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Isaac was not an experienced drinker. It had nothing to do with age, he had been old enough to drink for years. It had little to do with the expense of the hobby, if consuming alcohol could be considered a hobby, as money was something Isaac had little want for. InCorp had seen to it that Isaac and his family would never want for money again, as long as they managed what they were given sensibly. Seeing as Isaac had been in his early teens when his father died, his mother made sure that his, and his siblings', share of the settlement was taken care of until they were old enough to manage it themselves. It was enough money to render a job pointless, at least a job done only for money. This should have freed up the Cross children to take on jobs doing whatever it is they enjoyed, and that most of them did. Rufus had been cut off before Edgar's death, and so he did not receive a share of the money from InCorp. Only Isaac and Sera had remained still bound to the past, working for InCorp to pass the days, keeping each other close so that safety was never far. The two of them had been through the worst of it together. Any time Edgar would take to drinking, and nothing they could do was right for him. Any time Edgar would take things too far, any time he got violent. In that fire they forged a friendship stronger than that of the rest of their siblings. Isaac was not an experienced drinker because the idea of drinking had simply never occurred to him. During the days, he worked as a delivery boy for InCorp, and the time passed quickly with little fanfare. The money he earned disappeared into his bloated bank account. At night, he had retreated home and taken up whatever hobby he could currently do entirely on his own. Over time, he had tried his hand at writing, art, music. Nothing lasted long. He didn't have friends, and he didn't go out. He was happy living in a world with just his family and him. They were his world, he had fought to protect them before, and it was that desire to protect them that had driven him to make a pact with Tyloki. The same pact that had torn down his walls and forced him into the world outside.

That decision had shown Isaac why people might turn to drinking in the first place. Isaac had known about the dangers and troubles faced by the world at large. They had simply never been a threat to him directly. Thralls were around, but he had never been attacked by one, and the Collars were always only seconds away from an attack. The walls around Lastalia protected the city from the dangers outside. Hordes of Thralls and higher than safe levels of AE energy. Most people, Isaac included, lived segregated from the dangers of the world simply by their faith in the system to protect them.

