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Chapter 3

The evening was still young and yet Martha Hallaway, Chief Production Officer of The Horizon Channel, was utterly exhausted. The mid-forties lioness with bright red hair tied up into a bun entered her luxurious Manhattan apartment. Though she would have preferred to return to her home outside of the island, during the weekdays, she made a point to stay within city so that the commute back to her office was much shorter. Getting up every day, making a show of appearing among the people, getting her coffee at the same shop, buying a bagel in another on her way to the office and then giving ten dollars to the same unemployed homeless man on the streets every day was part of her routine and what made her so approachable. Media moguls liked to spin it all as an act to hide the fact that Horizon really peddled in nothing but reality TV shows; shows that got off on people's embarrassment and baser instincts. For Martha, it was simple part of her routine

The moment she stepped into the threshold of her apartment, the big whale shark that had been accompanying her shut the door behind her and locked to door. His great, brawny body belied the sharp intelligence from his deep, blue eyes. Though a little rotund, Surf was a warm face and encouraging presence in her life and knew exactly what she needed. The taller shark immediately reached down towards her hair and undid the ties that were holding up the bun. In one, smooth motion, he pulled her figure-hugging, bright-red jacket off in one instant and was hanging it up on a hanger the next. She slipped out of her high-heels and not a second later, he was picking it up and setting it and her coat in the closet.

"D'ya wanna bath?" he asked in that laid-backed accent of his that reminded her of that summer she spent in Hawaii. She could almost feel the warm sun on her fur as memories of her youth hanging out with beach-goers came rushing back. Perhaps that was why her consciousness manifested her ambition and dedication to _Horizon_as Surf.

"That would be lovely," she responded, moving towards the kitchen. "Does tacos sound good to you tonight?"

His big hands gently grabbed her wrists and pulled them away from the refrigeration she was just about to open. "Come on, girl. Leave it all ta me tonight. Ya've had a hard day." He beamed down on her, his short, blonde Mohawk catching the dim light of the apartment like a tiny, golden broom sitting on top of his head. It looked ridiculous but he loved it and who was she to deny him his individuality.

"Thanks Surf," she sighed, leaning back against his broad, muscled chest. Her head sat between his powerful pectorals but her back settled on his soft belly. "It was such a headache today. We're starting the new rounds to see which IP will be part of next year's lineups. As usual, I'm not allowed in the process. Ethan is out there doing the screening."

Surf groaned, his broad shoulders sagging as he gently moving the smaller Martha aside much like one would move a doll. "That anti-social twat? Every season he's in charge of the line-up, the assholes he bring on-board are all show boatin' morons. Everyone just wants to see if they can get him to actually speak. We've gotta do so much edittin'."

It was true. Of the candidates that the three officers vetted, the ones that Ethan Maydoor hired were always self-aggrandizing, power-hungry divas who would often cause more on-screen drama than do something sensible. It made for great reality TV but more work for Martha.

"Thankfully he's doing the IP section this time around," she said, moving away from the kitchen and gently brushing her hair back. "Van is the one doing the Realworld counterparts for the next seasons."

"I like Van," mentioned Surf as he began taking out the ingredients for their dinner. "Not so much his IP, Outtake."

"You just don't like Outtake because he's bigger than you." She glanced over her shoulder with a sly smirk. "There's a reason they're called Great White Sharks, you know."

"Uh-huh," came the dismissive reply. "Go on and take your bath, Your Majesty. I'll have dinner ready by the time you get out."

Some would take offense to the mockery from their IP but Martha appreciated Surf's honesty and familiarity with her. In public, he was a professional bodyguard but in private, when it was just the two of them, he acted more like a close confidant and friend. Which was more than she could say for her colleagues.

Upon entering her broad, spacious bathroom, she dimmed the lights and began running the water. Her mind wandered to her fellow executives and how it was still very much a boys club. Some part of her believed that they had only made her Chief Production Officer for the sake of diversity but at the same time, they would never have introduced her to the Overworld had they not seen her talent and skills. There were other executives that were part of Horizon that weren't exposed to the Overworld and those that were did not have their own IPs or unique Functions. For all intents and purposes, she reported to no one apart from their CEO so she shared the Number 2 spot with three others.

That said, the fact that none of the others would ever let her sit in on the vetting process for both the Realworld and Overworld still made her feel... excluded. Like they were hiding some dirty little secret from her or that they enjoyed seeing her clean up the mess they created by purposefully bringing in over-dramatic candidates. She brushed aside such thoughts, however.

"They'd never do that," she told herself. "Besides, they would have no reason to exclude me from the Overworld vetting process and I've never had an issue with the IPs that we bring in from there. They probably just feel that my talents are better suited for post-production and publication." She turned towards her now-full rose-scented bath. Stripping off the rest of her clothes, she slipped her petite body into the tub, sighing softly as the warm waters soothed her worries away.

Closing her light-brown, almost-yellow eyes, she said, "I guess I do have my plates full with this season and they can worry about the next."

Work-life-balance was important and she had long learned not to assume the worst when it came to the corporate world. Not everyone was a backstabbing, conniving thief that would take credit for work someone else did. Some businesses encouraged such underhanded dealings, but not Raven and Horizon. Given that the channel was dedicated to pushing reality TV, finding hidden talents in individuals was their entire platform. It would be hypocritical if they undermined someone else's talents for their own. While she fantasized that if she had a hand in vetting the upcoming talent, she would have less problems on the editing floor, there were limits; both physically and mentally.

Besides, it was somewhat therapeutic to argue the extra costs that her publishing and editing team incurred was because some of the other executives didn't do their jobs. Bloating the budget reports because of such costs ensured that she could pay for the overtime her teams needed and make sure they had a quarterly retreat that everyone enjoyed.

Martha took care of her people because she knew they all put in their best.

Those thoughts relaxed her and allowed her to finally unclench her jaw, slump her shoulders and uncurl the toes she had been twisting beneath the water's surface. She ran through the checklist of things to mentally be aware of to indicate stress. Butt cheeks unclenched, tail relaxed, tensions released from her fingers and her tongue released from the roof of her mouth. With all that done, she finally sank into the warm, rose-scented waters of her bath and sighed in relief.

