FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Several weeks before Ripley met Ace

“Barkeep!” Came the voice of a gruff-looking Feline-like Alien, armed with plenty of guns and just as many scars to boast about. “Another round for me and my men, NOW!”, his voice was booming, commanding, and definitely drunk.

With a menacing growl thrown against him, the meek-looking barkeep scurries around for the drinks. A round of cheers erupts around the medium-classed establishment from the Tiger-looking thug’s men. A big-bellied human with a mechanical arm and several other enhancements, a lizard-like alien that had feminine features with tons of scars adorning her body, a turtle-gator-like alien belonging to the Prodromos race, a Lisico fox-like short man, a grey alien with tentacles instead of a mouth, and what seems to be a horned red-skinned cow. The Tigrox’s attire seemed to be adorned with bones, teeth, blades, guns, and even some desiccated heads. He sported both mechanical arms with plenty of ‘additives’, illegal modifications for warfare. Truly a ruthless, seasoned warrior. His men were not far behind too- many were big, muscular, and equally scarred individuals, all had some degree of cybernetic and A.E.R. modifications, going from limbs, eyes, to having barely any flesh left.

“Yes- Uh- Sir!” The meek blue-skinned humanoid barkeep was terrorized ever since they got to his establishment a couple of hours ago, scaring customers and would-be customers alike. He wished he could do something, but there was nothing he could do with his frail body and cowardly self… especially since they were… ostentatious clients.

“MOVE, WELP!” The Tiger-looking criminal laughed at the torment he brought down on the poor barkeep. The thug was a Tigrox, one of the most fearsome kinds of Aliens on this side of the galaxy. What could a frail Sataria do to such a specimen?

“Do you serve Terra Novan drinks?” The entire establishment goes silent at finally hearing somebody else's voice other than the rowdy group of warriors. The barkeep jumps at the sudden appearance of this new customer. He was so mortified about tending to the Tigrox’s hellish group that he didn’t notice the big muscular Loban customer with cream and dark blue fur. A pair of yellow eyes adorned his face, the right one had a nasty scar over it… Though something about him seemed familiar… The Loban was very tall, he also had a rather blank expression, as if nothing around him could affect him.

“Uh- Yes, not much- But I-.., Uhm- Were you looking for something specific, sir?” The Satarian didn’t know what it was that drew his attention to this customer, maybe it was seeing a scar on a Loban. Their kind had the technological advantage of never having to worry about scars ever, and scars were seen pretty severely in their culture… Was this customer some kind of reject?

“Are you capable of producing ‘Saratoga’ cocktails?’” He spoke with a commanding, disturbingly soothing voice. It felt as if a poet of some kind was massaging your ear with his sweet baritone words. You could barely notice the breath at the beginning of each sentence, the sweet use of every syllable as it was supposed to be used. The Loban was also extremely good-looking. The meek Satarian barkeep felt weak in the knees staring up at the heavy-set canine.

“I- Uh. No- Sorry, sir…” The barkeep struggled with all his might not to make that ‘sir’ sound like it was coming from a needy fuck toy wanting to submit to the breath-taking canine…

“Hmmm, shame.” The Loban's expression didn’t reveal any of his emotions, he seemed calm and collected as if he had everything under control. Even the way he checked the menu was alluring, his eyes calmly went over everything, examining to the last detail every drink or any kind of food that the establishment served. There just was an air around him that exuded a natural reaction on the infatuated barkeep.

“Now, this is a surprise!” Oh fuck, the Tigrox asshole butts in their conversation, his breath smelled of alcohol and the sewers. “What is the filth of O.V.P. doing on this side of the galaxy, eh?” The Tigrox gets into the Loban’s personal space rudely. The barkeep has seen enough drunken conflicts to know that this will end in one, the may even be bloodshed now. “Do share with the class, ‘Mr. Scar’… He he he.” The Tigrox continues…

Now, where had the barkeep heard that name before?