Then Jin and Tyloki came crashing through his wall, and Isaac had believed at the time that the system had failed. In reality, he had been pulled into it, his desire to protect others guiding him into a position where he could do just that. He was now a part of that system, and so he no longer had it to rely on for safety. It was his duty to face the dangers of the world, and to keep the faith of the people alive. It was a dangerous world, and they needed the Registry. Without the ethereal concept of Collars to protect him, Isaac needed to have faith in something new. It couldn't be the wolf he had bonded with, Tyloki was an ass. Without permission to leave the Registry, Isaac couldn't visit his family. The next best thing were his friends. Miria, Archer, Dominic, and Riley. The four people who had worked hard to make him feel welcome in his new world. Try as he might, Isaac couldn't bring himself to depend on his four friends. He wasn't a part of the squad, and he still felt like an outsider. Faith in them would have to be built over time, if it couldn't be found right away. In the meantime, Isaac did find something to help with his worries. He started drinking. Not heavily, he wouldn't let himself get lost in it like his father had. Just enough to loosen himself up, to ease his worry, to help him sleep. Over time, he became used to life at the Registry, and that alcohol became less of a habit and more of an activity. He didn't need it to calm down anymore, but it was fun to drink with his friends, or when things got particularly rough. "I daresay the wolf enjoys toying with you." Alkaid opined as he poured another glass of wine, and then offered a refill to Isaac. "Enjoyment is not really the vibe I get from him." Isaac remembered the sickening feeling he had endured when he asked Tyloki how he felt about him. Luckily, the feeling was less powerful in memory, and the alcohol was already dulling his emotions. He nodded, and Alkaid filled his glass with wine again. "You may have noticed that Tyloki isn't the best at emotions." The cat shrugged, put the bottle of wine down. "I think you're..." He paused, searching for the right words. Found them, "a distraction. You're something for him to focus on." "Not the most flattering of descriptions, but it's hard to argue with that. Though if you ask me, having him in my head all the time, that's a distraction." Isaac said as he sipped his wine. He felt that the whole experience was ridiculous, but he wanted to give Alkaid a chance. So he drank, and away went his inhibitions. "I meant more that you're a project," Alkaid shook his head, changed his wording. He was the sort of person who was very particular about how he said the things he said. "No, a challenge. That's why he grinds on you so frequently." The cat took a drink. At least they were drinking at a similar pace. Could Indicia get drunk? Isaac wasn't sure. "Losing Jin must have been very difficult for him. They were together for quite some time." Alkaid seemed as if he was going to say more, but Isaac cut him off. "Can you tell me more about him? Jin, I mean. Sorry, it's just that no one seems to want to actually talk about him. It's like he didn't exist. Tyloki won't even let me say his name without a smack on the head." Alkaid smiled at Isaac warmly, "Certainly. Jin was a warrior. A real wolf of a human. Together with Tyloki, they were respected. They were quite strong. That strength led to arrogance. The two of them were too good of a match, they played off each other. Jin knew better than to fight for that long by himself. I'm sure that Tyloki warned him otherwise, but did nothing to stop him." Tyloki hadn't done anything to stop Jin. "So he must feel responsible." Isaac whispered to himself. "But the two of them, they didn't know how to run from a fight they thought they could win. Come to think of it, it's hard to talk about Jin separately from the wolf. It wasn't always that way, though." Alkaid trailed off, and Isaac picked up the bait. "How was it before that?" Isaac wondered if Jin had as rough a start with Tyloki as he did. "Not as bad as your experiences. But two people that are far too similar are as likely to clash as two people who are too disparate. Neither man nor wolf was willing to let the other take charge, and their relationship stumbled at the beginning for it. It wasn't until they learned how to work together that they became an effective team." Learning to work together with Tyloki didn't sound likely. "And two different people, how do they learn to work together?" Alkaid bowed his head, a grin playing across his muzzle. "A lot of fighting." "Why did Jin become a Collar?" Isaac found himself wondering. "That is a very long story." Alkaid said as he finished off the bottle of wine into their glasses. "One I'm afraid we don't have enough wine for." "Can you give me the short version?" Isaac asked. He had lost count of the number of glasses of wine he had consumed. Perhaps four or more. They had been drinking already through an awkwardly silent meal before the conversation picked up as inebriation set in. "A similar story to yours. He formed a pact through Tyloki's previous Collar's totem. Tyloki had been dormant for a while, beforehand, so it wasn't quite the same as you. There was a Thrall attack, and a young Jin had to make the pact in order to fight. He was eager to fight, unlike you. And very unlike you, he failed to protect many of the people he cared about." The two sat in a somber silence for a moment, as Isaac waited to see if Alkaid would continue the story. The dark look on the cat's face implied that he would be ending the story there. Apparently deciding that there had been enough sadness already, Alkaid's mournful expression flashed suddenly into a bright smile. Behind him, his tail swayed back and forth in the air. The cat smiled with his whole body, not just with his mouth, and Isaac felt the shade of the story lift and give way to more pleasant conversation. "So I was saying, you're a distraction for Tyloki. Something to keep his mind off of Jin, and for that, he must be somewhat grateful, even if he doesn't show it." Alkaid looked blankly at his now empty glass of wine. Isaac was just about finished as well, so he downed the last of it. "He definitely does not show it. All I get is that he wants me to die, preferably in a violent way." Saying this made him smile, he wasn't sure why. He felt a warm flush in his cheeks, and the world had a pleasant buzz to it. Alkaid leaned forward and slid his paw forward, placed it gently atop Isaac's hand. Normally Isaac would have pulled his hand away, but the desire to do that was too weak now. The cat's paw was warm, strong, but not as threatening as Tyloki's paws. He still thought Alkaid was cute, like a house cat dressed up in a costume. "If Tyloki wanted you to be dead, I think you would be dead by now. You need to be confident that you and him can get along, else one of you will end up dead before long. You need to watch out for each other." "Can Indicia die?" Isaac blurted out, leaving his hand underneath the comforting paw. "Other than a burnout." "Yes, we can. We are living things, like you, and if we push ourselves too far, we can die. I don't think death is quite the same thing for us. I couldn't tell you what happens to humans when they die, but Indicia, we're just energy. Empty that energy out, and we're just gone. Body and soul, we just fade away." "There's so much I don't know about all of this." Isaac said, "It would help if Tyloki would explain everything to me, but he doesn't want to teach me anything." "As I said, Tyloki enjoys toying with you. I'm your teacher. If you want to ask me anything, then do so. I'll do my best to explain what I can." The cat's paw was still rested on top if Isaac's hand. "There is one thing." Isaac spoke slowly, eyes fixed on Alkaid's paw atop his hand. You're a Collar. It makes you flexible by definition. When Rain had made his advances, those were the words he had said. Surely you've felt it, at least. They were words that had made Isaac feel a sense of dread, but he couldn't put his finger on why. They seemed to hint at a sinister something of which he wasn't aware. Something important that no one had yet thought to mention, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know what it was. He could continue living in ignorance and bliss, unaware. He didn't think the universe would be so kind. And here was his chance to get a straight answer out of Alkaid. He knew the cat would tell him the truth, he wouldn't hide anything or sugar coat it. If he asked, he would get an answer. The answer was what he dreaded, and so the words froze in his throat. Rain had been forcing himself on him, Isaac told himself over and over, trying to convince himself it was the truth. But he doubted, he wondered what had really happened. The otter had smelled divine, had tasted just right. The fur on his skin had brought about goosebumps, and for a while, the otter was winning. Isaac was going to go along with it. Alkaid didn't say anything, he raised an eyebrow and waited patiently for Isaac to speak. His paw flexed, claws scratching softly on the top of Isaac's hand. The tingle on his skin brought Isaac back from his thoughts. The waiter was approaching the table, and so Isaac pulled his hand back, placed it in his lap. "I'll get the bill." Isaac tried to pass it off as what he had planned to say all along. He knew Alkaid didn't buy it, but he hoped the cat had the decency to go along with it. Alkaid went along with it, calmly returning his paw to his side of the table. "Can you afford to? I'm sure we've built up quite a check." "Money isn't really a big deal for me." Isaac nodded, holding his hand out for the check as the waiter approached. "I believe you'll find that won't be necessary." Alkaid grinned devilishly. "Compliments of the house." The waiter said pleasantly as he dropped the check book on the edge of the table. "Is there anything else you'll need, gentlemen?" "No, that'll do for the evening. Thank you." Alkaid responded just as pleasantly, and the waiter turned to leave. Isaac's hand shot out and grabbed the check book, flipping it open. The total due was indeed zero. "The whole bill is free. A few hundred dollars. Why would they do that?" He asked, looking over the top of the book at the grinning cat. "It seems they like us," was all the cat said, and he put his napkin on the table to stand. "Hold on, I'll get the tip." Isaac held up his hand to halt Alkaid's departure, and the cat stopped, waiting. "That's generous of you." Alkaid complimented as Isaac did the math for the tip. Math was hard, with his head slightly muddled by alcohol. "I always forget to tip. We don't have restaurants in my world." The cat was still showing his fangs. Isaac expected that Alkaid didn't actually forget to tip, but rather just liked the excuse. "What do you eat?" Isaac asked as he stood, tossed a credit slip onto the table, and joined Alkaid on their way to the exit. "Food." The cat responded, looking over at Isaac. Isaac rolled his eyes visibly, so Alkaid could see. "I meant in your world. Times I've been, didn't see too much to eat." The two walked close, and each time Isaac started to drift away, Alkaid would follow. They were walking as close as a couple, not as friends. But at least they weren't holding hands. On second thought, Isaac wanted to hold hands a little bit. Alkaid's paws were soft. "I don't believe you've ever been to my world proper." The cat explained, "Visiting in your spirit form using a totem is quite different from using that great portal they've built upstairs." "What is it like then?" Isaac said, his hand brushing against Alkaid's paw, only partially intentional. "A lot like your world, but none of this nonsense technology." The cat said, gesturing at a Lightglass screen obnoxiously glaring advertisements at them. "There are animals that we eat, the same as you." "So you've got, what, a society there? Cities and towns like we do, too?" Isaac was trying to make sure his thoughts stayed coherent as the two sauntered down the hallway, towards the balcony overlooking the Registry lobby. "You would find more in common with what you'd call a tribe, than a city." Alkaid said after thinking it over for a minute. "When Indicia aren't with their Collars, or they aren't in a pact, we generally live in groups. Why? I expect you're going to ask why. The reason is because Indicia love to show off and boast to each other. We need others close by, in case we do something incredible and need someone to brag to on a moments notice." The cat smiled as Isaac chuckled at the explanation. They stopped side by side, looking down at the bustling ground floor. It never quieted down in there, Isaac had come to realize. People and animals were always coming and going. It was entertaining to look down and see what sorts of Indicia might walk by. It was only a bonus that they didn't often wear clothes. Isaac shook his head. He meant to think, It would be better if they wore clothes. This particular time, his eye was caught by some manner of large cat, with snowy white fur and silvery stripes, large fangs ornamenting his prominent muzzle. As a pleasant change of pace, he was wearing a black cloth around his waist, preventing Isaac from looking at what he didn't want to. The large cat looked up all of a sudden, and Isaac quickly returned his gaze to Alkaid, pretending he hadn't been staring. He thought he caught a smirk disappear from Alkaid's face as he looked up. Had Alkaid noticed his distraction? It didn't matter, it wasn't an attraction that had held his attention, just general awe. Isaac tried to remember what they had been talking about, but whatever the topic of conversation had been, it had been lost in the haze that was filling his head. "I, uh, what were we talking about?" He asked, smiling sheepishly, leaning on the railing. "Whatever you want to talk about." Alkaid leaned on the railing, mimicking Isaac's stance.

