of fighting bare which my other challenged have
not."

"What are you trying to prove?" Skylar demanded.

"That I am a true Pokemon. I was not born a Pokemon. I am a
creature, with many powerful supernatural abilities. My DNA was composed
of the most hazardous chemicals and drawn from Pokemon named Mew. Mew,
come here." A pink little kat-like animal flew out. He beamed light into
Quiver's heart, which revived her. Her two daughters ran up to her and
embraced her.

"I'm glad you're back, mother," Skylar said.

"Me too, but how did that happen?" Quiver asked, rubbing her back.

"I've had the power to destroy and make peace, but my original has
the power to strengthen and revive. I wanted to show that I did not come
into being on my own, but human hands created me. They wanted to use me
as their tool and as another being, I should have freedom. I will spare
the world and its inhabitants."

Kari and T-Bone walked over to Mew. "He's so cute," Kari said.

"Yeah. You mentioned a lower being of Mewtwo once," T-Bone added.
They both petted Mew. He beeped with happiness. "Mew!" he said.

"Shall I arrest the beaten Martians?" Feral asked anxiously.

"No! Send them back to me. Me and Mew will heal them." Feral
scuffed.

"What's wrong Feral? Don't you want to show your soft side?" Razor
asked.

"Never mind!" he snapped as he and his two enforcers uncuffed his
captured. Mewtwo and Mew used their bolts to lift and carried the half
dead and the dead Martians back on his ship. The rest walked in.

"Come Mew. It's time to leave! Good bye SWAT Kats and enforcers."

"Don't you want to stay Mew?" Kari asked cuddling him. Mew beeped
a sound that to her meant, 'I would if I could, but I can't. There's so
many out there that needs my healing'.

"All right." Mew joined his higher species. Mewtwo waved good bye.

"Good bye and thank you," Quiver said.

"I hope you'll come back soon," Skylar said.

"Perhaps." The ship was lifted up and soon was out of sight. The
enforcers including Christine and Sabina boarded the chopper.

"Nice job ladies." Venus said. They nodded thanks and left, except
Kari. Shera and Boulder left together with Venus. "You know Shera, I
don't think I'll play another Olympic game for a while," Boulder said.

"You might be a quitter, but I'm not missing my part in the
archery contest. No way," Venus said. 

"You can have it," Boulder and Shera both said in unison.

"Are you ok, T-Bone?" Kari asked.

"Yeah. But one of those creeps cheated on me," he replied.

"Oh, I see," Kari giggled. T-Bone gave her a mean look. "Just
playing."

"I thought so." He wrapped his arm around his wife and they hopped
into the Turbokat. Razor held Quiver and patted her back.

"I thought you were dead for a minute there, Quiv."

"Consider yourself lucky. I thought you were dead several times
before me. Thank you girls," she said.

"You're welcome mom," Jade said.

"By the way, Skylar, how's your ankle? You took many risks on
those high bars," Razor said.

"It'll keep." Skylar rubbed it. It didn't hurt or stay swollen.

Chapter six

Venus got out of the Turbokat II and sat by herself. Shera turned
back into Ann and Buster too. Ann went over to where Venus sat. "What
are you doing there sitting alone?" she asked.

"Nothing," Venus answered, brushing the hair from out of her face.

"Nothing is something," Buster said. Ann became annoyed.

"Buster, don't press her. She's been moody for sometime."

"It's all right, Ann. I just don't want to talk now," Venus said.

"We can respect that." Ann started to push Buster away.

"Wait. Don't get mad at him Ann. It's not his fault. It's just
that I wish I could say it, but.."

"Yes?"

"I wish I could have a lover like you."

"That takes some time." Ann put her hand on her chin and lifted
her face to hers. "Look at me. Jake, Chance, and Buster had to ask in
the first place. You are the goddess of love."

"No, I'm not. I'm hardly even a goddess anymore."

Katarina came out. "Hi guys. What's up?"

"Tigera has got an attitude lately," Buster said. Katarina lifted
Tigera softly by the chin to face hers.

"How do you feel?" she asked.

"I feel like a nobody without a lover. I stupidly gave up my
immortality to join you guys, now look at me!" Tears watered in her eyes
and Katarina wiped them away.

"There's no need to cry. There are many fans of ours that could be
yours for the asking. We could rely on our writer if he's merciful
enough to give you someone who could help you out before he closes this
story." Katarina looks up at me for help. I shake my head in wonder.

"Why are you looking up to me for? I'm not god!" I said

"Meow. But you're a writer, surely you don't want to leave Tigera
without someone."

"I was going to get to that before you spoil my surprise."

"What surprise?" Tigera asked.

"I was going to save it for this. I'll kill you again, Katarina!"
Katarina hissed at me. 

A great yellow-green portal puffs out and a human with brown hair
and glasses appeared.

"Are you our writer?" Ann asked.

"I have been for sometime. I've been searching for a gal named
Tigera."

"That would be me." Tigera looked at the young man. "Your name?"

"David Noble. You must be the goddess?" 

"Shh! Not anymore."

"I wonder why you kats are so paranoid about your secret
identities?"

"That's just the way a hero's gotta be, buster." Katarina gave me
the biff of her shoulder as she walked past me. "Come on, Ann and
Buster, let them be alone." After they headed out, Venus and I started
talking.

"That Katney's cheekier than hell. All right, have you made many
admirers here?"

"Not any real ones."

"Do you think I could fit in?"

"Would you like to?" I pondered a bit.

"I would hope you would not take me just to satisfy your desires.
If you would love only me and stay true, that would count." Tigera
smiled.

"You're starting to reverse the sex instinct and act like a Juliet
instead of a Romeo."

"Would you rather have me to act like an Adonis? He was quite a
difficult jerk you had to tackle." I started to turn back to the portal.


"No no no! Please stay!"

"Then tell me, would you accept me no matter if I was kat or
human?"

"I'd find you more appealing if you'd start treating me right." I
looked at Tigera closely in the eye and touched her cheek. "I don't care
what you are as long as you love me."

"Swear?" I held out my hand.

"I swear." Tigera took my hand as a pledge. She was starting to
rekindle her memories as an immortal with Adonis who refused her love,
and in the end died for her. We walked by the sunset and I put her paw
to my cheek. We didn't have anything to say, but we didn't care to talk
at all. I read the smile in her face that told me more than words could
speak. She was feeling a lot higher and immortal than a goddess was, now
that a relationship was beginning between us.

THE END