The Loban for his part doesn’t react much to the thug’s provocation. “You say I’m filth, yet you are the one that smells like the rotting feces of an elderly farm animal.” Or so he seemed, those beautiful golden orbs coldly turn toward the burly drunk mercenary. “I’m not here for your pathetic excuse of a mercenary party, you’ll get your turn. just not today…” He takes a pause eyeing the bottles on the counter, looking for one that suited his fancy. “Unless you provoke me…” And just like that he ignores the Tigrox, the encounter was no different from a parent who just chastised their offspring for misbehaving.

“Hah! Like I would be intimidated by a sodomite, ye’ know the only reason the O.V.P. keeps you around is that you're just good at cleaning shit?” The Tigrox jams a finger in the Loban’s broad back, with his other hand he signals his men to ready their weapons, they clearly did not have good intentions.

“Tyger Tyger, burning bright,

In the forests of the night;

What immortal hand or eye,

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?”

The Loban chants to himself as he checks one of the bottles more closely-

“The fuck are you on about, Ovoloid filth?” The Tigrox Chuckles as he turns to look at his men. “Look at him! Got so scared that he started speaking in tongues! Bet he can-” The Tigrox gets interrupted by a thick expensive bottle slamming into the side of his face, the bottle shatters into a million pieces, yet the force of the blow is enough to send him directly to the ground.

“In what distant deeps or skies.

Burnt the fire of thine eyes?

On what wings dare he aspire?

What the hand, dare seize the fire?”

The Tigrox’s men jump to action pulling their weapons out and taking aim at the Loban, who just calmly unties the crimson chain wrapped over his wide chest.

“And what shoulder, & what art,

Could twist the sinews of thy heart?

And when thy heart began to beat.

What dread hand? & what dread feet?”

The first shot explodes out of a potted-bellied human with a mechanical arm. In the blink of an eye, Mr. Scar jumps to the side way quicker than someone his size should, doing a roll on the ground as he uses the same motion to whip out the red chain. With a deafening sound, the chain shoots out through the air with such brute and violent force that it shatters the heavy rifle the human was using along with his one flesh and bone arm. More shooting comes from the other mercenaries, but ‘Mr. Scar’ is too fast, already moving meticulously from table to table, flipping them over and using them as cover.

“What the hammer? what the chain,

In what furnace was thy brain?

What the anvil? what dread grasp.

Dare its deadly terrors clasp?”

The chain shoots out again, catching the very rough-looking lizard-like female by the leg. With the same impossible brute force, she is instantly dragged to Mr. Scar’s position. He quickly wraps his massive free hand over her skull, and shortly after her body goes limp when the sound of her collapsing skull reaches her teammate's auditory organs. All they do is keep shooting angrily in hopes of avenging their two companions. Mr. Scar uses the lizard female’s body as an improvised meat shield as he whips out the chain again in retaliation. The remaining four thugs move out of the way in time, the Prodromos narrowly escaping the tip of the chain as it shatters the concrete near his head into dust. He laughs in relief, boasting to his two remaining teammates how he survived… But alas, he could not, the sudden disappearance of half his face due to a gunshot silences him forever.

“When the stars threw down their spears

And water'd heaven with their tears:

Did he smile his work to see?

Did he who made the Lamb make thee?”

Mr. Scar aims the lever-action rifle he just pulled out and used to kill the Prodromos at the Lisico the Buvox and the Squirax. the fox-like creature uses his size to his advantage and escapes his field of view for the time being. The Loban does manage to blow a hole right between the Squirax’s four eyes and get the Buvox behind him in a double headshot. Blood and brain matter splatters the walls from the double kill, painting them red with carnage. Looking to the side he searches for his last prey. it takes only a few seconds before he spots the small Lisico running for his life. Whipping his chain out again, Mr. Scar catches the fox by one of his small legs, completely shattering the left limb and leaving him crippled for the rest of his days… however short that may be. He whips his chain out again, this time skillfully wrapping it around the remaining leg. The Loban’s expression stays stone cold as he slowly pulls the Lisico closer to him, were it not for his blank expression anyone would think he was enjoying himself. The smaller mammal claws at the ground, begs for mercy, screams, cries, urinates himself, apologizes… All in vain as he tries whatever to escape the monster they just pissed off. After two agonizing long minutes, the wailing Lisico is right by the Loban’s clawed feet. The assailant calmly kneels over the Lisico raising his right fist as he ignores the Fox’s last pleads for mercy.