"It didn't look like Tyloki lived in a group." Isaac started suddenly, not sure himself where the comment had come from.

"Some Indicia like to live a bit further away." Alkaid shrugged. "Tyloki is one of a few who values privacy. The difference between Jin and Tyloki was that Jin could manage to get along with people. It's a shame he never taught Tyloki the same skill. That wolf has been living on his own for as long as I can remember."

"Ironic." Isaac laughed, keeping his eyes fixed on Alkaid so they didn't wander to the floor below.

The cat kept his own eyes fixed on Isaac, and the boy knew that part of his blush wasn't from the booze. How long they stared at each other, Isaac wasn't sure. He wasn't thinking about time. He was thinking about how cute the cat standing in front of his was. The little ears, the black and white pattern in his fur, the unusual eyes, the whiskers which were pretty close to his face now. Alkaid always wore clothes, Isaac wondered what he looked like under the adorable suit he was wearing.

"Thinking about anything in particular?" Alkaid said under his breath, the words in danger of being drowned out in the din of the room.

"You." Isaac answered honestly, and then doubled back as his stomach jumped. "I mean, what this is all about. Is this a date?"

"I'm wearing a suit, aren't I?" Alkaid said.

"You are." Isaac responded.

"And I took care of the bill, didn't I?"

"In a manner of speaking." Isaac raised an eyebrow, not quite sure if he wanted to give that one to Alkaid.

"So yes, I'd say this is a date." The cat smiled again with his entire being, warm and inviting.

"Why are we on a date?" Isaac asked.

"I told Tyloki I would teach you how to be a proper Collar. Most Collars have healthy relationships with their Indicia. They can have a meal with them and it isn't even a question. I wanted to show you how it could be, if you and Tyloki were to get along better." At least Alkaid was being honest with him.

If he hadn't been drinking, Isaac felt sure he would have walked away at this point. He didn't walk away. "Then there is something else I need to know." Isaac started, forcing his way through the dread that even now managed to find itself in his stomach. "Rain told me that being a Collar makes you naturally flexible. What did he mean?"

Alkaid took a deep breath before answering. "It's called Transference." When Isaac tried to say something, the cat held up his paw to stop him. "Indicia make a link to this world through your body, through your mind. They can exist in your mind. They are privy to your most private thoughts and details, you can't keep a secret from them once they're in there. As it happens, there is a certain amount of," Alkaid kept his paw raised to silence Isaac, but paused to think of the proper wording, "transfer. You don't have access to your Indicia's thoughts the same way he does yours. But that doesn't mean you are blind to them."

"So, what?" Isaac asked, still not putting the pieces together.

"As you can't see into Tyloki's head, the only way for you to know what he is feeling is to...feel it. A Collar who is well attuned to his Indicia can distinguish between his own feelings and desires, and the Indicias. In other cases, if you can't separate the two, then they might as well be your own feelings." Alkaid spoke slowly, allowing Isaac to keep up.

"What does that have to do with Rain? He thought I would feel attracted to him because, what, because Tyloki is?" Isaac thought of all the times he had caught himself looking at Indicia, of how his temper had shortened in the months since he had met Tyloki. It made sense.

"Indicia are, as far as you would be concerned, only male. In human terms. So we feel attraction to other males as a matter of course. If Tyloki is rubbing off on you, it follows that Rain would assume that you would develop such an attraction. Have you been feeling any different? Noticing things you wouldn't normally?" The cat asked, and he spoke comfortingly, trying to keep Isaac calm.

The alcohol was doing far more to keep Isaac calm than Alkaid's tone of voice. He felt the normal emotions he would have in this situation screaming ineffectively through a cloud of booze. "Y..yeah." Isaac swallowed, glancing down at the ground floor again, before snapping his eyes back to Alkaid. He had never been attracted to males before, and idea of changing so fundamentally was where the problem lied. He should be terrified, he should feel distaste for Tyloki. Instead he was curious. "So I'm...not straight anymore? I...I...there has to be a way to..to..undo it. Am I just going to lose who I am to him?"

"As you learn to synchronize better, you will be able to distinguish your desires from his. You won't lose yourself, you will still be you, but you will have a greater understanding of who Tyloki is. Until then, there will be a bit of blending. Think of it as being open to experimentation."

"How can I do anything, if I don't know whether the things I want to do are me or Tyloki?" Isaac was glad that his normal panic was blunted. He knew he would panic later, when he was sober. "How do I know who I am?"

"You know who you are. And you need to remember that, if you're going to keep Tyloki from overtaking you. He has a very dominant personality, you'll need to keep strong and remember who you are. But there is nothing wrong with enjoying what you can, while you can." Alkaid said, placing a paw on Isaac's wrist.

"You're right," Isaac shook his head, perhaps thinking more clearly because of the alcohol, "I won't let Tyloki change me. I'm changing myself."

"That's right. It's nothing to worry about. Something every Collar goes through." Alkaid's paw was still soft, and it was still on Isaac's wrist.

"That explains why Rain jumped me in the shower." Isaac said, And why I didn't run away at first.

"He certainly had only the best intentions." Alkaid nodded in agreement.

"I should talk to him about it sometime." Isaac mused, still looking into Alkaid's eyes. The conversation they were having now was an excuse to keep staring at each other.

"Good idea..." Alkaid trailed off at the end, as if the words were unimportant. He was leaning closer, and Isaac realized it was both of them moving. Their faces nearly touched, the whiskers on Alkaid's muzzle tickled Isaac in a familiar way.

Isaac knew what was happening. They both knew. They had been moving closer to each other ever since they left the restaurant. Now they were standing as close as they could without touching, and they were inching ever closer still. Even if the feelings he had, the desire to touch Alkaid, the flutter in his chest and the tingle on his skin, were not his feelings, but Tyloki's, he still felt them. Knowing it wasn't his desire didn't deter him. The world around them was gone. Isaac would normally have been embarrassed, he wouldn't have kissed anyone in public, much less a male cat. But now he didn't care.

