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Marcus Lewis struggled to fall asleep that night. Not for the reasons he'd had in the days and weeks prior, though. He wasn't struggling with anxiety about his future, stress about school, fear. Even hours later and with more alcohol in him, the jackalope's adrenaline was at a high, making it impossible for him to relax. He felt like he was on top of the world, and almost didn't want to sleep just so he could revel in the moment some more. He hoped to have dreams that could match the day he'd had, and he did.

When the morning rolled around, Marcus stretched himself awake with a lazy yawn earned from an actual night's rest. Aaron's couch was far from a comfortable bed, but that didn't matter. His mind was at ease, and it meant he could sleep. He even had a new change of clothes and a proper bad to put them all in, his mood unaffected by the stale water from the shower head or the dry soap that wasn't terribly suited to fur.

Marcus Lewis felt like a king.

By the time Aaron got downstairs, Marcus was showered, dressed, and eating breakfast on the couch, hardly recognizable from the uneasy and anxious young jackalope that had been there the day before. It put a smile on Aaron's face, knowing he'd helped Marcus come out of his shell, to so speak. A crooked, slightly menacing smile.

"Good morning, sssunshine," he chuckled, pulling a sleeveless shirt over his head and making his way to the kitchen.

"There you are!" Marcus said from around a mouthful of granola bar. "Was wondering when you'd be getting up. Thought maybe you'd gone into hibernation."

Aaron laughed a more genuine laugh than he'd had in a while. "Kid's got jokesss," he said, making his usual plate of eggs for breakfast.

The pair sat in the grungy living room, eating and casually watching television. They alternated between mocking the purebreds on the screen and letting Marcus relive the previous night, his description of what happened getting more exaggerated each time. By the end, it was like he forgot which of them had been the one to tackle the cheetah down and hold the knife to his throat.

Not that Aaron minded. He leaned back on the couch, grinning that grin of his, listening as Marcus went on. The pride of standing up to someone who had wronged him, the satisfaction of revenge. The urge to do it again. Oh yes, everything was coming along perfectly.

"Ssso what do you feel like doing today?" the viper asked. "Head back into town? Bussst a few more heads?"

Marcus snickered. A day ago that kind of question would have made him fidget and get all awkward, but not today. This was a new Marcus Lewis. A no-nonsense ass kicking jackalope, combining the toughest parts of both halves of him. As tough as hares and antelopes could be, at least. Or maybe each half strengthened the other! He wasn't sure, just that he felt ready to take on the world.

"Half tempted to go over to that fucking chimera's house and kick the door in," he replied.

Aaron cracked open one of the leftover beers from last night, kicking his feet up onto the cheap coffee table. Marcus was surprised it managed to hold up.

"Chimera?" he asked.

Marcus was a bit surprised by the question. "Yeah. You know, Adrian Lucas? Owns that adoption place for hybrids?"

"Ah yesss, that guy," Aaron replied, snorting. "Apologies, wasn't aware of the term."

"Yeah, well, after last night, I feel like I could just go right over and beat the shit out of him."

The serpent glanced over at his guest, his curiosity piqued. This was the first time Marcus had shown so much assertiveness. "Oh yeah? What's your beef with him?" he asked.

Marcus huffed. "What's my beef? He sells hybrids! Probably kidnaps them, too! I was over at the house they work out of, and there's something really sketchy about that place. I just don't get it. He's a hybrid like us, fuck he's even more of a freak than we are, and he's just treating us like a product? It doesn't make sense. I want answers."

Aaron considered that a moment. He definitely liked the fire in Marcus's belly, but had a feeling the kid might be overreaching.

"If I was you, I'd ssstay clear of that one," he said simply.

Marcus blinked, somewhat incredulous. That didn't sound anything like the vicious viper he'd gotten to know over the last two days. "The fuck do you mean?" he asked. "I thought you'd be all about it. Fight for hybrid honor and all that."

Aaron considered that, sipping from his can, his tongue flickering at the opening as he pulled away. The television flickered and flashed with images of smiling deer at an amusement park. The picturesque life of purebreds.

"Jussst saying, friendo. Don't get in over your head," the viper warned, with more of a point on his tone than usual. "How much do you know about him?"

Marcus shrugged, finishing his bar and crumpling the wrapper up, dropping it in his bag. "Just what I found on the website and in some interviews, why? What do you know?"

Aaron shook his head, absent-mindedly flicking the pop top of his beer can with little twangs. "I don't know anything, per ssse. But I've heard a bit."