“Tyger Tyger burning bright,

In the forests of the night:

What immortal hand or eye,

Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?”

He brings his fist down. One, two, three… Four times… He brings his fist down over and over again, splattering blood over his face, clothes, the tables, and the ground… Yet, his expression doesn’t change, he doesn’t even flinch as he pummels the Lisico into an unrecognizable red pulp with fur sticking out of it. He doesn’t even notice when he starts panting. When he starts having flashbacks. When he starts picturing someone else under him being disfigured by his hands. He doesn’t notice when he speaks the name of the individual responsible for-

“STOP!” He snaps out of it… The Loban realizes the meek barkeep somehow grew a spine. The small Satarian male was aiming directly at his head with a primitive double-barreled shotgun. His trembling hands and wild eyes clearly told Mr. Scar that this was the first time the Satarian ever held this weapon in his hands, the first time he held any kind of weapon really. “I don’t know who you are- Just- get the fuck OUT!” He tries to sound commanding, but to the Loban, he just sounds like a weak small bee with no other choice than to fight… It may have been impressive on another occasion…

But he had something to do…

“It’s good that you are here…” He stands up, not caring for the blood covering him or the massacre he just committed. “You see, My name is Fen’Ruth Tel’Van. I’m a member of the Inter Galatic Council’s black Cabal…” He starts walking toward the frightened Satarian with a confident stride. “Do you know what that means?”

“STOP OR I’LL SHOOT, I SWEAR THE ARCHITECTS!” The poor boy trembles in fear. Fen’Ruth places his right hand on the shotgun, covering the gun’s muzzle.

“It means that I’m the man they call when someone steps out of line.” A muffled shot ring out. Smoke trickles out from the covered muzzle. Fen’Ruth did not even flinch or get hurt by the pitiful weapon. With ease, he bends and breaks the primitive gun with a flick of his wrist, leaving the terrified Satarian unarmed. “And I was never here for these miserable wastes of organic material, no.” The wolf-like alien signals the surrounding carnage. “No… I’m here for you… Faelan Coris…” Fen’Ruth closes the distance, slamming the Satarian against a nearby wall with ease, one of his hands covering the blue-skinned alien’s mouth.

“You were selling more than alcohol here right?” Fen’Ruth was shown the evidence, though it was unnecessary, he always did what was asked of him no matter the job. “Maybe you wanted the extra cash that comes from selling A.E.R. consumables to lowlives.”

The Satarian had started small, a little vial of power here and there to mercenaries like the ones that laid dead near them, but after a while… He got bigger. Bolder. Careless…

“You got your three warnings, boy…” Of course, the Council knew about it. What made the council deploy their dark tactics was in the end just a tiny simple thing. “You didn’t pay your ‘taxes’ to the higher-ups…” And that was the boy’s biggest mistake.

Fen’Ruth uncovers the Satarian’s mouth. “I PAY, I’M SORRY, I’LL-” The small man tries to negotiate, but Fen’Ruth sticks his clawed thumb into the Satarian’s mouth, pulling down on his lower jaw.

“Shhhh.” Fen’Ruth places his other hand in Faelan’s mouth, pushing four fingers inside pushing into the roof of his mouth while the other was pulling down the lower jaw. Faelan clawed at Fen’Ruth’s arms in agony as his mouth was being forced open in an unnatural manner. “The thing is, boy. Since you didn’t pay, the executives want to set an example.” Fen’Ruth starts pulling his hands apart, ignoring Faelan’s screams and futile struggles. “Nothing personal… This is all on you, after all…”

A blood-curling scream.

The sound of torn flesh and bone.