They didn't touch, and instead they pulled apart as a figure came between them, confusingly, from over the side of the railing. Isaac turned to find a different cat's muzzle in front of him. The cat who he'd been watching on the floor below, who had apparently now decided to eschew riding the elevator up to the third floor, and was instead vaulting with ease over the railing. Isaac and Alkaid were forced to each take a step back, to allow room for the cat to land.

"Now what gives here?" The tiger joked as he looked down at Isaac. He stood quite a bit taller than the human or the house cat. "I saw you looking down at me, I saw the look in your eyes. And I come all the way up here to say hi, and who's this then?" The tiger gestured a snowy paw at Alkaid, who smiled and waved.

"I...what?" Isaac was dumbfounded. He wasn't aware that the tiger had noticed him watching, and even if he had, he didn't expect him to climb up and confront him like that. "What?"

"It's not every day a guy can catch the eye of a celebrity like yourself. I thought, 'Hey, maybe he likes what he sees, I'll go introduce myself.'" The tiger said with a glance back at Alkaid, who was smiling like an idiot. "Then I find you up here with some other cat. Just no decency in the world anymore, there isn't."

Isaac still wasn't sure what to say, so he stammered out nothing and made senseless hand gestures at the tiger.

"If you'd like him, I lay no claim to him." Alkaid held out his paws as if he was making an offering.

"Alkaid! You can't do that. You can't just trade me off like that." Isaac crossed his arms, catching on to what was happening.

"I don't see why not. Tyloki traded you to me, now I'm trading you to this fine looking gentleman." Alkaid responded with a little nod of his head.

"Maybe," The tiger began slowly, and then he turned to look at Alkaid, "maybe he wants you involved too, Kitty-cat?"

Alkaid chewed on his lip. "Is that it, you think?" He asked, looking up at the tiger. "Because I'm willing if you are, and if that's what he wants..."

"No, stop it. No one is trading me to anyone, and I don't want either of you involved." Isaac was lying a little bit. To be fair, he couldn't tell how much of his attraction to the two was because of Tyloki, so he decided that it was all Tyloki.

"I saw what you were about to do." The tiger said, poking a finger into Isaac's chest, jabbing an accusatory jab. "So you can't backtrack that far." The white cat's prominent fangs were on display in front of Isaac.

"I can vouch that we were about to kiss." Alkaid added.

"Which half did you want more?" The tiger asked Alkaid, taking a few sniffs of Isaac's neck before leaning down, looking Isaac over more fully.

"No, no no." Isaac held out his hand, not wanting to push the tiger away, but wanting to block him at least. "I wasn't looking. Alright, I was looking, but I was just looking, with my eyes. Seeing. Down in your general direction. I wasn't looking at you."

"You sure?" The tiger grinned, undeterred by Isaac's blocking hand. The side of his muzzle twitched.

"Remember what we talked about, Isaac? It's nothing to be ashamed of." Alkaid interjected.

A strange noise came from the tiger's mouth, and the side of his muzzle twitched again. As Isaac wondered what it was, the tiger broke down into a full fit of laughter. His jabbing finger turned into a clasping paw on Isaac's shoulder. "I'm sorry," he managed to say between fits of laughing, "I can't keep it up any longer. I thought I could hold on for longer than that, but it's been awhile since I've had to pretend to be a tough guy."

Alkaid looked disappointed. "I was going to play along as much as you needed. Actually, how much of that was a joke?"

"Oh, Alkaid, you know, most of it. I'm on duty, after all." The tiger gestured back down to the ground floor. "Isaac, everyone here knows your face. You ought to expect to get picked on."

"Just once, I wish I could go ten minutes without being confused here." Isaac complained.

"Aw, I was just playing a joke on you, that's all. I recognized you, saw you looking at me, decided to have some fun. I'm on guard duty down there, and it gets mighty boring." The tiger held out his paw to shake. "Name's Shir. My Collar is that unpleasant fellow in the lobby with no sense of humor. Greets everyone with a scowl."

Isaac shook the tiger's paw, a firm shake, and then they dropped. He was beginning to develop a liking for the feel of fur on his skin. "It's hard, everyone knowing who you are, when you don't know anyone."

"That's not true. You know Alkaid, Tyloki, and if you want, you could get to know me. That's at least three. " Shir smirked.

"Don't let him lie you to, Shir. He's got friends of his own. He just likes to pretend that he doesn't." Alkaid said, and Isaac drooped his shoulders in response.

He blushed as he straightened up his back and looked at Shir, lips spreading into a smile. "Maybe, if we get the chance, and if you think you can handle the guy who yoked Tyloki." "Be careful now. You make it a challenge, and you might just pique my interest." Shir narrowed his eyes but kept his grin broad. "I could get you to pique, no problem." Isaac responded quickly, proud of himself. "You sure you're ready to handle a big cat?" Shir asked. "Your brother thought Nanook was a handful, but he hadn't come across me yet." "I handled Tyloki just fine. Something tells me neither you or Nanook would be much of a problem." Isaac boasted. The tiger stepped forward with his ever present smirk, paws reaching around to grab around Isaac's bottom, giving a firm squeeze before lifting the human up to his tip-toes if he wanted to stay connected with the floor, the tiger's whole head leaning in closer. "Bring it on, delivery boy" he taunted before going in to steal the kiss that was supposed to have been for Alkaid. Isaac was taken by surprise, and so he didn't have a chance to move away until after the tiger kissed him. He pretended to spit and wipe his tongue off, faking as if he wasn't at least a little interested, as he stumbled back and out of the tiger's reach. "Alkaid, we should, uh, get going." "In the middle of all this fun?" Alkaid sounded like he was holding back laughter. "Yes, in the middle of all this fun." Isaac kept backing away, shaken by the unexpected desire the tiger's kiss awoke in him. "Mmm. He still tastes fresh." The tiger interjected lasciviously, the perverse comment only enhanced by the smirk. "Let me know when you're up for it, delivery boy." "Mostly Joking." Alkaid mouthed in Isaac's direction, hoping to let his pupil in on the joke before covering it up with a more serious question. "Do you think you could do me a favor, Shir?" Alkaid asked, instead of following Isaac in his retreat. "Whatever you need, Kitty-cat." Shir turned his attention to Alkaid. "We need to get outside." Alkaid said simply. "I didn't see anything." The tiger responded, crossing his arms as he watched Isaac walk away.

