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Episode: Soren

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Episode: Soren

A wave of relief had fallen over the entire apartment.

Ryker had finally woken up.

The light that came in from the windows finally seemed to register in their eyes and hope sprung anew. The weary frowns and hunched figures straightened, even daring to smile. Soren felt like he could finally breathe The past few days felt like he had a vice around his lungs and spikes embedded into his chest. Whenever he lay down with Oliver on the bed, he couldn't help but look towards Ryker's door, hoping that the young wolf who had saved him would wake up.

Now that he finally had, he wanted to do one of two things.

Either go back into that room and hug Ryker... or get out of the apartment as he was feeling a little stir-crazy.

Oliver set down his phone, letting out a soft sigh. "I've told Kanoth. He's on his way after his meeting with Nero Greenwood."

Soren regarded his Host and the tabby curiously. "You were in contact with Kanoth?"

The tabby returned an equally puzzled look. "Yeah. Why?"

He was going to be the first to admit that he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed. Given that he was just 'born' a few weeks ago, he wasn't exactly 'street smart' or 'college-educated smart' but he liked to think he was observant. So when did Soren start talking with Kanoth Lameer, his sworn enemy? Better question: how to tell his Host that he was surprised the feline had seemingly let go of his anger issues and made amends with the guy that had changed him from dainty peahen to testosterone, bat-totting hunk?

"I... was just wondering... when you got his contact number?"

For everything that he was, Oliver was observant. "Right about when Ryker went into a coma. Cliff and Arthur still had classes and we needed to keep him appraised of the situation. So, we exchanged numbers and..."

"You're his Contact?"

The tabby sighed, shoulders slouching and arms resting on the table. "Yes. Okay? I can't stay mad forever."

Soren tried to keep the smile from tugging at the corners of his beak. "Did this have anything to do with what Ryker said to you before we hit Aileen's place?"

Oliver groaned and turned his head away. "People's words tend to have more gravity whenever they go into a coma." Before he could ask more, the tabby said, "Look, he's just finishing with a meeting with Nero. I wanted to go somewhere and get some air. I think we all need some air."

He offered a smile towards his Host. "It does feel like we've all finally gotten a chance to let out that breath we've been holding for the past four days."

A small twitch hit the corners of Oliver's lips. "Yeah. It sort of does, doesn't it?" He flicked an ear towards the door. "Come on. Let's give those two some privacy."

"Sounds good."

Together, they left the apartment, Soren maintaining a respectful distance away. He was still not too sure how their relationship could be defined. Though as they followed from a distance, he noticed the confidence in his Host's stride. There was a lightness in his step, his shoulders were pulled back and his head was lifted higher. A weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Soren had to wonder what had taken that weight or where it had gone.

When they headed to the out of the apartment building, Oliver immediately turned left instead of heading right. They were heading towards the college campus. Where exactly were they going? He didn't say anything however and merely followed along. Strange as it was, they stopped at a street corner still some distance from the campus itself. It was one in one of the 'shopping' districts near the campus which was designed specifically to appeal to the younger generation. Everything was clean, crisp and modern and had quite a bit of flora.

The street corner in particular, however, was incredibly desolate. The three storey building, while looking rather big, was empty. He could see that even the rooms in the upper levels were devoid of life and dusty. No curtains either. The first floor had a been a store of some sort complete with a counter a register and even a little glass display case.

"What are we doing here?" Soren asked.

Oliver took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I've actually been asking around about this place."

"Asking?"

There was a distant look on the tabby's features but his lips were turned upwards slightly like he was reminiscing about a distant memory. "It all goes down to what Ryker said. I've spent way too long flailing and throwing tantrums at things that I can't control or change. It's time to move on and make something better."

Soren turned back towards empty building, regarding it in wonder. "You're thinking about buying this place?"

"AllAle's severance package isn't nearly enough to buy the whole thing but at the very least I'd like a place to stay that isn't on Ryker and Cliff's floor." The tabby pointed up to the second floor. "From what I hear, the second and third floors are living areas. I'd have enough to put a solid down payment on the place and I've got good enough credit to get a bank loan for a business."

"Going to open your own bar?"

Oliver tilted his head to the side slightly. "I don't know. I always dreamed of making my own beer and it becoming famous."

Soren's eyes instinctively gravitated towards the ground but he refused to be sucked into the pool of guilt. Fighting the urge to accept the blame, he lifted his gaze and said, "You still can. Though you'd have to think about how I'd fit into the picture. I hate the idea of being tied to a prissy 'organic' beer."

That caught his host by surprise and he folded his arms, holding firm to his position. "Really? Why?"

"Because beer isn't about lording how expensive or 'well made' it is over others. It's about being around friends, getting shit-faced drunk and having fun. Leave that bullshit to the champagnes, wines and bourbons. The essence of beer is to have something to drink with friends."

The feline canted his head a little to the side, turning back towards the bar. "I guess I sort of lost sight of that." He laughed softly, running his fingers through his short, brown hair. "You know, when I first came up with Summer, I envisioned it... envisioned her... as this organic but affordable beer. Something that was high class but still accessible. I thought I could make that happen. Looking back now, I realise just how... contradictory it is."

Soren's beak twisted slightly in disagreement. "It wasn't that stupid. You could have made it happen. You're smart. Ambitious. Hell, you defied corporate protocol and went after Ryker on all your own even though you knew it was stupid to do so. You're fighting the very corporation that put you here. I'm sure you could've made Summer into something that's all of those things."

"Yeah but that's over now," Oliver sighed. "Summer is gone."