Blood splatters.

Then silence.

…

Silence…

…

….

“What the fuck did you do!?”

Turning to the side, Fen’Ruth realized the Tigrox was still alive, though it was no surprise since Fen’ just smashed a bottle to his face and nothing else. The Tigrox was aiming one of his mechanized arms at Fen’Ruth, out of the tip of it, a barrel glowing with yellow A.E.R. is poking out. This close, Fen’Ruth knew he won't be able to dodge it if the arm cannon went off.

“My job.” The Loban raises his hands.

“YOU MURDERED MY FRIENDS!” The Tigrox spits out. “WHY!”

“They got in the way, you and your men bought stuff from him too, didn’t you?” Fen’Ruth spoke as if his life wasn’t in danger… After all… He had nothing to lose anymore.

“THAT DOESN’T FUCKING MATTER, I’M GONNA BLOW A HOLE IN YOUR DAMN-!”

There is a flash of blue. A blinding explosion of pure sapphire blue, complete saturation of everything, everywhere in but an instant. A sea of incandescent blue.

Fen can't see anything other than blue. can’t feel anything. He covers his face with his arms in a defensive pose.

Once again a deafening silence, but unlike the one before… This was the calm after a cataclysm, the stillness of death and desolation.

Uncovering his face Fen realized in shock and fear that the Tigrox is gone…

Along with the entire city block half a meter in front of him.

There is nothing but ash and vestiges of blue light. Thin flakes of charred bluish material float aimlessly with a soft breeze, everything in his entire field of view was turned into a plain grey wasteland with sparks of blue energy now and then… There was no struggle, no war, no fight… Nothing… Everything is gone in a devastating show of power and dominance. Obliteration is the only word that comes to Fen’Ruth’s head to describe the occurrence.

“Fen’Ruth Tel’Van.” Fen’ hears a female voice with a commanding tone. Turning to the side he sees her… One of three individuals in the universe capable of inflicting so much devastation so easily.

His blood runs cold involuntarily, his heart skips a few beats in fear and shock. In front of him, floating not far from the ground is the owner of the voice that spoke his name. She is covered in dark robes and a ceremonial blue headdress that hides her face… But Fen knows who this is… Everyone that laid eyes on her would know of her identity.

Floating in front of him was none other than the high priestess herself. The strongest Light user alive and the de facto leader of the church of Light. High priestess Alticia.

The blue goddess. The alpha, and omega. The blue Abyss…

“Kneel, for Light calls upon you, and your service. You WILL answer, Fen’Ruth Tel’Van.”

That day Fen’Ruth strikes a deal.

He was promised a way to get his heart back.

He was promised the world again.

He was promised happiness.

He was promised an apology.

He was promised an explanation.

He was promised vengeance.

He was promised retribution.

But for that, he would have to do bad things. Horrible acts. unforgivable things.

But… That was just a small price to pay.

To Fen’Ruth his life meant nothing, power meant nothing, the whole universe meant nothing… If he could get back what he once lost.

Who he once lost.

And he would do that.

Because to Fen’Ruth Tel’Van, the only thing that ever mattered was the one who was once named Obi.

Lost to betrayal and deceit.

And if Fen’Ruth could get him back… Then everything he was required to do… He would eagerly succeed.

After all… There is no stronger force in existence than love.

_________________________________________________________________________

Detainment shuttle 75-14

Ace

Okay. This wasn't exactly what I planned…

I fruitlessly wiggle my body in my restraints. Those council bastards had my criminal file and thought to use high threat detainment measurements on me. My hands and feet were incased in energy compression chambers, forcing me into a fully outstretched position with my limbs being pulled on constantly. May I add the position is VERY uncomfortable… To add insult to the wound they also threw me in here upside down… Great… So now I’m here upside down in a torture-like contraption that honestly could have been used in some of those obscure porn movies that Styx enjoys so much… I can't even use the Light since they strapped an Energy Frequency Disruptor to my neck… Gotta love the council’s new anti-Light tech…

Yay…

At least they threw Ripley in here with me, So I will at least have some entertainment here… When he wakes up, that is… And if he takes the weird metal plate they covered my lower face with. Very rude on their part, I wonder what did I do to deserve being treated like a cannibal? Last I remember I haven't done anything to warrant that…

You haven't eaten anyone, but you still did horrible things. You are despicable. I hear the distant familiar voice inside my head.