Fifteen minutes was the most she could afford in the bath. At her age, any longer and she'd have a terrifying vision of what she would look like in the next twenty years when she looked in the mirror. Removing herself from the bath waters, she dried herself off, taking her time to make sure her tawny fur was all dry before heading into the adjacent room where Surf had already laid out her evening clothes - consisting of a silky shirt and pants in her favorite mauve color. Her favorite bunny slippers were sitting at the base of the bed. The smell of the fish tacos were already wafting through the air and stirring her appetite.

The tall lioness slipped on her clothes, put on her slippers and then headed out into the kitchen.

She stopped, however, when she noticed they had company.

"Simon," she greeted, eyebrows lifted. "This is a surprise."

Simon Sanders was the Chief Security Officer of Horizon. The tall statuesque rabbit had brown and white fur with sparkling green eyes. Hailing from England, he had all the charm of a British gentleman and all the dry wit to go with it. Balding, all his black hair had retreated to a well-kept beard which was curled around his angular features. His lean figure beneath that navy-blue suit was incredibly deceptive as she had seen him in the company gym boxing with some of the heavier weights. Sanders had once been an esteemed British actor but had turned to security services instead of continuing a career on the silver screen. He still maintained the high-maintenance lifestyle, however.

Lounging on the couch, feet up on the coffee table and surfing through the channels was Sanders' counterpart and IP, Airwave. The brown-skinned Hammerhead Shark was more akin to Surf; easy-going, a bit of a dreamer and many believed what Sanders was like when he was younger. Handsome with a meaty, lean body that he liked to show off, Airwave had several tattoos on his right arm which sat exposed thanks to the blank tank top he wore. The black shorts he wore revealed the leg tattoo that was on his left leg. When he moved, some of the ring piercings on his fin jingled.

"I just came to check up on you, Martha," said Simon curtly.

"Why?" she responded suspiciously. "What's happened?"

Simon brushed away her concern. "Just a little tussle in the audition that Ethan was overseeing. Nothing to worry about. I'm checking up on all the executives." He lifted his phone and waved it idly. "We sent out a notification via our in-house app but when you didn't respond for the last hour, I grew worried and came by as soon as I could."

She checked her phone which sat on the kitchen counter charging. "You know I switch off my phone the moment I come home. I clock off and leave business at the door."

The rabbit clucked his tongue disapprovingly. "Really, Martha, as much as I appreciate your ability to separate work from home life, that is _such_a risky tactic. We have many enemies, you know."

Surf approached, holding a tray full of delicious-looking fish tacos. "You don't need to worry, sir. I would have protected her."

"As I'm sure you would have, old boy," replied Simon, gently nudging the shark. "Would you mind?" he asked, gesturing at the tray.

"Not at all," answered Martha curtly, taking one herself. "Help yourself." She looked over towards Simon's IP. "Airwave, dear, did you want some fish tacos?"

The hammerhead beamed at her and leapt over the back of the couch to get to them. "Whoa! Totally! Thanks Miss. H!" He took three, two in each hand and one in his mouth.

"Honestly, Wave," sighed Simon with the smile of an exasperated but proud father. He bit into one of the tacos and rolled his eyes in ecstasy. After he finished chewing and swallowed the mouthful, he said, "Ah. Brilliant as always, Surf. Your culinary skills are second to none! We should get you your own cooking show."

"That'd probably cause undue scrutiny into my background," laughed the whale shark. "It'd be hard to justify my very existence given I didn't actually _exist_until eight years ago."

Simon laughed softly, drawing a handkerchief from his breast pocket and dabbing his lips. "A fair assessment." He then turned to leave. "Thank you for the nibble. It will sustain me as I check on our other executives."

"Wait," Martha said, lifting her paw. "Is Ethan okay?"

Without missing a stride towards the door, Simon said, "Oh of course, my dear. You know how he is. Nothing fazes him. Never said a word."

"Maybe I should go into the Overworld and check on him."

The rabbit let out a loud 'Pshaw'. "As you said, you are off the clock. Leave this to us. But I know you." He waggled a finger at her as he opened the door. Beyond was a bright-eyed gazelle. "And I know how much you've been wanting to vet our recent acquisitions so how about you get to know Survey here and his handler? We are going to enter post-production on their show soon and I thought you could take this opportunity to make sure your vision aligns with theirs."

On some level, it felt like busy work to keep her from something that was _clearly_important but this was also a step in the right direction. If she got to know the Doser before they started cutting and pasting footage, maybe she wouldn't have diva-esque tantrums later when they were mid-season.

"Sure. Thanks for that, Simon."

The CSO gave her a curt bow as he ushered Airwave out. "My pleasure as always, my dear."

******

Throughout his life, Ryker had never been much for sports. The appeal of watching guys that were much bigger, much more athletic and far more popular than him beating each other into submission never really sparked any interest in him. There was one time when he was taken to a football game by his mom's boyfriend - a naval officer - in an attempted bonding session but he just found the rules confusing and the cheering that quickly grew more and more into drunken screaming as the night progressed annoying. He always likened it to the blood sports of ancient civilizations. A pointless waste of resources and energy that appealed to the primal parts of everyone's psyches; the slavering, bloodthirsty feral animals that tore and ripped with fangs and claws.

This was no different.

The IP of Ethan Maydoor, the charming Mako Shark, Zoom, announced the beginning of the contest.

Almost instantly, the weaker, most desperate IPs charged at one another, hoping for some quick wins and gains. Ryker's dinner surged towards his throat as he watched a scrawny parrot lunge at a small, doe-eyed dog and use his massive beak to puncture her arm, drawing blood. A short distance away, a lean lion dared to stab at a bigger IP with a shoddy looking spear. The IP - a hippopotamus that was heavy armored and certainly one of the front runners - grabbed the spear and snapped it in two without so much a thought. The towering brute ignored the lion and immediately rushed towards one of his other competitors, someone that was worth his time. The crestfallen look on the lion's face made Ryker's heart break and it was all he could do to sit still and not jump the barrier to give the poor guy a hug.

He almost didn't want to look for Takoshi, fearing the kind of savagery that his own IP would display. But that was unavoidable. Especially when he saw a burst of wind slam against the same lion, hurling him ten feet away. The gray-furred wolf bit his lower lip, keeping himself from shouting as he saw Takoshi's white and black figure zoom after the lion. Quietly, he prayed the lion a swift death.

CLANG!

The loud, metallic ringing of a weapon on weapon somehow seemed clearer to him than anything else in the melee. His eyes widened as he watched the sand clear around Takoshi. His bear was standing protectively over the lion, the shorter of his swords blocking the gladius of the hippo from earlier.