Marcus furrowed his brow. Aaron had this tendency not to speak directly, or force him to keep asking until he got an answer. Normally Marcus would gently dance around the subject, but he was feeling more confident, so he took the leap.

"Dude, if you know some shit about this guy, tell me. I might need the info if I plan on paying him a visit."

Aaron laughed, looking over at the teen. He was impressed, truly. His protege had grown quite a bit in a short period of time.

"Look," he began. "I don't know the ssspecifics, but I crossed paths with a few of his... asssociates while I was in the kennel. Adrian Lucas has his fingers all over, he's got more eyes and ears than you'd think. I don't know exactly what he does, but that orphanage is covering for sssomething. There was thisss bird that came through. Older guy, a ssstork I think. Said he'd been working for Lucas for years. Wouldn't tell anyone what."

Marcus's leg began to bounce, that old anxious tic making a return. He didn't like what he was hearing one bit. "You knew him in jail? What was he there for?"

Aaron snorted, crushing the empty can in his hand and just letting it drop on the floor. "He worked at the docksss, some of his packages had merchandissse in them other than what they were supposed to. That'sss all he ever said. Pleaded guilty immediately, wouldn't sssay a word about who it was for. Wouldn't even tell usss. One day we're out in the yard. I didn't exactly have friends in there, but I guesss ol' Eddie didn't mind us hybrids since he worked for one. Anyway, a couple wolves come over and ssstart hassling us. Ed spits at them, starts going on about how you shouldn't fuck with him, he's tossed babies into incinerators why they were still crying, you think he'd pause at fucking up sssome punks in prison?"

Marcus's mouth went dry. Even if he wanted to interject, to question if this was real, his throat wouldn't let him. All he could do was listen.

Aaron took a breath, his tongue making its serpentine flicks at the air. "I guess he started running his mouth too much, the next day they found him laid out with his beak shattered right off of his fucking face and enough ssstab wounds the poor bassstard would have whistled in a high wind."

He shook his head. "Anyway, my point is, I don't know what all that Lucas is up to, but if you're really thinking you'll just ring the bell and march inside, maybe think twice. Even I know that sssometimes you have to pick your battles."

A moment of prudence from Aaron was not what Marcus had expected. It put a little damper on his image of the viper, in truth. He didn't think Aaron would be afraid of anyone. In a strange way, all that did was motivate him more to confront the chimera. The prison story was harrowing, to be sure, but if that was the kind of person Adrian Lucas was, Marcus had to get answers.

The morning was a bit more low key than the day before. More lounging around Aaron's house and talking about nothing in particular than heading out for makeshift life lessons. It reminded Marcus of hanging out with BJ. Aaron didn't make him feel like a kid, and he had gotten to enjoy being in the run-down house. All that talk about living outside normal society, rejecting the purebreds' expectations, it was like he was finally living up to the image he'd been wearing as a costume back at Greenwood.

Boy, he thought. If they could see him now.

Despite everything, Marcus Lewis was actually relaxed. This was where he felt like he belonged. Not running around trying to follow orders from everyone, stressing over grades and future internships. Living on his own terms and not giving a fuck what anyone else thought. He stretched out on the couch, poking around on his phone, and decided to check his messages for the first time in a few days.

[hornbro, not tryin to freak out but just let me know ur ok]

[Bud? The news is saying you're on the run from cops? WTF is going on?]

[MARCUS PLEASE ANSWER YOUR PHONE I'LL TELL THE POLICE TO BACK DOWN]

He snorted, closing the app. It was amazing how popular he'd gotten. He liked picturing everyone on campus whispering in hushed tones about what that scary jackalope might be up to. Saying they felt lucky he hadn't done anything to them. Eli shaken to his core and regretting bullying him.

It all made sense. Aaron's whole philosophy. They all saw hybrids as these weak little targets for their hate because Marcus had never been strong enough to truly hit back. If he'd caved Eli's face in that day not only would they know not to mess with him, but they'd think twice about messing with any hybrid ever again. That was the point of it all. Keep the purebreds in their place.

Before Marcus even realized it, the sun had set. A whole day just gone and he couldn't have been happier. Every minute had felt like hours since he arrived in Boston, so time moving swiftly was a welcome change of pace.

"Feel like gettin' some dinner?" Marcus asked Aaron.

The snake let out a belch, a half dozen beers in his belly making themselves known. "Mm... sssure," he said. "I'm feeling a little ressstless. What are you in the mood for?"

