A trail of little blue mice line a path through the crowds of Subterfuge, scurrying off as each notices us one after the other, leading us towards the rat’s den. There we’re greeted by a swath of goons at the bottom of the manhole, all staring for a second before going back to whatever inane shit they were up to before. Within the sewer and beyond the sound of rushing water, I find a few wrestling on a pool table, others cuddling up and aggressively gaming, most...napping. Paying them no more mind than I need to, the three of us trudge past all the ruckus and less ruckus to find the Rat Queen’s throne once more, the boss looking less than pleased atop her sofa chair.

“You’re LATE, Cat Kitten! I’s got a reputation ta uphold here, babe!”

I can feel my lips wrinkling into a snarl before shaking my head and crossing my arms at the rat. “‘Babe’ me again and you’re gonna lose more than reputation today.”

That fanged frown of hers curls up into the more recognizable grin of the Rat Queen as she shrugs and tosses herself onto her feet, snatching up her rifle, spinning it by the trigger, and clicking it onto a clip on her belt.

“You’re lucky I like you, Cat Kitten. Keep that energy for the stage, yeah toots?”

Shutting my eyes and just barely containing the embers flickering beneath their lids, I turn around and begin walking, giving Coyotl a nudge to follow.

“This ain’t an act, rat. Let’s get this over with.”

Looking too pleased for my liking, Liz joins the rest of us, each clack of her heels along the grate path making me wish one would slip between the grating, but alas, she continues her stride without issue.

Up and out of the sewers, the rat leads us to her shit mobile, the seats of which are occupied by numerous goons of hers lounging about without a care in the world until she gives them one. Spinning a newly summoned bright, shiny blue steel baseball bat and whacking it against the side of the vehicle with a loud plink, she gets them all to start scrambling, last minute polishing and seat straightening without so much as a dent from the rat’s bat.

“You’re pretty small for a big leaguer,” I joke, hopping into the passenger seat the second it’s unoccupied by minions.

“Short kings make do, hun~”

My eyes roll at the rat as the moments before the engines start to purr are taken up by Liz’s goons straightening her bowtie, ruffling her hair up, and grooming her whiskers, all the fellas bidding their queen adieu before scampering off. With Coyotl cautiously stepping into a seat and Fox hopping in next to them, the crap car starts its righteous path down the tracks of Subterfuge towards a stage set for violence.

“Alright, what’s the scoop on the Sunlit Bounty, brat?” I ask, kicking my legs up over the hood of the car and glancing over expectantly at Liz.

“Why don’tcha have a look for yaself, toots~?”

 

A click below my legs brings my attention to the three ethereal rats scurrying out of the glove compartment, crawling over my legs and into my lap to reveal a brochure for our destination.

“Just how well advertised is this show?” I raise an eyebrow at Liz, two of the rats in my lap holding open the pamphlet while the third points at various sections for me to look at.

“C’mon, Cat Kitten, I expected you to expect better of the real professionals of Monorise. Of course it’s well advertised...for those looking for it~”

Ignoring her, I skim through the contents of the brochure with the help of her much less annoying rat familiars, reading it aloud for the folks in the back.

“Weekly team scuffle...Ubers Tier...Humans beware...Round one...Elizabeth Eternal…?!”

“Hmhm, why yes~” she chuckles, “I will in fact be joining you for--”

“Your last name is Eternal?”

For once, her bravado falters to an annoyed pout over the rat’s usually smug face.

“Middle name. Anyways, yes, the little critter need not worry about competing, I will spearhead our charge to victory~”

Her typical unbearable air returns, looking all too proud of herself as I shake my head.

“Are you really going to be battle ready? You’ve only been Ascended for two days.”

“Tsk tsk tsk~” I hate her so much. “And just what do you think I’ve been doing these past two days? Who wouldn’t spend all their time messing around with their new super powers the moment they get them, especially one as proactive as lil’ ol’ me~?”

A sigh and a shrug for her.

“Whatever. Just don’t die to...whatever Rivers’ Robotics is…”

“Oh, trust me. If anyone’s gonna show that old geezer who’s boss...it’s da boss herself~”

There’s a certain...edge to her words as she talks about whoever Rivers is, like she’s got an antsy bullet in her chamber with their name on it. Whatever that’s about, it can wait, because skimming through to the next segment of the pamphlet…

“Coyotl versus...Poison?”

“Wh-WHAT?!”

The chimera stands up out of their seat, gripping at the railing with a shaky strength.

“Y-you set me up against one of your own?!”