"What's he doing...?" Ryker whispered.

"Protecting the cub," answered Decanter with a faint smile. "He's not the only one."

A short distance away, there was a fiery red wolf that had pounced on the parrot from earlier, throwing the bird off the dog. Flames exploded from between his fingertips and lanced towards the injured pup. While the dog screamed, the flames did little more than singe his flesh... in fact, it seemed to cauterize the wound.

"It is a valid tactic," continued his butler. "These first few rounds involves weeding out the weak. Those that are slain will be fodder for those that triumph, being absorbed into the IPs that consume them. However, if someone were to _save_the weak from such a fate..."

Ryker's eyes widened in realization. Mako had mentioned that while no one could join_the competition once the fight started, competitors were free to _forfeit the match during the breaks. So, it someone were to deprive the competitors of their feast, then those weaker IPs would be free to forfeit.

"This is the best time he can do this too," Decanter said, standing firmly with both hands clasped behind his back. "The smarter or the more experienced IPs will know that the moment the weaker IPs realize that they are severely outmatched, they will forfeit. So the only opportunity they have to consume the fodder is now. Their focus will be entirely on growing stronger giving Takoshi the opportunity to deal as much damage as he can and weaken them."

"You really think Takoshi is that smart?" Cliff asked. He held up a paw at Ryker. "No offense, dude."

Ryker chose not to respond and had to wonder if Takoshi was genuinely protecting the lion cub for altruistic reasons or attacking the hippo because the guy was probably the only other person on the field that was as experienced or well-defined. This was besides the wolf that flung fire.

"Cliff," he said, turning towards his partner. "Don't focus on the fight. You've got a job to do."

The tiger's blue eyes widened and he immediately fumbled for his phone. "Oh! Right. Give me a sec..." He lifted his phone towards the box where Maydoor was seated, tilting the camera in the officer's direction. "Crap... He's sitting back down. I can barely see him. It won't work."

The GREP function likely needed the use of the phone's camera to function correctly. Ethan Maydoor was once again sitting down, just barely in view. Mako was also standing at the very edge of the box, blocking a good view of the officer. If only being a Host offered some form of telepathic link to one's IP. Then he could ask Takoshi to do something spectacular, something incredibly flashy that even the disinterested Maydoor would be compelled to stand up even for a brief moment so that they could perform their scan.

"Next round," he whispered softly, catching Decanter's attention. "Next round, when Takoshi gets back, we'll get him to do something really out there. Something outrageous that Maydoor will stand up."

"You have great confidence in Takoshi to make it past this round."

He gave Decanter a faint smile and turned back to the battle. "He'll make it."

Between Takoshi and the unnamed red-furred wolf, a some of the weaker competitors were kept safe. Infuriated that his prey was being denied him, the hippo - who looked more and more like a gladiator - threw all his efforts at Takoshi. This was exactly what the polar bear wanted. The black-and-ice-blue-clad samurai was deceptively nimble and used the charging gladiator's tunnel vision to his advantage. Takoshi ducked and weaved between various engagements, at one point sliding feet first between two clashing competitors using his power over wind to propel him. The hippo followed suit shortly, slamming into the two fighters and knocking them to the ground - injured but not dead. He was doing an excellent job disrupting fights while simultaneously causing non-fatal injuries to other competitors, perhaps enough to get them to bow out.

"I wonder if he's done this before," Arthur murmured.

"Takoshi did mention he had to survive on his own for a while," Ryker said. "He's from California originally. Hollywood. He never said how he got here." Then, softly to himself, he added, "Or what he had to do."

"Whoa!" Cliff suddenly exclaimed, pointing. "Check out that guy!"

The 'guy' in question was the red-furred wolf. Tall, muscular - though not as wide as Takoshi - the wolf was just as effective at disrupting fights as Takoshi. Bare-chested, it was possible to see the wolf's chiseled torso which was accented by cream-colored fur. The rest of his fur was a striking, deep red - not quite blood-colored but more like a ruby. Black, swirling tribal tattoos were drawn over his right pectoral, rising up towards his broad, scalloped shoulder and then ending at his right elbow. Torn, sandy-colored wraps curled around his big paws and his feet, billowing like trails wherever he walked or whenever he swung his fists. Grubby, black shorts that looked like they had once been pants but had their lower quarter torn ended at his knees. Light, steel chains hung from a brown, weathered belt. A big, easy grin flashed across his features, showing off a single golden canine and highlighting his shining, yellow eyes.

This wolf moved like a dancer. If Takoshi was a powerhouse samurai warrior with swift, powerful strokes designed to kill in one slash, this wolf was the zen-like monk that swept and twisted past people, using their own energies against them and disabling them. A roaring dragon-like IP charged at him, fangs gnashing and thrusting a spear in his direction. The wolf ducked, twisting his body in such a way that the spear slid across his back without actually harming him. He slipped his paw along the length of the shaft, pointing two fingers right at the dragon's eyes. Twin flames shot out of his fingers, just _grazing_the reptile's muzzle. This was enough for the dragon to instinctively loosen his grip on his own weapon and protect his face. The wolf grabbed the spear and swung it upwards, slamming the butt of the weapon into the dragon's chin - his true attack - and disarming him at the same time. With a flourish, the wolf swung the weapon in his paw before snapping it in two and tossing it aside.

"He is good," commented Decanter. "Too good..."

Ryker regarded the rhino with worry. "You think Takoshi has some competition?"

"It shouldn't matter." The white-haired butler lifted his gaze towards Maydoor who was still doing something on his phone just out of view. "There are four rounds. This round will be dedicated to getting rid of the weaker competitors. Get them to safety. Then, Takoshi will have two more rounds to do something that'll catch Maydoor's attention. Once round three ends, he'll bow out. Avoid conflict with the wolf entirely."

That was a solid plan. There was a complication, however. "Problem," he said. "There are probably only four IPs out there that'll be in the finals. Takoshi, the wolf, that hippo and the dragon. If we assume this round is going to be spent taking out the weak..."

Decanter's eyes narrowed and he lifted his thumb towards his lips, biting the nail. "You're right. We can assume that the wolf will take down the dragon in the next round while Takoshi will be dedicated to fighting the hippo. We'll need Takoshi to make sure he keeps the hippo occupied while keeping the dragon in the fight as well. The last thing we want is for Takoshi to be fighting the wolf and the hippo in the third round."