He waited for the tabby to say something emotional like 'But now I've got you' or 'Now I've got something better' but nothing came from Oliver except for silence. Their relationship just wasn't at that level yet.

"Maybe she doesn't have to be," he offered, following his gaze towards the shop. "Wasn't your tag line 'Taste summer all year round'?"

A snort came from his Host. "Yeah. Now that I think about it, that's kind of stupid."

"No it isn't. It's good. Why don't you make that the tag line for your shop?"

He got a sarcastic look for that. "Really? And what are we meant to serve? Summer-style beer? The thing about that kind is that it's cold, refreshing and quenches your thirst. Here in New York, it can snow. No one wants that when it's freezing."

That was a good point but Soren hadn't been talking about beer. "But people still need coffee all year round, right?" Oliver's eyebrows lifted, telling him that he was on to something. "You make awesome coffee, Oliver. Ryker and Cliff even said so. What if instead of beer, you sold coffee? Open up a coffee store?"

Oliver's eyes drifted back towards the shop. "Huh... A corner coffee store. It might work. But then again, this is New York. You can't cross a street without finding a Starbucks. What will make mine so special?"

"Does it have to be special?" Soren asked. "Why can't you just sell good coffee? Good coffee. Reasonable prices." He gestured in the direction of the campus. "You'll have a huge following with the college right there. I bet they're more than willing to give it a try. Plus you're on a street corner. No way people can miss that."

Oliver tilted an ear and remained silent for a good, long while. The cogs were ticking away in his head and the spark of inspiration and ambition starting behind his eyes.

All he needed was a little push.

"You know, you could even turn the place into a Transistor."

With that, Oliver's eyes fully lit up, his muzzle falling open slightly.

"A Transistor coffee shop. It'd keep the corporations from attacking and this close to the college, it'd be a safe haven for Ryker and the gang if they ever need it."

Soren hadn't even thought that Oliver was considering making it a haven for Ryker's group.

"I'll admit," he said, "I did want to keep fighting and support those guys for as long as possible." Oliver threw a glance in his direction, looking worried. "But at the same time, I don't want to just abandon you either. What's a Host without an IP, right?"

"I could find another IP if I turn my place into a Transistor." That was a good point but just as Soren's heart was about to sink, Oliver said, "But I can't imagine starting this venture without you."

"Me?" he asked, startled.

"Yeah." Oliver's paw crept towards his hand, slowly closing around the brown feathered fingers. "You're not Summer. To me, Summer was the culmination of everything I had worked towards and endeavoured to make a reality for years; my efforts to become a microbrewer given shape."

And his heart started sinking again.

"You're... different. You came out of the flaming pile of shit that was my life, rose a new and become this strong... passionate guy that..." Oliver turned his head away, blushing slightly. "That honestly... inspires me."

"Huh?" was all Soren could manage.

"If you could find your own name, your own identity and even your own cause in the week or so since you were freed, why couldn't I pull myself from my hate and the wreckage of my life to be something more? You're... you're a phoenix."

That made him groan, pulling his hand away from Oliver's and turning away while fighting the grin on his muzzle. "Oh come on..."

"I'm serious!" Oliver exclaimed, trying to sound dramatic but unable to keep himself from laughing. "If an IP is meant to symbolise our greatest thoughts and ideas given form, then I think you represent me starting all over. Just took me so long to realise it."

Soren found himself at a loss for words. Part of him had resigned himself to parting ways with Oliver given that they were so different. Though there was some part of him that hoped they would stay together as Host and IP, he had acknowledged it to be a slim chance or at least a bitter relationship. To be accepted and even praised like this was beyond his wildest dreams. So much so that he couldn't decide how to respond.

Maybe he should put on the tough-guy act like Takoshi?

Or perhaps take it casually like Arthur?

What if he was affectionate like Cedar?

No. He couldn't just mirror someone else. He was his own man. Not a Doser.

Soren reached for his head and pulled off the baseball cap that he had been given to him the day he had been 'born'. He then rested it solidly on Oliver's head, the tabby grimacing and chuckling as the act was a little forceful.

"Hey, I'm not going to say I'm perfect," he said. "I wasn't made by you. I was created from what Kanoth and the other officers thought would sell. Never meant to have a personality. So I'm going to have my opinions. I'm not going to know a lot of things. But I like the idea of us working together. So how about we stick with being partners?"

"I'll give you one better," Oliver replied, holding out his paw. "Friends?"

Soren chuckled softly and took the paw. "What is that old saying? You can't pick your family but you can pick your friends? Same goes with Host and IP. You can't pick your Host."

"But you can certainly pick your friends," Oliver finished. A soft smile touched his lips. "Hey, since you were assigned to me, we never got to make that speech."

Soren lifted his eyebrows. "What speech?"

"You know. The one Independents make when they meet their IP and stuff. The one to forge a Pact."

The left side of his beak twisted upwards into a smile. "Really? Do we have to?"

Oliver nudged him lightly with an elbow. "Come on. Why not? Let's make it official."

"It's like we're exchanging wedding vows!" he protested, fighting the urge to laugh. "It's lame."

His Host tilted his head expectantly at him. "But...?"

That half-smile crawled to the other side of his beat. "But it's also pretty cool." He turned fully towards Oliver. "So... you want to start?"

The shorter feline lifted a paw. "I think I've done enough leading. Why don't you start this one?"

"Alright." Soren coughed softly. "From inspiration, comes an idea."

There was no hesitation on Oliver's part, his voice solid and determined. "From an idea, comes change."

A powerful force drew Soren's hand to reach out and Oliver immediately took it in his own paw,

"Let's change the world..." he began, a smile spreading across his face.

Then, as one, they exclaimed...

"... together!"