---

They were outside. He hadn't been able to leave the Registry in months, and now he was finally outside. They had just walked right out, and Shir hadn't stopped them. Being on a date with Alkaid had its perks, after all. It was a cool night, with a gentle breeze and a cloudy sky. The city streets were illuminated by countless Lightglass fixtures, screens, advertisements. They walked along, awash in myriad colors. "It's no problem." Alkaid said as Isaac took in as many deep breaths of fresh air as he could manage. "Shir owed me a favor. No one will know we were gone besides him." "Won't we get in trouble? Chase forbade me from leaving. He could..." Isaac trailed off. "He could what?" Alkaid asked, smiling as they walked. "It won't be a problem." "If you say so." Isaac was willing to go along with Alkaid, the cat hadn't led him wrong so far. "You're free again, at least for tonight. What would you like to do with your time, Isaac? There's a good human bar I know not too far from here. Perhaps some," Alkaid looked around to see what was in the immediate vicinity, "ice cream? You haven't really told me of your normal interests yet." The walking, talking house cat with a sword questioned. "I think I've already had enough to drink." Isaac groaned quietly. "I don't really get out and do things very often. "There must be something you like" "I like the streets. They're where I worked. I know my way around Lowtown better than anyone I know." Isaac mused, thinking back to his days as a delivery boy. "Oh, there's a market I used to go to. I haven't been in awhile. It's all the way in Lowtown, though." Alkaid finally smiled with Isaac opening up more. "It's your night, darling, lead the way," he replied, playing up the role of the suave boyfriend. Ignoring Alkaid's comment, Isaac started to lead the way as they walked through the city streets, towards Lowtown. The monorail could take them there a lot faster, but Isaac decided against it. This time of night, it would be packed, and he didn't want to show his celebrity face to that many people in such a small space. From the top of the city, it was possible to see over the wall and a small way out into the wilderness beyond. It didn't occur to him that the city walls were the same as the walls at the Registry, designed to keep him in as much as others out. "Have you ever been on the other side of the walls?" Alkaid looked up, over the walls, thought for a moment before answering. "I have. Sometimes, Registry business takes us out for one reason or another." "I'd like to go sometime." Isaac whispered, eyes fixed on the dark horizon, and the forests that trailed off into the distance. "It's dangerous out there. Most people that leave the city take the monorail directly to their destination. There aren't many towns without high walls. There are a few, but not many." Alkaid exposited. "Danger doesn't mean the same thing to a Collar as it does to a normal person." Isaac didn't realize that he had referred to himself as a Collar. "Thralls can pop up anywhere, but they appear out there more often than in here. You go out there, and you've got to be ready to fight them." Alkaid's paw rested instinctively on the hilt of his sword. "Why? I know we don't know where Thralls come from, but there has to be a reason why. A purpose to them." "Greater minds than ours have tried to figure that out. I say we leave it to them." Alkaid suggested. "I was just thinking, if there were no Thralls, we wouldn't have to fight anymore." Isaac smiled at his suggestion. Tyloki wouldn't be able to complain that he was weak if there was no one left to fight. The idle conversation continued as Isaac led the rest of the way to the market. It was a route he knew well, even in the darker streets, lit by Lightglass instead of the sun. It was a complicated path, one he thought he would have trouble explaining, but knew in his bones. At last, they came to a brightly lit alleyway that was booming with sound and activity. Shop stalls and booths lined both sides of the alley, and each booth held something more wonderful than the previous. "The Night Market." Isaac held out his hand, displaying the market as if it was his creation. "I have to hand it to you, Isaac. This is a part of the city I've never been to before." Alkaid said, presumably in awe of the market, or so it seemed. "That's what happens when you live in the middle of town. You miss the best parts." Isaac said as he led Alkaid into the throng.

The cat followed close behind him. As they walked, they kept their eyes moving quickly from one thing to the next. One booth might hold 'new age' Lightglass art, a subtle way of reselling failed Lightglass fixtures and programs, while the next would have more traditional forms of art. Isaac found his eyes drawn to anything that glowed or flickered in any way, while Alkaid's discerning eyes seemed only to connect with booths that were devoid of Lightglass entirely.

Isaac stopped at a table on which were scattered old computer parts, LINK devices, and various other out of date bits and bobs. He inspected an old LINK, the same model he had when he was a kid, while the salesman spat out prices like an auctioneer. He had no intention of buying, but he didn't mind looking at the old thing. The first person he had called on it had been Sera, even though she had been sitting right next to him. It was his first LINK and it made him feel like an adult. He didn't have it long, it had gotten broken.

He dropped the LINK and looked to see where Alkaid had gotten off to. The cat was looking closely at an expansive booth which was showing off an impressive selection of smithed weaponry. "You don't use Lightglass in the construction?"

"All of it is made by hand. Not in town, no, a few miles out. Little town there. But I come into the city to sell." The smith said as he showed off some blades to the cat.

Isaac sauntered over. "Find something you like?"

"These blades are quite well made. Possibly better than the ones smithed at the Registry." Alkaid held one of the blades out in front of him, testing the weight and feel.

"I told you this place was great." Isaac beamed, pleased that he had shown Alkaid something that impressed him. Looking past the cat, something caught his eye. A rack of short blades, designed for throwing. Isaac only recognized them because of Riley. He slipped past Alkaid and lifted one of the daggers. Bladed weapons still felt wrong in his hands, but he wondered if Riley would like them. "Alkaid, what about these? Are they well made?"

Alkaid's ears perked when he heard his name, and he put down the sword he was holding. Scurrying over to Isaac, he looked the daggers over, felt them, even pretended like he was going to throw one, much to the chagrin of the smith. "Couldn't do much better." The cat reported, and he returned to his fascination with the sword from before.

The Shopkeeper smiled as his wares were given a positive review by the cat who seemed to know a thing or two about fine quality classic weaponry. "How cute. A boy and his indicia, You look new, I'll cut ya a deal, and you'll know where to return and send your friends for the best classic steel in the city."

Isaac bought the set, and he arranged to have them delivered to the Registry. A gift to help smooth over the tension. He hadn't seen any of his friends since the last time he had stormed off. A gift for Dominic and Miria wouldn't hurt, either. He would have to keep his eyes open.

Moving on from the weapon booth, they didn't stop again until Alkaid abruptly halted, gaze fixed on a table displaying old porcelain. He walked over and leaned close, holding a paw out but not touching. Isaac walked over and reached out to pick up the teapot, but Alkaid slapped his hand away. It was a white set with blue trim.

"This is quite a nice set." Alkaid crooned.

"Uh, sure, I guess. I've never really been into this sort of thing." Isaac yawned, hoping to get back to their exploration soon.

"It's art. You don't see much of this anymore, but in my younger days, it was more common. These days, everything is polished metal and Lightglass." The cat was enamored with the porcelain tableware.

"Do you want it?" Isaac asked, grasping at his LINK around his wrist.

"No, I'd have nowhere to put it. But I have an idea. What about that girl you're so interested in?"