"Or he does something crazy in the next round," said Cliff. "It's Takoshi we're talking about."

A bell rang somewhere followed by a loud siren.

"And that's it folks!" boomed Mako. "The first round is over! We've got a few losses but looks like a lot of people are moving onto the next round! We'll take a break now for fifteen minutes. Take your time to rest and recuperate and think about if you still want to fight! We'll see you again in fifteen!"

Takoshi padded back towards their seats, cockily dusting off some of the sand off his shoulder. The big bear stopped for a moment to exchange a few words with some of the smaller IPs. Whatever he said sent the duo scampering off, clearly resigning from the competition. Pride welled in Ryker's chest as his IP friend and lover returned to them.

"Bro," Cliff exclaimed, flinging his arms into the air. "That was friggin' awesome! I didn't know you could move like that! You've got to teach me some of those moves!"

"You give me that ass one of these days and we'll talk," Takoshi growled seductively in that deep rumble of his. Cliff visibly flushed and coughed off to the side. "I figure I've convinced at least half of these rookies to back off." The bear glanced back into the arena. "I think some of the more stubborn ones are hanging in there. I should be able to get them all off the field by the end of the next round."

Decanter gently placed a hand against Takoshi's shoulder, turning him around slightly. "You're lucky to have help. Speaking of which..."

Ryker found his heart skipping a beat as the half-naked red wolf approached him. Pack instincts started kicking in. This wolf was a little taller than Takoshi, at _least_seven and a half feet tall. While not as wide as the bear, he had the lean muscular build of someone truly built with a balance of speed and strength. With the contrast of his cream-colored belly-fur, it almost seemed like he had a ridiculously narrow waist which only made him look all the more impressive. A strong, masculine scent wafted down into Ryker's nostrils; sweat, charcoal and a little tinge of blood. It brought to mind big barbecues. In the presence of this alpha male, Ryker's tail slipped between his legs and his ears folded back. It took all of his will not to hunch his shoulders and hide behind Takoshi.

"Hey man," said the wolf in a melodic, voice that sounded like it belonged on the stage. Musical, charming and masculine; a clear tenor without being effeminate. "I saw your moves out there." That easy-going grin reappeared and Ryker's hear fluttered. "Glad to see I'm not the only one looking out for the little guys."

Takoshi's eyes narrowed at the male. "If you stopped watching my ass for a second, you'd realize I wasn't doing it for any sort of charity. Only an idiot would gorge themselves on fodder in the middle of battle. They'll leave themselves open to attack and they'll be slowed down as they try to come to terms with their new abilities. Hell, there's even a chance they'd go Zombie." The bear's ice-blue eyes went up to where Mako was standing in front of a camera man, giving commentary while Maydoor still was barely visible and uninterested. "I bet they were even counting on some Zombies popping up to boost their ratings or something." Only then did Takoshi turn his cold gaze back towards the wolf. "Only reason I got in between anyone and their prey is because it would stop them from getting stronger or making my life more difficult as a Zombie. Only reason I didn't kill those weaklings myself is because that'd be a waste of time and energy."

Ryker had to believe that wasn't really the case.

The red wolf's features darkened. "Tough-guy, huh? Well you're not fooling me." He jerked his chin towards Ryker and the others. "Right after the battle, you head over to these folks so I'm guessing they're your buddies. No one that cold has got friends."

Alarm bells were starting to ring in Ryker's mind. Someone this observant was a danger. If this wolf realized that he and Cliff were Independents or associated with Custodes Libertatis, they would have an entire corporation bearing down on them.

"Sorry," he quickly said, grabbing Takoshi's shoulder and pulling him aside. "We're just a little on edge. First time doing this sort of thing and we've heard how cutthroat corporate contests could be. Honestly, I didn't think anyone else would even be as merciful as you."

That friendly grin returned and he reached a paw out to Ryker. "Hey, the rules said that only the last one standing gets to become Horizon's next show. No one ever said anyone else has to die for it. My name is Bryce by the way. Bryce Byrne."

"You can call me Wildcard," Ryker responded, using the codename given to him by the Libertatis. He shook Bryce's paw. The grip was surprisingly light but warm. "You want to be _Horizon's_next IP?"

Bryce threw his head back and let out a short barking laugh. "Hell no. I'm their mole."

Ryker's fingers immediately went cold and time seemed to stand still.

A mole... Horizon_has a mole within the competitors. And it was the very wolf he was shaking paws with. Did Bryce come over because he knew that they were part of the _Libertatis? What gave them away? Were they that obvious? Would Corpsmen start coming down on them from all directions?

"Uhm..." he began softly. "Excuse me...?"

Bryce never let go of Ryker's paw. "This is the entertainment industry, kiddo. People have to be entertained and we can't make it look impossible to win or else we'd never get any new IPs coming in. I'm here to sabotage other people's efforts but make it look good."

That was incredibly clever. If left to their own devices, Takoshi would have easily wiped the floor with everyone else in the first round. In fact, if Bryce was not there, Takoshi, that hippo and the dragon would have conquered everyone leaving only three people left. Thanks to Bryce's efforts and Takoshi's own tactics, they had cut the number of competitors by half with most of those that had lost being free to lick their wounds. Stories would be told about their fight and they might even be motivated to come back bigger and stronger now that they had a frame of reference. Takoshi's paws twisted into fists as he came to realize that he had actually played into a corporation's ploy all along.

"So you keep the show entertaining and hamper other's efforts to win," Decanter concluded. "All so that the game doesn't look too hard. But you're not a Doser, are you? You're an orphaned IP."

"Pretty much," Bryce responded with a shrug. Only then did he let go of Ryker's paw. "Horizon give me more than enough attention with their Corpsmen to keep me healthy but maintains my independence so that I don't act like a Doser. A real Doser wouldn't pass for an actual IP unless you didn't know better." He glanced towards Takoshi. "To be frank, you don't need to keep an eye on me."

"Why?" Takoshi growled. "Should I be keeping an eye on you?"

The red-furred wolf lifted a paw in surrender. "Naw, dude. You can tell our corporate masters that I'm going to stay behind the line. You won't get me to defect from this cushiony job! I know a few people have been rattled by that AllAle thing that happened a month ago but I've been here for six years. You won't see me jumping ship any time soon."