"I dunno," Marcus replied, thinking. "Maybe we just go for a walk and see what looks good."

Aaron eyed him a moment, grinning. "You're awfully confident no one's going to recognize you and turn you in."

Marcus grinned right back. "Anyone tries to, I think we can shut 'em up real quick."

The viper laughed. His student was learning quickly.

As the feathered serpent and his jackalope companion made their way into town, they cut quite the different image to the one they had just a day before. Marcus wasn't tailing behind Aaron now, but walking directly beside him. He didn't hop and dodge in the same unsure way he had then, but nearly matched Aaron's confident stride, though with just a touch of his own defiance. He put less effort into getting out of others' way, almost daring them to bump him and say something about it.

"Hey, watch the antlers, buddy!" a zebra grumbled after a collision.

"How about you watch these nuts?" Marcus called back, not even breaking his stride.

For his part, Aaron felt like he was watching his boy get the game winning home run. It only took a day and a half for him to show Marcus the way of the world, and now he was walking taller than ever, a far cry from some meek little prey species.

Marcus, meanwhile, watch viewing the world around him through new eyes. He wasn't seeing a world of threats, that he was a vulnerable victim who needed to watch his back anymore. Now he was the threat. All these purebreds had to watch out for him.

"How you feelin', champ?" Aaron asked him as they walked along, another food truck meal in his hand.

Marcus considered that a moment, chewing on his own. "I feel pretty fucking good," he replied, and it was true. Even the food seemed to taste better, the grains fresher and the bread more satisfying. Though maybe that was just from going to a better vendor. That old raccoon seemed to know his craft better than most.

Aaron finished his sandwich, unceremoniously dropping the paper on the sidewalk and inspiring Marcus to do the same a moment later. They didn't talk as continously as they had the day prior, Aaron wasn't dispensing wisdom at every opportunity. Instead, Marcus was just enjoying that feeling of being beside rather than behind.

The jackalope's eyes passed from one Boston resident to another. He found himself subconsciously sizing them all up. One thing Aaron had told him was how to tell who had money and who didn't. Who was putting on appearances and who really had a full wallet. On top of that, the teen kept judging all of them by whether he though he could take them in a fight. Sure, the big bear or the tiger were a no go, but what about that chipmunk? How about those little birds over there? He laughed, imagining himself running into the Lewises on a dark night. He could probably rob them right in plain view, those black feathers would make it look like he was just struggling with a shadow.

Suddenly Aaron put a hand on Marcus's chest, stopping him right where he stood.

"Oof! What? What's wrong?"

Aaron tilting himself towards Marcus, though his eyes were far ahead. "Meet me in the alley behind that bar with the big cowboy hat on the sign."

Marcus turned his head. They'd only just passed that place. One of those old fashioned "themed" type bars, though apparently business wasn't booming, at least not on the weekdays, because the lights were all off.

"Uh... why?" Marcus asked.

No response. When he turned to look back at Aaron, the viper was already some distance away, starting to melt into the small late evening crowd.

Marcus started to call out after him, but thought better of it. Drawing attention to Aaron right now was not a good plan, he knew that well. So he did what was asked of him and scurried back to behind the old bar.

Removed from the illumination of street lights and storefronts, the back alley left Marcus with a profound feeling of unease. There was nothing around him but concrete, brick, and fencing. The smell of water flowing out of rusted gutters and a dumpster nearby replaced the exotic food aroma out front. If it hadn't been for the muffled sounds of activity on the main road, Marcus would have felt like he'd gone to a different city entirely.

The jackalope paced, looking all around to locate Aaron. He didn't know what was going on, and the wait put him more on edge.

"Augh! Fuck! What are you doing? Let me go!!"

The shouting caught Marcus's attention, his tall ears pricking up and pulling his head in the direction of the noise. There was motion in the shadows, and Marcus squinted to get a better look at what it was.

It was Aaron, but he wasn't alone. The haggard viper had someone else with him. He was dragging whoever it was, one arm around their middle and the other at their neck. The shouts had been their protests, all of which were going by completely unanswered. Marcus watched the scene in front of him, the knot in his belly growing tighter.

The two came in closer, and Aaron threw his captive down onto the pavement with an uncomfortably loud clatter and a bang into the metal of the dumpster that left the poor creature groaning and holding their head.

"I got you a presssent," Aaron said with a menacing snicker.