"Miria? I mean, Dr. Ross. I don't know. Do you think she would like it?" Isaac leaned over the porcelain, his interest renewed with the prospect of pleasing Miria.

"You don't know anything about females, do you?" The cat questioned, pointing at the set. "Of course she'd like it."

"I'll take this set." Isaac spat immediately, pointing at the entire tableware set in front of them.

They moved on again after Isaac set up another delivery to the Registry. It occurred to him that he didn't know where Miria lived, so he had it delivered to his room. He made a mental note to figure out her address sometime, with the caveat that he not sound like a stalker.

Their next stop was Isaac fault. He stopped when his attention was caught by a small cardboard box on the edge of a table. The table was home to various old games, and the box was full of old trading cards. He walked closer and thumbed through some of the stacks. "I used to play this game."

"What sort of game was it?" Alkaid asked, looking at the cards. They had pictures on them, each card displaying an image of what it was. Weapons, magic spells, technology, creatures.

"A sort of combat card game. It liked this game because you could collect real cards, but still play the game online. You didn't have to go out." Isaac spoke softly, a sense of sadness pervading his speech. "But I didn't have it very long either. Just when I started collecting the cards, my dad decided it was a waste of time, money. So he threw them out. He didn't even sell them, he just threw them away. They were there in the trash can, and I could've gotten them out, but I knew what would happen if I touched them."

"So you let them go." Alkaid whispered.

"Fighting for them wouldn't have been worth it. I would've lost the fight and the cards both." Isaac shrugged helplessly.

"You should buy them. Sometimes we can't get things back until we stop fighting for them, and just let them go." The cat's voice was still comforting, his paw brushed gently on Isaac's hand.

Isaac looked away, not wanting Alkaid to see the tears that were forming in his eyes. He wasn't used to thinking about his father often, much less talking about him. Showing Alkaid his tears now would ruin the whole night, so he tried to wipe them away on his shirt sleeve without the cat noticing. If Alkaid did notice, he didn't say anything.

For years, Isaac had been living in the shadow of his father, even though the man was long gone. Holding the cards in his hands felt like the first tangible proof that he was free. Perhaps he had been hiding from nothing for too long. He'd let his father dictate what he would do with his life, even when he wasn't there. There was a part of him that was afraid to buy the cards, irrational as it was. It felt wrong, like he was doing something bad. Alkaid's paw was on his hand, but his could still feel his father's hand, too.

The cat nodded, without saying anything else. Isaac smiled, and the feeling of doing wrong shattered. He held up the box and bought the set.

"We should be getting back." Isaac said to Alkaid as they walked away, box of cards tucked under his arm. "It's getting late."

"To my place, or yours?" Alkaid asked with a devilish smirk.

---

As Alkaid poured Isaac yet another glass of alcohol (lemon drop martinis, now), Isaac wondered how they had ended up in the cat's room. It wasn't his first thought about Alkaid's home at the Registry, though. His first thought was that Alkaid lived in relative luxury for a mere visitor from another world. It was a peculiar thing, Alkaid didn't share a room with Archer, like most Indicia and Collars shared their space. Alkaid had an apartment entirely to himself, another oddity. Most Collars had to share a common living space with their comrades.

Now Isaac was on the cat's couch, in the cat's living room, drinking the cat's drink, wondering how he had gotten there. It wasn't that he didn't remember the series of events that had led to the moment. Dinner, a walk, the trip to the Night Market, then a quiet stroll back to the Registry, amicable conversation, and though Isaac was loathe to admit it, a fair bit of enjoyment. It wasn't the particulars he was confused by, but instead, the night as a whole boggled him. At dinner, he had eyed Alkaid with skepticism, and his plan had simply been to make it through the night alive.

Somewhere along the line, most likely after his first glass of wine, he had forgotten his plan, and instead of simply getting through the night, he had begun to enjoy it. He realized it as he took the glass from Alkaid's paw and leaned back on the couch, careful not to spill. It surprised him, mostly. Confusion mixed with surprise. Pleasant surprise.

As they talked, their drinks disappeared, as did the distance between them. The couch was large enough for them to sit with space between them, but every few minutes, whenever there was a dip in the conversation, one of the two would slide closer to the center. It was cold, Isaac told himself, and the warmth the cat provided would help keep him comfortable. In truth, neither had forgotten where they had left off earlier, in the Atrium.

Isaac had completely lost track of time, and a very comfortable buzz was fogging his head, just enough to keep him from thinking about any of his many worries. He could think about Alkaid, who was sitting very close to him now. The cat's scent, enjoyable, light and sweet and with that same ethereal quality that all Indicia had. The black and white fur pattern on his muzzle, which complemented the suit quite well. The conversation was still ongoing, but the words didn't matter anymore.

They were close again, and Isaac was looking into Alkaid's eyes, their gazes tightly locked. The cat's eyes were beautiful, so unlike a human's, haunting and jewelike. The eyes were drifting closer. Maybe it was intentional, maybe it wasn't, Isaac didn't know, didn't care. The faint prickle of whiskers on his cheeks, on his lips. On second thought, he did know. He wanted it. Or maybe it was Tyloki that wanted it, but it felt the same. He felt like he wanted Alkaid. The slightest movement forward, even easier than the time he had kissed Rain, and their lips were touching. Everything changed.

Alkaid pressed his lips against Isaac, and as Isaac returned the pressure, the cat placed his paws on Isaac's chest. A gentle push, Isaac slid backwards, down, and Alkaid followed him, keeping their lips locked. His mouth opened, and the rough tongue slipped in, scratching and tickling. Isaac pressed his own tongue back against Alkaid's muzzle, into his mouth, brushed along his sharp teeth. The paws pressed down on his chest just hard enough to keep him pinned. But he didn't plan to leave, not this time.

One paw began fumbling with a button on Isaac's shirt, and Isaac's hands began to slide Alkaid's suit jacket off. It was tossed on the floor somewhere. A few buttons undone, and skin was exposed. Isaac gasped through the kiss as pointed claws raked against his bare flesh. His own hands moved on Alkaid's shirt buttons, making short work of them. The cat shrugged the shirt off as he finished. Isaac's own shirt was completely open now, both paws pressing down on his chest and stomach. The rough paw pads, the claws, the fur, Isaac didn't want them to stop touching him. His own hands ran through the fur on Alkaid's chest, savoring the feeling against his palms.

This continued for a while, kissing and feeling each other, neither wanting to make the next move. Isaac assumed that Alkaid was being respectful, that he wouldn't do anything else until he was sure he was ready. He would have to show he wanted it, before anything else would happen. His hands made their way down Alkaid's stomach, found the belt, started working. Wordlessly, they both knew what they wanted. The cat's belt didn't put up resistance, and Isaac felt his pants loosen around his waist as Alkaid unbuckled his belt. The leather was tossed aside, the buttons were next. All the while, their mouths met, tongues entwined, breathing each other.