Cogs started ticking away in Ryker's mind. A quick glance at Decanter and he silently confirmed what they were all thinking. Bryce thought that _they_were moles as well. Moles specifically sent here to keep an eye on Bryce.

"You're giving us too much credit," Ryker said guardedly. "What makes you think we work for Horizon or that we're here to spy on you?"

"Apart from the kick-ass skills this one has and how he clearly fights in the interest of the future," Bryce nudged Takoshi with a cheesy grin. "Eh? Eh? Right? Our company motto?"

There was a moment of panic as Ryker had no idea what the company motto was.

"Look to the future, look to the Horizon," Arthur recited with gentle smile. "I see what you did there. Clever."

"See?" Bryce exclaimed, spreading his arms wide with a grin. "I have Horizon in my heart!" He pumped his chest with one paw. "Always do. And besides, you guys have phones. Only Corpsmen have phones."

Ryker almost face-palmed himself. It was so obvious. No IP would ever carry around a phone. Only Independents and Corpsmen would ever carry around a phone as that was how they accessed the Overworld or used their Functions. It probably didn't help that Cliff brazenly lifted his phone as if to take a photo of Maydoor.

Of course, where Ryker almost face-palmed, Cliff went and did it anyway.

"Fuck me," sighed the tiger. He gave Bryce an apologetic grin, recovering quickly. "Sorry. I hope we weren't too obvious. Just... pretend we're not here."

"Hard to miss this handsome guy!" Bryce laughed, again nudging Takoshi who was clearly growling in annoyance. "But if you want, you can bow out on the third match. That's what I'm planning to do. Leave the dragon to me. I'll prime him to go up against the hippo." He patted Takoshi's shoulder. "Stay safe out there!"

A loud buzzer blared over the stadium. They had spent the entire fifteen minutes talking to Bryce. As the wolf swaggered away, Ryker realized that this particular wolf's tail was quite short - at least half as short as it should be. A curious fact but one that he pushed aside for the moment.

"Play along for now," he told Takoshi. "Do what you did in the first round. Protect the weak guys and convince them to bow out."

"And the fire pup?" growled Takoshi with a savage grin. "When do I get to tell him I'm actually an Independent IP? When do I get to wipe that cheerful, schmoozing grin off his face?"

"Third round," Decanter replied softly. "We need you to make a huge spectacle. Something that'll get Maydoor off his seat. We can't get a clear shot of him from here."

Takoshi nodded grimly. "Got it. Stay safe and for fuck's sake, hide your goddamn phones."

Cliff tucked his phone away with a roll of his eyes. "Not like you thought about it until Bryce mentioned it."

The bear's rounded ears flicked in annoyance as he strode back to the middle of the arena. Ryker sat back down in his seat, lips twisted in concern. The next match began quickly and once again Takoshi and Bryce were running interference against the biggest of the competitors - the dragon and the hippopotamus.

"Is that... Is that really a thing?" he asked softly. "Do corporations really hire orphaned IPs just to sabotage their own efforts?"

Decanter took a while to respond. "It entirely depends on the corporation. Some people would call it 'Internal Affairs'. Maybe even the 'Fur Resources Department'. Before I met you, I knew that AllAle's IA was like a secret police. They would monitor everyone else's actions. They never hired orphan IPs to sabotage their own events, though. No need. As a brewery company, they were more interested in keeping existing clients as opposed to constantly coming up with new content."

"I guess... I guess I sort of see the need for someone like Bryce..."

"Doesn't make it right," growled Cliff. "Hiring a fucking mole to sabotage your own competitions." Then he flashed a grin at Ryker, holding up his phone. "A good thing I got the whole thing recorded."

Both Decanter and Ryker's jaws dropped.

"You're kidding me," whispered the wolf. "You recorded Bryce?"

"Totally! Imagine the kind of damage that'd do! At the very least, it'll slow down their IP supply."

Arthur rested a big, armored hand on Cliff's paw, pushing the phone down. "Cliff, think about what you're saying. If you release that footage, Bryce will be out of a job."

"So what?" countered the energetic tiger. "Bro, he's going out there and _sabotaging_competitors."

"By making sure they live through the experience," Arthur responded firmly. "He's not killing the weak. He's showing them that they're outmatched and then making sure they live to fight another day. If he was outright slaughtering them and feasting on them to become stronger, that'd be a different thing but he's not. That counts."

"But this could still be a huge blow!"

"Yes and it'd leave thousands of IPs without hope." Arthur shook his head sadly, looking around the arena. "Bro, just... hold onto it for now, okay? Don't go releasing a bomb if you don't know what you're gonna hit."

Sometimes, Arthur could be so wise... only for his words to be tangled in his bro-speak.

Suddenly, the crowd let out a loud groan. Ryker whipped his head around at the battle field. Takoshi was on the ground, his wind-based sword several feet away. The dragon and hippo stood over him, brandishing their weapons.

"Oh shit..." Cliff exclaimed "They teamed up on him! That's not fair!"

Fangs bared, Takoshi started to rise only for what appeared to be a large sphere made of hard-packed earth to slam onto his chest, sending him flying back a few feet and knocking the wind out of him.

"Tako!" Ryker cried, leaping from his seat and pressing right up against the barrier separating him from the battlefield. Decanter grabbed his shoulder, holding him down.

"Wildcard, you can't!"

"But -"

"You told me he'd make it." Decanter fixed him with a fierce stare. "Have faith."

Gritting his fangs and clutching his phone in his shaking paw, Ryker remained standing while Takoshi was hit by another earthen projectile, blood bursting from between his lips. The dragon and hippo seemed to be taking pleasure in his torment as they slowly approached him. The hippo lifted a hand and an earthen spike burst from the ground right beside Takoshi. The ursine samurai expected something like that and rolled in the opposite direction, barely managing to avoid being impaled.

A burst of fire immediately exploded from nearby. Ryker's heart leapt to his throat as Bryce came rushing towards scene.

WHOOSH!

A curtain of searing-hot, white flames burst from the ground, stopping Bryce in his tracks. The dragon grinned savagely, the same white flames licking between his fangs.

"First your boyfriend," growled the reptile. "Then you."

Takoshi grit his fangs together. Then, covering his head with his arms, rolled on his side all the way towards the curtain of flames. Both antagonist were surprised when the bear barreled right through the fire and out of sight - at least for the moment. The hippo smacked the dragon's head, ordering him to drop the flames. There was a momentary exchange between the two as to who had the authority to boss the other around before the dragon eventually dropped the flames.