Marcus stared at Aaron a moment, not understanding. When he looked back at who had been brought to the alley, it started to make more sense. The new arrival shakily stood up, pressed back against that dumpster, faint moonlight helping make him visible. A jackrabbit. One roughly Marcus's age. Nearly the same build, same coloration. This one was dressed in a way that could best be called "responsible," khaki pants and polo shirt with a pair of dark shoes in contrast to Marcus's grungier attire. Other than their outfits, it was like Marcus was looking in a mirror. Well, aside from the lack of antlers.

"What the fuck is going on? What do you want?" the hare sputtered, voice in a panic.

"Tell him your name," Aaron commanded.

"I... Christopher," he replied.

Aaron's attention went back to Marcus. "Chrissstopher here is having the life you could have had if purebreds like him didn't make sure hybridsss are always stamped down. He's what you could have been."

Marcus's eyes were locked on the other jackrabbit. It was unsettling, in a way. Looking at himself in another reality.

Aaron stepped up closer to Marcus, just behind and leaning over slightly. "Jussst think. He's never had to deal with being an outcast like you. When he was in ssschool, the girls didn't laugh in his face for thinking he deserved a date with them. He wasn't called a freak by his classmates. His parentsss didn't throw him out. Why? Because he's better than you? He earned that life? It was jussst handed to him, and kept from you. All because of a pair of antlers."

The jackalope's gaze drifted to the top of Christopher's head, one of his hands wandering upwards to trace his fingers across one of those god damned antlers. It was such a small difference. Just a couple sticks jammed in his skull, but they made a life changing difference.

He looked at Christopher some more, the clothing especially. The outfit made him picture he had some generic white collar job and had been looking to unwind after work, probably before going home to a girlfriend. Wife, maybe? Christopher was a few years older than him, but he wasn't sure by how much. He imagined Christopher with a mundane life, but one free of stress, of harassment. Where he was accepted, and embraced. It made his stomach hurt.

"Wh-what do you want? Money? I don't have a lot, but..." Christopher stammered, reaching into his pocket.

"Don't you fucking move!" Aaron barked.

Suddenly the hare froze in place, his eyes wide. Marcus turned to his left. Aaron had pulled his hood down, his feathers plumed up like they had the previous night with the cheetah. He didn't have a knife in his hand, though.

Aaron was holding a gun.

"Oh fuck! Fuck, please don't! Oh god, don't shoot!"

"Shut up!!" the viper shouted, silencing the panicked jackrabbit.

Marcus was in nearly as bad a state. It was one thing to rough up a guy who'd robbed him, all they were doing was taking back what was his. This, though? This was too much. It was cruel.

"Aaron, holy shit, come on," Marcus said, his hands up, defensive. He'd never seen a real gun before. "You're not gonna shoot him, are you?"

Seconds ticked past. The serpent's severe glare softened, and he let out a satisfied chuckle.

"Marcusss, of course not," he replied.

The young jackalope let out a breath, relieved. "Okay, okay. Just... fuck, man. What w-"

Suddenly Aaron slapped the gun into Marcus's hand, and guided it so it was pointed straight at Christopher.

"You are," the serpent said.

"...what?" Marcus gaped, eyes wide. He turned to look back at Christopher, the sights on the gun aimed squarely at him. The pistol was heavier than they seemed in movies. The knurling on its grip was harsh on his palm. Its chosen target was trembling, putting his hands up just as Marcus had done moments ago.

Marcus swallowed hard, adrenaline surging in his veins. The white noise was beginning to fill his ears again.

"Aaron... I can't fucking shoot him! What the fuck is wrong with you?"

The feathered snake took his position over Marcus's shoulder once more, releasing the smaller hybrid's wrist to let him hold the gun on his own power.

"Of courssse you can. Look at him. Everything you could never have, he was given freely. Friendsss, his real parentsss, a normal life. Stolen from you. He took your life, so now you'll take his."

Marcus was struggling to keep himself still. He was afraid to move, worried the gun in his hands might go off if he jostled it too much.

"B... but he didn't do anything! I've never even met him before!" he protested.

Aaron hissed softly. "But he did, Marcus. How do you think he treated the hybrids in his life? If you had gone to ssschool with him, do you think he would have let you sssit at his table? Would he have been your friend? Or would he have joined all the othersss in making your life hell?"

"Please... please let me go," Christopher pleaded. "I swear I d-"

"I told you to shut your fucking mouth!" Aaron roared. The ease in which he could go between soft spoken and fury made Marcus's blood run cold. Ironic, with how Aaron's plumage made him look more like he was on fire than ever. Glimmers of moonlight washed over his feathers and scales, orange and red shades shimmering and dancing. The raging inferno of a hybrid.