So that's a no then. Also, this is not the time to let my mental health mess with me… Again.

What are you gonna do about it? Kill me again!? HA!, I hear him doing the signature Aswad’Yakul high-pitched chuckle…

I much prefer it when it’s Styx laughing, not-… Him…

Admit it, you miss me. You miss all of us. You horrible flat-faced ape. HAHAHA! I can practically see his devilish red-eyed grin as he taunts me. Would you prefer it to be someone else?

Honestly? Yes. You were always an asshole… To me and-

Oh, so you want HIM to give you shit instead, I could always get Seve-

NO!

HAHAHA!

Fuck! Here I am, talking to the past. In my head. While it laughs at me….Great… I clench my eyes shut trying to force the hyena-like chuckles out of my head. The sounds of his laughter taunt me, mock me, and-... Makes feel guilty. After all, I was the one to-

___

“DON’T!” I’m startled by the sudden yell coming from my previously sleeping newly-made companion.

He looks around in a wild manner, I can see him breathing quite heavily… A nightmare maybe? It wouldn't be the first time that Styx gave someone a trippy nightmare with his venom… Though usually, that involves more puking, diarrhea, and sudden bouts of unbearable pain near the joints…

The raccoon-like alien was thrown in here with me because I literary told the enforcers that he was my ‘Oh so powerful minion that sadly got drunk, oh woe is me, whatever am I gonna do with my evil plan?’... The only good thing about being considered to be working by an evil organization is that you fool others about who is also ‘Evil’ by poor acting.

Hell, they didn’t even strap Ripley to this upside-down kinky-table wannabe. The guy was basically a ragdoll when they picked him up… Maybe Styx drugged him too much? He would be dying if that case… Maybe the artifact is helping him again?

Using my ‘Eyes Of Heimdallr’ I scan Rippy for any sign of another ‘episode’ starting again, just in case.

I still remember when I freaked out as a kid when I suddenly saw everything in black and white except for traces of energy. The doctor was so happy I was not a failure… And so was I and-

Focus…

Good thing this doesn’t require Light to be used. Looking at Grumpy really I can clearly make out his completely gray silhouette, with strings of different shades of oranges spreading from a central bright spot in his chest, right where his heart is. It’s so bright I can’t clearly make out its shape… And this is just its dormant state… I can only hope that it doesn’t send the guy into burnout-

“Cancel,” I hear ‘Ripples’ say to the air, probably to his A.I… I should come up with a better nickname for him…

“Ghmf Mhmfn.” I try to say ‘Good morning’ like any nice guy that is casually being held captive upside down in a weird, strangely horny contraption should. The Procylanos just stares at me with utter shock and wonder in his eyes. Dare I say with that look in his eyes he even looks kinda cute-

“HAHAHAHAHAHA!”

I take it all back. He is awful.

His eyes are tearing up as he doubles over in unapologetic laughter, I regret ever thinking he is cute. Fuck that dude. Here I was trying to be a very civil guy, a guy that saved his ass like four times in the same day that met him, and this monochromatic imbecile laughs at my misfortune!?

“NHT FHMMG.” I try ‘Not funny’.

“What!? I can’t hear understand you! I don't speak ‘pet-humie’! HAHAHA!!” Apparently, I was unsuccessful in communicating…

“NHT FHMMG!” I try harder, glaring at him. I really don't appreciate being made fun of after saving your ass you know? I’m a good guy now, good guys like a ‘thank you’ at the very least.