A moment later, Takoshi was revealed, having drawn his longer blade - the _zanbato._His forearms were burn, pink flesh showing and sizzling. But he was still standing. Streams of water had surrounded the long blade and were slowly caressing his burns like gentle tendrils.

"Nice trick," snarled the hippo. "But it's still not enough." With a roar, bullets of earth shot towards Takoshi in rapid succession. The bear swung his long blade, smacking the projectiles aside but the blade was heavier than his katana and thus slower. Some of the bullets made it past his defenses, cutting into his flesh and pushing him back. Takoshi fell to one knee. Ryker lifted his phone... only for Decanter to force it back down.

"He's smiling," warned the rhino.

Takoshi was indeed grinning. As blood dripped from a wound on his forehead over his left eye, forcing him to close it, he maintained that grin. This wasn't some sadomasochistic grin either. Not the grin of an anime protagonist that had finally found a battle worth fighting.

He had a plan.

And that plan came in the form of a bright red flame that came screaming out of nowhere and colliding with the dragon's flank.

"Bryce!" Arthur and Cliff exclaimed in unison.

Bryce, his entire right paw engulfed in flames, twisted his fist into the dragon's flanks. The scaly beast let out a gasp as he was hurled several feet away, crashing to the ground while pieces of his armor were thrown off in his trial. The wolf landed a second later and unleashed a barrage of furious blows straight at the hippo. Caught off guard, the gladiator took the first few hits before he raised his shield and started blocking.

"Where the fuck did you come from!?" roared the hippo.

"I'll show you!" roared Bryce, throwing another punch. As his fist came close to the hippo's shield, however, his fur darkened, turning completely black. His entire form seemed to catch on fire only the flames were inky black. He became a complete shadow, featureless save for the vague silhouette of the pugilist wolf. The moment his fist hit the shield, the void-like flames crawled over the shield, following the contours of the hippo's body before seething down onto the ground behind the gladiator, reforming with one arm tightly around the hippo's thick neck in a submission hold.

"The bear isn't the only one that can play with two forces of nature!" snarled Bryce.

"He can manipulate shadows as well as flames..." gasped Decanter in surprise. "An interesting combination. Fire will create shadows which he can then utilize as weapons. He is far more dangerous that I first thought."

An ear-splitting roar suddenly came from the left. The dragon was back on his feet and he charged straight at Bryce. With a grin, the hippo threw his gladius into the air. Bryce was momentarily distracted, his grip loosening from the gladiator who took the opportunity to swing his head back and slam the back of his big skull into Bryce's nose. The moment of pain gave the gladiator a chance to elbow Bryce's stomach and stagger away. Behind them both, the dragon snatched the airborne sword and -

CLANG!

... clashed blades with Takoshi.

"Didn't forget about me, did you, asshole?" snarled the samurai. Suddenly standing back to back with Bryce, Takoshi placed both paws on the back of his blade and gave the weapon a mighty shove, pushing back the dragon. "Kind of fitting that a saboteur would be aligned with fire and darkness."

"What can I say?" Bryce replied cockily, wiping some blood off his nose. "The best spy walks the path between light and darkness. Fire gives of light and I walk in the shadows."

"Some people just have all the talent," huffed Takoshi. "You, unfortunately, don't have a talent with words."

The wolf glanced over his shoulder, throwing Takoshi a sardonic smirk. "Whatever, man." He absently elbowed his temporary teammate. "So what do you say we get rid of these talentless hacks?"

"Aren't we going to leave one of them to be an IP for Horizon?"

Bryce threw a grin over his shoulder. "Please. I'm a spy, remember. You can't fool me with that bullshit."

Both the dragon and hippopotamus let out simultaneous roars, charging forward with their weapons raised. The earth right beneath the hippo surged forward, carrying him on a wave of roiling sands and rocks. Searing-hot, white flames exploded from the dragon's feet, carrying him towards the duo like he was cloaked by an alabaster phoenix.

At exactly the same time, the two men swung their arms in opposite directions, Takoshi to the right and Bryce to the left. Flames burst from Bryce's fist, launching from his paws like a tidal wave of Hell's fury. Behind him, a torrent of water erupted from Takoshi's enormous blade, swinging in the opposite direction. There was a poetic beauty in the scene, almost like Yin and Yang as the two opposite elements swung around the two. Bryce's flames slammed into the hippo's pillar of earth and blasted into the man's face, causing him to stumble. Takoshi's water immediately doused the dragon's flames but did nothing to halt his momentum.

Bear and wolf allowed their momentum to carry one another around each other, switching positions just in time for their weapons to impact against their opposing targets. Takoshi's huge blade bit into the hippo's meaty flanks, not enough to be fatal but enough to cause some severe damage. At the same time, Bryce's fist slammed into the dragon's face, knocking out a tooth or two.

Everyone in the crowd winced.

"Yes," Ryker cheered softly.

Decanter huffed, a small smile on his lips. In the short time he had known the rhino, Ryker had learned that small gesture meant the former corporate IP was actually impressed. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think they were brothers." Decanter's sharp, brown eyes went to the podium. Maydoor was at _least_interested now, his eyes lifted off his phone but still not rising far enough to be caught by Cliff's camera.

"Almost there," mumbled Arthur. "We just need a little more."

SPLURT!

The crowd went quiet and a soft gasp erupted from those that dared to break the silence.

Ryker's eyes immediately went back to the field. Nothing seemed off... The hippo was on the ground, clutching his side with blood dripping between his fingers. The dragon was barely conscious and coughing up blood. Bryce had turned away, eyes wide in shock... and Takoshi's fangs were bared, gritting in effort.

Then... Takoshi fell down on one knee and blood dripped from his side.

That was when he saw it. Another IP, a meek little seahorse from all appearances, stood a few feet away from Takoshi, his hands slipping away from a spear... a spear that was buried into Takoshi's side. Ryker's heart froze... and his mind raced. In the confusion and fight, the seahorse had taken the opportunity to jab at one of the two most powerful competitors. Ryker had completely forgotten that there were other IPs out on the battlefield apart from the four he was focused on.

"No..."

Cliff raced towards the edge of the booth. "That son of a -"

Arthur and Decanter both grabbed his shoulders, pulling him back.

"No!" his boar IP cried. "You can't help!"