"Aaron... come on... this is fucking insane..." Marcus whimpered.

Aaron went straight back into his calm voice, leaned over Marcus's shoulder. "No Marcusss, what's fucking insane is that you spent ssseventeen years of your life be abused, stomped down, and ossstracized by purebreds like him, and now you think you're the villain because you're fighting back. This piece of shit is no better than any of the others, happily watching hybrids sssufer. He doesn't deserve that perfect little exissstence he's been given when you wer never allowed a chance at it."

The two hares locked eyes once again. Marcus felt like he was going to vomit. It was one thing seeing the cheetah struggle. Beyond just that he deserved it, Marcus wasn't looking at what was, essentially, himself. He saw a face staring back at him that looked exactly like he did when he'd gotten bullied in school...

...bullied by purebreds like him.

"Get on your knees," Aaron ordered.

Christopher slowly lowered down, tears matting down the fur on his cheeks. "C-c'mon... you don't have to do this... please..."

The viper smirked at him. "Go ahead. Beg him not to shoot. Tell him you're different. Tell him you care. Let your lassst words be lies."

Marcus's shoulders were burning from holding the gun up, but he was too terrified to let it down. He felt like he was holding a grenade in his hands and it would go off at any moment if he made a wrong move.

"Aaron... I can't..."

"You can, and you will. One of you two isssn't walking out of this alley."

Marcus's heart froze for a beat. "What?"

Aaron shrugged, almost casually. "If you don't have the ballsss to ssstand up to this asshole, you're too weak for meo trussst. Take your pick, Marcus. Right now, looking at him, do you still think his life is worth more than yours? Do you think he'd think tjwice if the gun was in his handsss? Do you really believe he'd even consssider sparing a hybrid?"

Tunnel vision was setting in. The static was growing louder. He stared at Christopher again. Suddenly he saw antlers growing from the hare's skull, his clothes transforming into the distressed faux-punk outfits that Marcus wore. He imagined the situation reversed. He imagined the cheetah being the one holding the gun. Eli.

Aaron's grin widened. "That'sss right. You sssee it now. Just pull the trigger, Marcus."

The scent of urine joined the dumpster and metal stink of the alley, and a telltale damp patch appeared on Christopher's khakis.

"I can't..."

"Pull the trigger, Marcus."

"But..."

"Pull the fucking trigger!"

Marcus's hands were shaking and his face was painted with a thousand apologies. He couldn't even bear to look. The jackalope closed his eyes, turning his head. He squeezed his finger down, feeling the spring resist him and using every ounce of strength to force it back.

"Please, forgive me," he silently prayed.

Click.

Marcus blinked. There was no loud bang. No big jolt of recoil from the gun. He looked down at the pistol, confused, while the purebred hare looked on in equal unease. To his left, Aaron burst into laughter.

"Holy shit, you actually did it! Fuck me... gimme that," he said, snatching the gun out of Marcus's hands. "I'm not gonna give you a loaded gun, the fuck'sss the matter with you?"

Christopher nearly fell over in relief, his whole body slumping. He wiped at his eyes, grateful to be spared.

"Thank you, oh my god thank you..." he began, only to be answered with Aaron cracking him on the head with the butt of the gun, knocking him out cold. The serpent squatted down, rooting around in Christopher's pocket and pulling his wallet out, tossing it towards Marcus.

"Here, take whatever you want. You earned it."

Walking back along the main street, Marcus's heart was pounding. He was ill. And he remembered now that his medication had been in that bag. He was going into a panic attack with nothing to bring him down.

Aaron, meanwhile, was looking as jovial as ever, clapping Marcus on the back all friendly like.

"Damn. I didn't think you had it in you. Good job, killer!"

Marcus jumped, both from the slap and the new nickname. "Don't call me that!" he nearly squeaked. "I didn't kill anyone! The gun wasn't even loaded!!"

Aaron glanced down at him, grinning still like he'd just pulled off a friendly little prank. "You didn't know that. You were ready to kill that guy. I'm proud of you."

Panic was rushing in quickly, and Marcus was close to drowning in it. He clenched his teeth, trying to force himself to breathe at a steady pace. Aaron, seeing the developing scene, grunted and shoved his flask into the jackalope's hands.

"Oh come on, quit being a fucking baby. Have a drink, sssettle down. I'm hungry. Let'sss grab some dinner. Chrisss's treat. Maybe we can thank him for his generosssity later."