“Oh, settle down, mutt,” the rat queen orders, though Coyotl remains as intense as they are tense. “I chose her because, should your abilities not be up to snuff, she can put you down non-lethally. That’s her job.”

With a grumble and a crossing of their arms, Coyotl sits back down.

“I do not need your concern, rat.”

“Concern? HAH!”

Liz chortles and cackles, legs kicking and tail whapping.

“I ain’t concerned about you, chump! This is solely at the behest of one Cat Kitten. Be thankful yous got such a kind and carin’ pal, hmm~?”

Glancing back at Coyo, I can tell what they want to say, but a concerned smile of mine seems to keep them quiet for now.

“Don’t worry, Coyo, you’ll do great regardless. Now then...next up is…”

Squint.

“Cat Kitten versus...Mx. Neptune...they...were the headliner yesterday, weren’t they?”

“Uh huh, good eye, Cat Kitten~” Liz says, “One of thems...what’d ya call em...Gravients?”

“A Radiant?!”

Snatching the paper from the rats, I look it over for anything regarding my opponent, but alas, they’re as much of a mystery to them as they are to me.

“Why’d yous think I need you for this job? You’ve gots experience with these sortsa things~?”

Ugh. The little rats pat and attempt to comfort me, but Liz is right. If anyone should be taking them on, it’s...me. My mind runs in circles chasing its own tail before the snake’s words interrupt, reminding me of my mission. Right. This isn’t just about me, or something I should be trying to take all upon myself. We’ll come to that when we get there, I suppose.

 

And get there we do, Liz pulling up into the parking lot on the opposite side of the Sunlit Bounty’s entrance before her and a posse of rats usher us in through the theater entrance, waving to the very unenthused ticket booth employee who lets us right on by.

Within the den of crime itself, we find...a surprisingly fancy looking space, something of a mix between what you’d expect from an opera house and a public theater. ‘Sunlit Bounty’ is right...lights adorn every inch of this place, like each light is shining a spotlight on a different light! Everything is a treasure here, from the place itself, to the prizes so gaudily lined up along the walls and held atop pedestals, to even the people walking the red carpets. I can practically feel my own ego being inflated just by standing here…

“This place is making me sick,” I grumble, keeping myself in check. “Just how much does it cost to get in here anyways?”

The rat shakes her head and smirks as if looking at her puppy who’s too small to get up the stairs on its own.

“You’d be surprised, toots~ The more people they let in here, the more money they make, after all…”

Raising an eyebrow, I look around more at all the folks scrambling about the area, seeing quite a wide variety of clothing. Huh.

“The concession stand, though? Prices jacked up the ASS. Hope y’ain’t hungry, babe~”

Yeah, alright, that checks out.

Glancing around some more, I even spot a little arcade section to one side and a concession area on the other, both of which are swarmed with people, each crowd making the light in me begin to buzz and brighten as I scan through them all. I send a prayer to the workers of this place as we’re led down a much emptier path, the sounds and smells of public wonder fading to a clinically sterile workplace, passing by door after locked door, some even having bodyguards standing tall in the vests and dress pants you’d expect from theater workers, although, they are...very tight on these big folks...sheesh…

Soon enough, we take a turn into one of the doors, though, not before the guards in front of it step aside. I give them each a nod and they nod back, letting us into a cramped locker room, dark as an active theater room with glowing tape stretched across the floor guiding us around the benches and the lockers themselves, even into an adjacent shower room and a few arcade cabinets to the side.

“Welcome to our base of operations, Team Rat King!”

“I never agreed to this name,” I shoot at the Rat Queen.

“Nor I,” Coyo agrees, Fox looking between the two of us and sitting on her hind legs, crossing her arms and looking defiant along with us, even if she doesn’t know why.

“Oh yeah? What’d you choose then, eh?”

“Does it really matter--”

“Team Hero.”

Both Liz and I turn and stare at the interrupting chimera, looking very happy and confident in their idea.

“...Fine, if none of you can think of good names, then we’re Team Triple Tail. Capisce?”

Liz gives me a smug shrug and Coyo offers a defeated sigh, the only enthusiasm coming from Fox circling around my feet.

“Whatever you say, Cat Kitten~ Now, seeing as I am first, yous all are free to play your silly games or get homoerotic in the showers until it is your turn, but I’d highly suggest yous stick around to watch the match~”

“I’ve had enough homoeroticism for today…” Coyotl groans, blushing and getting a chuckle out of me.

