[HIATUS] The Tide Rises

Chapter 15

"Hi, Jules!"

Jules cracked a smile at the familiar childlike voice, which belonged to a certain kitten she knew she had yet to see. She had asked Meowscles about him back when he and Skye first helped her settle into The Fortilla, and he had said he'd make sure to bring Kit around one of these days. Apparently, today was that day.

She lowered her welding helmet—she didn't need it for what she was working on, but it had just been found in another shipment of lost items—and set down a system of gears and motors she had started putting together, pushing it gently aside. She turned around, and froze at the sight before her, her hands flying up to her mouth.

There Kit was, sitting atop a mech made of scrapped metals and appliances and car parts, shaped into a design she immediately recognized from her sketchbook. She remembered sewing it together as her eyes darted around the wide-open room of the box factory for inspiration, discussing with Meowscles a way to allow Kit more mobility. He controlled it with the hand grips of a motorcycle and that wide-eyed smile only he and his father were capable of wearing, and his father approached by his side, holding the very sketchbook she had left behind at The Shark during The Device. It was flipped to the page of the creation.

She hadn't been able to begin working on it then, seeing as complications had arisen at The Agency, and... other problems had required her full attention. They didn't have to make it a surprise, but here they were, revealing it to her, built exactly how she had envisioned it. "That looks amazing," she gushed, unable to help the joyous tears that sprang to her eyes. "How did-"

"It was Kit's idea," Meowscles said, smiling as he handed her the sketchbook. "Skye found it at The Shark, Kit saw and convinced me to help build it. We took some parts from Catty Corner."

Kit stepped forward, outstretching the arms of the mech and enveloping her in a light hug. The metal arms rubbing against her skin was an odd feeling at first, but it was definitely something she could get used to. "I really missed you, Jules," he said, and she reached up to scratch him behind the ear with a warm smile.

"You said 'Catty Corner?'" Jules asked, taking a step back.

Kit's eyes widened again, and he turned to his father. "Yeah, dad! Jules hasn't seen yet. Can we go up there? I wanna see my robots again, too! I haven't been there since we were last there, but that was like two weeks ago."

Meowscles frowned. "Lynx was supposed to take you up there a few times."

"Yeah, but she's busy, says she's working on her catsuit again. She didn't touch it since the stupid SHADOW guy wrecked The Agency. Cat's helping her this time so I was just stuck at home, since you won't let me go out. But we can go today, right?"

"I don't know," Meowscles frowned, glancing at Jules and her contraption on the table. "I have to help unload some more shipments, and I don't know how I feel about you going up there by yourself..."

"But dad, Jules is going, right? She'll watch over me, it'll be fine! Maybe Sparkplug will be there, too."

"She's busy with something here, isn't she?"

Kit turned to her. She didn't want to ruin his enthusiasm, and it felt like Meowscles was searching for excuses to keep him at The Fortilla. She shrugged. "I could use a break, plus I could get extra parts from the factory if I need to."

Meowscles glanced between them and their eager smiles before sighing. "Alright. Kit, if Sparkplug is there, I'll let you stay until later, and Cat should be able to pick you up. Call her when you're ready, but no later than 7. Alright?"

"Alright dad," Kit said, and Meowscles was only able to give him a quick pat on the head before he took off. "C'mon, Jules!"

Jules chuckled at his excitement, but before she could follow, Meowscles stopped her. "Jules... if Sparkplug's there, you can come back any time if you need to. Just... let me know if you do, okay? Can I trust you?"