None of Isaac's time with Tyloki had ever felt like this, it had never resembled this. In the pit of his stomach, the boy longed for a different Indicia, someone who he had a better connection with. Someone he could do this with. That desire drove him forward, as if joining with Alkaid now would change what events had already come to pass. A part of him wondered if anything happened when a bonded Indicia had sex with another bonded Collar, but he'd heard enough stories in passing to assume that it wouldn't be a problem.

Nimble paws made their way into his waistband, tantalizingly stroking his skin through his skivvies. They tugged downward on his pants, and Isaac lifted his waist just enough to let them go. Leaving the pants around Isaac's knees, Alkaid's paws slid back up the boy's thighs.

Isaac mimicked Alkaid, slipping his hands into the cat's waistband, but instead of finding fabric, he found fur. The side of his hand brushed against Alkaid's sheath. Here it was, he couldn't go back after this. He didn't want to go back. He grasped the sheath in his hand, gave it a gentle squeeze, gasped as Alkaid wrapped his paw around his own length, through the cloth. The kiss broke, and Alkaid raised his head just enough so that they were eye to eye. Isaac didn't know what the cat saw in his eyes, but he wondered if it was anything close to the storm of emotions he was feeling.

Alkaid nodded his head, and Isaac nodded in return. They smiled at each other, and the kiss resumed. The cat took a moment to pull his pants down, leaving them around his knees as well. Isaac felt to the top of the sheath, and wrapped his hand around the length that he found there. It was unlike a human's, unlike Tyloki's. Considering Tyloki's apparent similarities to a wolf's anatomy, Isaac assumed Alkaid was similar to a regular cat. Warm and naturally slick, it felt nice in his grasp. He didn't want to let go.

Soft paws slid his shorts down, and groped at his length as it sprang free. Time was still lost to them, and Isaac melted in Alkaid's paws. His own hand worked absently at Alkaid's length, playfully, without ambition. Alkaid was stroking his length firmly, and he had to bat the cat's paw away when he felt a tingling start to build up.

The cat smirked at him and took no offense, instead stroking gently the sensitive skin around Isaac's groin. Both human and cat glanced down as they were interrupted suddenly, a quiet song playing from Isaac's pant's pocket. His LINK was ringing. He wondered for only a second who was calling before he decided to let it go to messages. Taking advantage of the short pause, Alkaid finally drew back from Isaac, sitting up.

Isaac reached out for Alkaid, wanting to pull him back down on top of him, to continue kissing him. It was cold without him close. But Alkaid didn't intend to keep Isaac cold for long. He shifted down along the couch slightly, and pulled Isaac's pants the rest of the way off his legs, dropped them on the floor. He wrapped his paws around Isaac's ankles and lifted his legs into the air, resting them on his shoulders.

The cat then positioned himself so that his length met with Isaac's rear. The boy's heart beat rapidly, part worry and part lust. He gasped when he felt Alkaid's slick length against him. The only experience he had to call on for reference was Tyloki, and that was a memory he wanted to lose. He pushed it from his head, ignored the thought. The alcohol helped.

"I would tell you to relax, but I gather it wouldn't make a difference." Alkaid whispered, rubbing his paws from Isaac's legs up his chest.

"I'd still like to hear it." Isaac whispered back.

"Relax, it's okay." Alkaid reassured.

Isaac's lips spread into a smile. His first time with Tyloki had been a display of dominance, of aggression. This was by choice, not for proof of ownership, but something else. Something he was afraid to name. Alkaid started to push against him, the cat's tip started to slip inside. There was a time when he would have winced at the pain, but in truth, it was less painful than some of the injuries he had gotten training. Even still, Alkaid moved carefully, gently, mindful of Isaac's concerns.

As more of Alkaid's length slid inside, the cat slid one of his paws down Isaac's leg, back to his groin. The silken paw wrapped around the boy's length, which throbbed at the contact, but the paw remained still. The cat kept his eyes on Isaac as he pushed in, no doubt ensuring that he was taking it slow enough. Isaac thought he was being too slow. He squirmed down against Alkaid.

Isaac had a feeling he would regret squirming as he saw the smirk that overtook Alkaid's muzzle. The cat picked up the pace, and before long, his furred sac rested against Isaac's rear, hilted to the sheath. Isaac breathed deeply and slowly, adjusting to the feeling of the cat inside him. Luckily, Alkaid wasn't nearly as large as Tyloki, and he didn't have a knot. Two points in the cat's favor.

And as the cat started to slide out for the first time, Isaac felt empty. Empty. Like it wasn't his natural state. Either way, he wanted Alkaid to keep going. He wasn't afraid, he didn't feel guilty. He was ready. He didn't protest as the cat started to push back in, or when he pulled back out once more. He didn't argue as the cat picked up the pace, and started to slide his paw along Isaac's length.

Alkaid's breathing was labored, and Isaac was relatively sure it was the first time he had noticed the cat trying to catch his breath. Even during training, Alkaid never wanted for anything. Now the cat sounded like any other person, huffing and panting as he picked up speed. Once more, time fell away, lost to Isaac. All he knew was warmth and fur and the slickness inside of him.

Isaac's legs were moved to the side, and Alkaid leaned forward, pressing his lips to Isaac's again, and the kissing resumed. Together they writhed and panted, experiencing each other. At some point, Alkaid started making noises. Or maybe the moans were coming from Isaac. He couldn't tell. The cat was moving so fast. There was a slapping noise each time he hilted. The paw was moving so quickly, Isaac's own finish was close. He could feel it. He would've told Alkaid, but that would have meant breaking the kiss.

Isaac pulled Alkaid down tightly on top of him as he felt himself going over the edge. His seed shot onto his chest, dripped onto his belly, trapped between his skin and Alkaid's fur. His body tensed, and Alkaid needed only a few more thrusts before he pushed in one last time, throbbing powerfully as Isaac could feel the cat's seed fill him, a surprisingly feeling of satisfaction taking over the human's thoughts, pulling the cat in closer for one more kiss.

One more kiss turned into many more as the two remained close, sharing in their afterglow. Once or twice Isaac thought that the cat was pulling back, that he was going to climb off of him, but he held on tight, arms wrapped around Alkaid's back. Even as the cat slipped from his rear, and the euphoria faded away, Isaac kept Alkaid close. Their kissing slowed, eventually stopped, as Alkaid rested his soft muzzle on the side of Isaac's neck. Isaac closed his eyes, slowly running a hand up and down the cat's back. He thought that Alkaid might have fallen asleep on top of him, but he didn't notice as he started to fall asleep himself shortly after.