"It's well within the rules," Decanter answered. "If Takoshi can run down the clock, he can -"

But Ryker wasn't listening.

The gray-furred wolf's heart had leapt to his throat and was rushing to burst from his lips straight towards Takoshi. He was compelled to follow it, leaping over the short barricade and bolting straight towards the downed bear. There were cries of protest all over the stadium and he was sure he heard Mako shout 'disqualified' and demands for the Corpsmen to arrest him. All that was drowned away as he fished out his phone, leveling at Takoshi. With the Independent App fully open, he was only vaguely aware of the significant drop in Takoshi's energy levels. His thumb was already on the 'Refresh' button before he was even halfway to his IP.

A soft green light encased him and Takoshi. Even before he skidded to a halt right beside the bear, the spear was already slipping out of the ursine samurai's flanks and his wounds healing. Exhaustion slipped in, his eyelids growing heaving as his energy and Decanter's was redistributed to Takoshi, some of its being spent to heal the wound and repair the damage. His arm was around Takoshi's shoulder before he saw the bear's defiant look.

"Don't give me that look," he growled. "I just saved you."

"No," snarled his IP. "You just killed us all."

His brow furrowed. "Huh?"

It was Bryce who answered his question. "You're not a Corpsman... You're an Independent!"

All the eyes in the coliseum had fallen on him and he could feel their accusatory gazes burning holes into his flesh. An awful prickling sensation crawled up his spine followed by the ominous dread that came with the anticipation of something really bad happening.

For the first time since the competition began, Ethan Maydoor sprang from his seat, pointing a finger directly at Ryker.

"The one that brings that Independent to me gets a prime time show!"

Decanter was suddenly right next to Ryker, blocking his view of the Fennec. With a sweep of his hands, a wall of glass burst from the sands in front of him, opaque enough to block all visibility. The wall closed in around them, forming a fragile barrier.

"That'll only buy us a few seconds," grunted Takoshi, rising to his feet. "Tell me you've got a plan."

"Always," the rhino responded with a smirk. He turned towards Ryker and gave the gray wolf a nod. "Bring out your Function. Hit the ground directly beneath us."

Ryker, his mind currently shutdown as he reeled from his mistake, merely nodded and held out his right paw. Bursts of golden light sprang from his fingertips, coalescing into a long black and gold shaft and topped by the immense head of a warhammer. The moment it materialized fully, gravity took hold and even as he grabbed it by its haft, he was pulled forward by the sheer weight of the weapon. The head of the hammer slammed into the sand beneath them. Brilliant, white cracks erupted across the coarse surface before abruptly shattering. Even though he had no control over the trajectory of the weapon, the warhammer still served its purpose.

The ground beneath them opened up and the trio stumbled into the underbelly of the coliseum. Before they plunged even further, Takoshi grabbed the hammer just above Ryker's paw, pulling it up to keep the weapon from hitting the ground and shattering another floor. They landed with a soft thud. Decanter and Takoshi landed with ease, barely needed to crouch as they hit the concrete beneath them. Ryker completely stumbled, releasing his warhammer into Takoshi's grip and fell face forward onto the cold ground, his cheeks afire with embarrassment.

"Guys!"

His ears perked in the direction of the voice. The dark hallway was mostly concrete and poorly lit with pipes and a few warning signs visible around them. One of the pipes were interrupted by the use of his Function and was now pouring water behind them. From the left of the hallway, Cliff and Arthur came running.

"You had them meet us here?" Ryker asked, rising to a crouch.

Decanter gave him a light smile and helped him to his feet. "The moment you went dashing off to rescue Takoshi." He glanced upwards, the telltale sound of glass being shattered ringing in their ears. "My barrier is impressive but it won't hold them off for long. We've got to get out of here now."

Ryker held up a paw. "Wait. What about Maydoor?"

"What about him?" growled Takoshi, clearly displeased.

"We still need to get the scan."

"There's no fucking time!" roared the bear, getting uncomfortably close to him. "If you hadn't jumped in when you did, I may have been able to throw something 'flashy' or run down the clock for an epic comeback in the next round!" Takoshi waved his pawed mockingly in the air. "But then you had to go and treat me like a fucking princess and 'come to my rescue' while revealing yourself to be a fucking Independent! Not only that, but you showed your face to them!"

Those words stung but Ryker was not about to be berated like a child, not when he saved_his IP's life. "Hey," he snarled back, jabbing Takoshi's steel-like abdominals, close to where he had previously been wounded. "I _saved your life!"

"I could've handled it! I had a plan!"

"Don't act like you wanted to get stabbed!"

Takoshi threw his paws into the air. "That's exactly what I wanted to do! It wasn't fatal!"

"You mean like it was exactly what you wanted to do to corner me into following your hair-brained scheme to throw yourself into the middle of this goddamn fight!?"

Decanter gave Takoshi a puzzled look. "You blackmailed Ryker?" Then his confused look took on a hurt aspect as he turned towards Ryker. "You didn't tell me?"

"It doesn't matter," snarled Takoshi, turning his back towards the two. "It's obviously_clear that _neither of you have enough faith in me to let me do my own thing."

Ryker's muzzle was already opening to voice his protest when Cliff placed himself between them. "Guys, this isn't helping. We need to go now. Yeah, I didn't get the scan but that doesn't matter right now. Let's get out of here." He held up his phone. "Hold hands. I'll get us to the saferoom."

A dark shadow suddenly shot out from the ground and seized Cliff's paw. The beefy tiger let out a cry of surprise as the form of Bryce Byrne materialized behind Cliff and snatched the phone from his paws. Before any of them could react, Bryce was leaping away, dangling the phone tauntingly at them.

"Hey!" Arthur snapped, drawing his golden sword. "Give that back!"

The red-furred wolf smirked at him and shook the phone. "What? This thing? Come and get it."

"Motherfucker..." Takoshi snarled, readying his sword in one hand and holding Ryker's warhammer in the other. "I've wanted to gut you since the second you had the balls to strut up to us you lying, conniving James-Bond-wannabe! The only thing worse than a Doser is an IP that willingly works for the Corporations knowing what selling out other IPs will mean!"

Bryce held up his paws, not a single piece of malice in his red eyes. "Whoa, lots to unpack there but as the old saying goes, I don't have the time." He held out the phone towards them. "Look. I know what I've been doing is terrible. Leading innocent and often naive IPs to Horizon only to have them turned into Dosers isn't exactly my dream job. I did what I had to do to survive. Hell, I even saved a couple of the weaker ones so they don't get eaten."