“Ain’t much of a gamer myself,” I concede, turning away from the cabinets, to which Liz laughs her witchy chortle.

“You see, Cat Kitten, this is why I’m the boss here. Only a gamer such as I could play the game the way I’s do~”

“You do realize we’re surrounded by lockers just dying to have a nerd shoved in them, right?”

More snickering on her end.

“Oh no~ The big hot cat jock is threatening me, oh dear, oh my~” she jests, hands in the air all sarcastic-like.

“Shut the hell up, please. I need to be angry at the enemy or the system, not some twinkish Italian gamer schmuck with a small dick.”

“I ain’t even Italian! Boo hoo!”

That’s what she’s focusing on…?

“Now, if yous all would excuse me,” the rat sings so smugly, “I’s gots a date with pre-battle preparations~ Whenever ya ready, meet me at the transition zone! Take a left and then a right where the big gate with the stairs is, can’t miss it...well, maybe one of yous can~”

A staticy grumble from under Coyotl’s hood hides just under the squeaky cackling of the rat as she clacks her heels out of the room, leaving me, the chimera, and my partner, the odd room to ourselves with quiet at last. Taking a seat next to Coyotl on the bench, I give them a warning with a swish of my tail in front of their face before patting their back.

 

“Honestly, being disliked by her is better than being liked. Don’t let her get to you.”

But they shake their head, less so at me, and more so...beyond me, as suggested by their distant look.

“I’m used to being underestimated and called stupid…” they sigh with a pained expression flickering on their face. “I thought that all I needed was another chance, a moment to prove myself, someone to prove myself to, but...now that the moment is here, all I can think about is what will happen if all I’ve believed I can do is wrong? What if there’s something intrinsically wrong about me that I can’t do anything about--”

I cut them off, squeezing their shoulder to bring their attention back to me, and the fox now on my lap, seemingly frustrated by the need for quarters to use the machines in here.

“Y’ain’t got a thing to prove, Coyo. Though, even if I can’t convince you otherwise, I’d say you’ve already proven yourself.”

“Feh, what, to be a good distraction for oversized sea serpents?” they say dismissively, only seeming to slump over more in their despair.

“I mean, that’s a feat in itself, pal,” I tell them, chuckling and shaking my head. “But no, I mean as an ally...actually, more than an ally. You’re one of us, y’know?”

The chimera sits still for a time, then slowly turning their head to look at me with a confused expression.

“One of you…?”

“I mean, both literally, cuz you’re Ascended. But also in the sense that you’re a part of this team. No matter what you’re good or bad at, you’ve proven you’re willing to set aside even reason and logic to do the right thing, or even just fight for your friends.”

Bringing both paws onto either of their shoulders, I turn them to face me fully, giving them the kindest smile I can muster.

“We may have met you only recently, but...you’re family, y’know? I’m willing to say it early if it means you’ll have an easier time settling into it all.”

Another beat of silence before the green in their eyes seems to shimmer and waver, and their claws reach up to hold my arms.

“I...I can’t...accept that…”

Their voice is pained, shaky, on the verge of sobbing even, sounding as though there’s something inside of them struggling to keep a hold of the chimera. Just as they’re about to pull my hands off of them, however, I ask…

“...Do you want to accept it?”

Frozen still in all senses but the trembling, I fear for a moment having possibly said the wrong thing not being too great at this whole talking to people and comforting them deal, but eventually, the sobbing does come, accompanied by their claws moving from my hands, over my arms and onto my shoulders, the slightest pull prompting me to tug them closer into a hug.

“I do...I want to...I want to, but I...I can’t…”

“You say that, but you’re doing an awful good job of it right now.”

With that and a pause, they slowly move their arms to wrap around me in tandem, clutching and holding me like I could disappear the moment they let go.

 

Some time passes with the pitter patter of their tears sounding louder than any bleep or bloop from the machines or the distant clamouring of people from outside our door. Once they’ve calmed down enough to where the trembling ceases, I give them a pat on the back and pull back, noticing the odd way the tear droplets on my lap shimmer like the static of a television before standing up and offering Coyo a paw, which they thankfully take after a moment’s hesitation.

“You ready to kick some ass, sis?”

They seem surprised, murmuring “sister…” to themselves for a second before nodding.

“I...I would not say I ever had a family before now, so I am...unsure...of how to go about this...but I...I would like to try.”

Giving them a catty grin, alongside the foxy one peering over my shoulder at them, I nudge my head in the direction of the door and pull them along.

“Let’s show ‘em the power of transgender magic.”