---

At first, Isaac didn't move when he woke in the morning. Alkaid was still asleep atop the boy, and Isaac didn't want to wake him. It helped that Isaac was more comfortable than he would have cared to admit. He felt no different than if he were laying under a regular house cat. The drunken haze from the night before had lifted, and mercifully, there were no signs of hangover. Isaac had been under the belief that he had drunk enough to forget what was happening the night before, but he remembered with clarity. It didn't bother him as much as he expected, either. So far, the entire morning was taking him by surprise. Nothing was what he expected.

Alkaid shifted, murmured. Isaac ran his hand down Alkaid's bare back. Inside, he expected to feel different, like something had changed. He didn't feel different. He still felt like Isaac, the same person he had always been. Maybe his desire for Alkaid had been his own all along, or perhaps Tyloki's emotions were already blending with his, subtle and unnoticeable. It didn't matter. What did matter was what had happened. He made the decision to sleep with Alkaid, not Tyloki. There was no blame, and no credit due, to the wolf.

Isaac wanted an epiphany. He longed for a moment that he could pick out as the moment when he changed. It was now, on a couch and under a cat, that he finally realized that change in one self is almost always unnoticeable. Ever since he had met Tyloki, he had been changing, not just because of the transference. It was because he had started living again when he made the pact with Tyloki. At the time, he felt like there were no other choices, but that was just an excuse. His life had changed because he made a decision to let it change. He had changed because he chose to.

He couldn't blame Tyloki for that. He couldn't blame anyone. And now here he was, changed, and yet still the same. It scared him, the thought of not knowing who he would be in a month, a year. But you never know who you will be, down the road. All you can do is take control of who you are in the moment. If Isaac wanted to avoid becoming like Tyloki, he would have to keep a clear head and pay attention to what he was doing, all the time.

Isaac knew now what a functional relationship with an Indicia could be like, and though he didn't have that with Tyloki, at least he knew what to strive for. After all, if Tyloki was going to be changing him, he would have to do his best to try and change the wolf right back. It would be a contest, a competition of wills. Isaac had never been one to back down, even when he knew he would lose.

And in the thought of this new battle with Tyloki, Isaac found something he hadn't felt in months. He found hope.

Alkaid stirred, mumbled something that Isaac didn't hear. Ran his paws down Isaac's chest before sitting up. In the light coming through the window, Isaac could see Alkaid better than in the dark of night. The cat normally hid most of his body with a hoodie, and he wore clothes more often than any other Indicia. Now Isaac could see the black and white pattern that colored his face carried through down his neck and body, swirled and spotted in a random mix. And where Alkaid's face was pristine, innocent, and youthful, the rest of his body told a different story. Myriad scars were scattered chaotically about his body, across his back and chest, arms and legs, silently speaking of the sort of life Alkaid had led. There were both large and small scars, appearing to have been caused by numerous different types of weapons and attacks.

Alkaid didn't say anything as he saw Isaac looking him over. He quietly stood and retrieved a hoodie from the closet. With Alkaid now clothed, Isaac felt awkward being naked, so he scrambled around the room, gathering his discarded garments. Neither of them spoke as he dressed.

"I..." Isaac wanted to say something to Alkaid, but he couldn't come up with anything worth saying.

The cat gave him a nod, stood close to him. "It's never easy. Even if it looks easy from the outside, you still have to fight."

"I wasn't..." Isaac started to say with a shake of his head, but Alkaid cut him off.

"I mean humans. You were made to fight. You start out weak, and you fight to get stronger. To become better. Change doesn't have to be bad. Fighting doesn't have to mean combat. Indicia, we're born strong, our purpose is not to grow, but to help you grow. Transference isn't meant to take you over, it's meant to help you."

Alkaid leaned forward, stretched up, and pressed his lips to Isaac's. It was a slower, more passionate kiss than what they had shared the night before. Before, it had been driven by lust. Isaac didn't know what drove this kiss, but he kissed back all the same. Whatever it meant, he could deal with later..

The cat pulled away and took a step back. "I'll give you the day off of training, since your training last night went so well."

Isaac couldn't help but chuckle, but he was grateful for the day off. He thought he would need it, after what he had been through. He needed to talk to someone about what had happened. The benefits of having friends. Of course, he would be embarrassed, but it would be worth it. He pulled out his LINK to send a message to Riley, to ask him to meet for breakfast.

As the screen powered on, it flashed a notice about a pending message. Isaac remembered the LINK ringing the night before, while he was busy. He pressed play and held the LINK to his ear.

"Isaac? This is Alissa, Alissa Avery. I work security at InCorp, remember? Why am I asking a question to an answer machine? Anyway, if you remember me, then you must remember that there were some details about the InCorp Incident a few months ago that didn't add up. Well, I was looking into it, and I found some...something. I don't want to talk about it with anyone at InCorp, and I don't want to talk about it over the phone. You were there with me, so you're the only person I really trust on this. You're the only person who knows what it was like in there. We need to meet so we can talk. Isaac, there's something going on. Call me back."

Isaac pressed the button to call Alissa back without hesitation. It rang a few times before she picked up. "Hey Alissa, this is Isaac. You called last night..."

"Isaac, thank God you called me back. Can you meet me at my place?" Alissa asked in a hushed voice.

"Why are you whispering? What's going on?" Isaac asked, but he turned to Alkaid. I have to go, he mouthed, and Alkaid gave a nod and a wave.

Isaac started for the door as Alissa responded. "Still can't talk about it on the phone. There's someone I want you to meet."

"Send me your address. I've got something I need to do first. I'll be there as soon as I can." Isaac said as he exited into the hallway.

Isaac had his own suspicions about what had happened at InCorp, but his were leveled at Canaan, not at InCorp itself. If Alissa had uncovered something about what happened, it was possible that it would help make sense of what Canaan was up to as well. Either way, he didn't think there was very much to lose by going to meet with her. He wondered who it was she wanted to introduce him to. But to go meet Alissa, he'd have to meet Canaan first.

[This is rich.]

What's that?

[You don't hate yourself, even after what you did last night.]

You're supposed to leave me alone while I'm with Alkaid.

[I can't help it if you can't stop thinking about it.Besides, I agreed to leave you alone while training. What you were doing last night was not training.]

You're wrong.

[You keep telling yourself that.]

Isaac smiled as he walked down the hall. He was different now. Sleeping with Alkaid had been voluntary and enjoyable. He was stronger and more able, and he wasn't chained down by the past. He knew the changes were just beginning, but he had hope now. One thing at a time. Today, he would meet with Alissa.

And tomorrow, well, he would worry about that when it came.