"Is that_what you call it?" Cliff growled. "Sounds to me like you were just _grooming them."

"Call it what you want. I want out." He fixed Ryker in particular with his fierce stare. "There are five of you here. That can only mean that either two of you are Independents and three IPs or three Independents and two IPs. It doesn't matter which. Take me with you. I don't want anything to do with Horizon_anymore. I'll join. I'll fight for you. Hell, I'll even help you take down _Horizon if that's what it takes." Bryce's eyes drooped slightly, his gaze slipping off to the side. "I want to stop living every second fearing that I'll either be Doser'd, fired and fed to another IP or thinking which poor sucker I'll be leading to their death. I want to stop competing with all the others like me out there and constantly being reminded that I couldn't cut it at being a Doser so they stuck me with the leading _others_to becoming Dosers."

Arthur shuffled aside to let Takoshi stand next to him. "Some would argue keeping your sentience would be a better deal than being robbed of your free will and copied endlessly. But that's just my thoughts, man."

"The thing about free will is that you can't blame anyone else for your own crimes," replied Bryce grimly.

"And you think we'll just forgive you of those crimes?" Arthur shook his head, his eyes never leaving Bryce's gaze. "I don't know how long you've been at this, dude, but seems to be your punishment for perpetuating the lie that being a Doser is better than living is to remember each face, each life and each future you have destroyed."

Shouts came from above. The sounds of glass cracking grew louder and Ryker could hear voices coming from the other end of the tunnel. They were running out of time and escape routes.

"I came from a corporation as well," Decanter reasoned. "I've done horrible things in the name of AllAle yet you forgave me."

"No we didn't," snarled Takoshi.

"Even still," answered the rhino icily. "You gave me a chance and let me into your inner circle."

"You_were different." Takoshi's stared fixated on Bryce. "You were given over when your Host was murdered by someone. You're standing with us because we're your best chance of finding out who that killer is." He jerked his chin at Bryce. "This guy is an opportunist. He preys on weakness. Who's to say that he isn't just trying to blackmail us into taking us with him so he can tell his corporate bosses where we are? I mean, if he _really wanted to just join us, why take Cliff's phone? Why hold us hostage against time?"

This was all true. Bryce was a conniving deceiver. Posing as fellow competitors to the whim of the corporations, rigging these competitions to the benefit of his masters was very low. Yet there was something in the wolf's eyes... something in the way he was standing... something in his words.

The voices were growing louder. Time was running out.

Ryker's balled his paws into fists and grit his fangs. "Crap!" he shouted loudly. "Behind us! They've found us!"

His cry had the intended effect. Takoshi and Arthur immediately turned around with Decanter and Cliff spinning just a second later. This gave Ryker the chance to leap past them all, fishing out his phone and angling it towards Bryce.

"Bryce!" he shouted. "I'll make you my IP! If you betray us to Horizon, you either die or become a Doser. That's my final offer." Silvery flames burst from behind his eyes, shining in the darkness of the hallway. "From inspiration, comes an idea!"

"Ryker!" roared Takoshi. "What the fuck!?"

"Ryker! No!" cried Cliff.

Both were too slow as Ryker closed the gap towards the shocked red-furred pugilist. Bryce shot forward, reaching out for Ryker's phone.

_"From an idea, comes change,"_intoned Bryce.

Ryker closed his eyes briefly, bracing himself for the consequences of his decision. Then he opened his eyes and roared. "Let's change the world...!"

Behind him, his friends lunged forward, their paws and hands trying to seize him. Arthur - his hands occupied by both his sword and shield - could only stumble forward. Takoshi, similarly, had both paws occupied and could just charged at them. Cliff's claws clutched the edge of his red coat while Decanter's hands closed in around his free paw.

Bryce's fingers touched the screen of his phone.

In unison, both wolves cried, "...together!"

******

Cue stood quietly amongst the crowd, watching as the various IPs scrambled all over the coliseum trying to find the Independents that were in their midst. Few paid attention to the pixel-masked man in the black coat who was unfazed by all the chaos around him... and the owl that stood beside him.

"So your protege has found yet another IP to join his cause," Aye whispered quietly. "Faster than I had expected. Is there no risk to his rapid ascension?"

"Are there not always risks to everything we do?" answered the enigmatic Kage. "Does this development concern you?"

The owl tilted his head slightly, almost bringing the rounded features to a ninety-degree angle. "In the storied history of the Overworld, few have ever been able to juggle multiple IPs without succumbing to madness or outright dying. Juggling different relationships especially if those relationships were toxic towards one another tends to cause a strain on the Host. It has been done before, of course, but few know that. Not even the other Kage."

"What are your concerns about his development?"

"The fact that he is so young and it hasn't even been two months since his last Pact was formed with another IP apart from the bear. This is akin to the fevered production process of a greatly inspired creator. New ideas, new concepts strike them over and over again and they either rush their projects to get to the next one, lose interest in unfinished projects in favor of something more appealing or become overwhelmed by their own ideas that they are paralyzed by indecision." Aye straightened his head, his fingers ghosting over where the ethereal keyboards that would normally be present around him. "I fear for the boy's mental state."

"You fear that he will burnout?"

Aye nodded grimly. "The candle the burns twice as bright lasts half as long."

Cue chuckled softly, crossing his hands behind his back. "Have we not tried different tactics before? Did our first subject not spread out linking herself to multiple IPs over the span of years? Was the problem not that the time spent between each link caused her to favor older IPs over the other and thus cause newer ones to be neglected?"

"I suppose. We also tried getting someone to link to multiple IPs simultaneously and even attaching themselves to different IPs in as little as a week. All those failed. What makes this different?"

Only then did Cue turned to Aye. "Have you ever heard of the concept of Risk versus Reward particularly where it relates to videogames?"

Aye shrugged absently. "Not really but I assume it is the balancing act between taking a risk and getting a reward for it. Why?"

"Was the problem in our previous experiments not that we either minimized the risk by spreading the Pacts off into different time frame but with always the same reward? Is this not different as the rewards are far greater than previous scenarios?"

"Really?" asked the avian Kage. "How is this different from the others?"

Cue chuckled softly and turned to leave, his words haunting the leader of the Libertatis.

"Does the fall of a corporation especially one with personal ties to the self not provide a substantial reward?"