“HA! NOT SO TOUGH NOW WITHOUT YOUR LIGHT, HUH!?” You are such an asshole…. I should have just decapitated him and ran with the artifact when I had the chance “HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” he laughs harder…

Deep breaths, Ace. Keep a cool head. Don’t let others get to you… As annoying as they are.

Sorry Master Meep, I think decapitation is still on the table for this one… Painful decapitation.

“FUCK YES!” He shouts. There are tears in his eyes from how much he has laughed.

“Ahmp yhm dmhf?” I try asking him if he is done. I even raise an eyebrow, yet I know this doesn't help how ridiculous I look.

You gotta admit you look quite stupid right now tho.

I am done talking to you. Piss off.

Ripley gets a few last chuckles in, calming down from all the laughter. “You know, I think I like you better this way.” He stands up and saunters over to me. In violent motion, he simply breaks the detainment units holding his hands…

I kinda forget how strong his enhancements make him with how small he is…

“You don’t have a come back for that, huh?” He gets right in front of me. I realize much to my chagrin that in the way I’m suspended, my face is right at crotch level with the Procylanos. “Look at you! I gotta say this whole position suits you better, huh? Hope you enjoy the view, Humie’,” He openly mocks me.

I focus on just glaring at him from my not-so-favorable position. Hell, I can even smell him from how close he is.

“What? Got something to say, tough guy?” He grins as he kneels down. “Tell you what. If you are a good boy I might remove the thing covering your face!” He puts a finger to his chin in a thinking expression. It’s amazing how his species has such similar expressions to humans. “Hmmm, now that I think about it I wonder what's behind that mask of yours. Are ya’ hiding a nasty scar? A disgusting-ass face?” He stands back up.

“How about that, boy? Would you like for me to help you? Oh yes you would! Who’s a good boy!? HAHAHA. Who’s a good pet-human!? HAHAHA”...

….

I don't have much mobility in this thing.

I can move my neck, though… And that is more than ENOUGH!

With much more effort than I thought it would take, I reach my head back as much as I can, using how distracted Ripley is laughing at me to deliver a headbutt to his nether regions. I can clearly feel my forehead impacting his balls and what most definitely is his dick. However, I get a sick feeling of satisfaction when he screams like a little girl. Immediately dropping to the ground as he clutches his groin…

“YOU FUCKING BITCH- NOT AGAIN-AHG!!!!“ He tries to scream but his voice is too high and weak to be threatening at all.

Yeah, who is a good boy now, huh?

I swear to fuck, why did I think he might be remotely similar to them? Apart from being a Procylanos and the fur he isn’t remotely similar to them in any way! I’m starting to think I made a mistake in helping him…

Oh please, you just helped him because you murdered Seve-

My thoughts are interrupted when the shuttle abruptly stops. I lurched to the side, but my restraints keep me in place. Rippy slides along the floor hitting his head on the far side. He still writhing in pain, clutching his crotch… I’m sure his enhancements can keep him safe from hitting his head, but not a blow to the balls.

There is only so much technology can do, and the universal rule of biology is that gonads are a weak spot. ALWAYS.

Also, we arrived…

The back of the shuttle opens, several guns point at us. A dozen council enforcers shout as they see Rippy out of his bounds, rushing into tase the whimpering Raccoon-like alien. I just remain calm to the side as a few enforcers approach me cautiously, the rest of them are trying to subdue the enhanced Procylanos who is hurling a myriad of insults at the officers, plenty of which involve mothers, grandmothers, genitalia, and several words that I’m not familiar with.

“Careful with this one, Otto. Heard he is responsible for the death of hundreds. He was even during the Light Rebellions a couple of cycles back. Heard they even gave him one of them scary titles…” One of the enforcers, a human woman in a suit warns their partner, a burly canine that resembles a german shepherd, and I… I just—

Oh, boy here we go…

“I know, Selice. Not every day we see the-” I stop hearing him. I’m to busy hearing screams that I know aren’t there.

Blood that I long washed off splatters my face, faces in the dark pleading for mercy. Someone telling me to stop. No, many telling me to stop…

You can’t run from your past…

“How could you do this to me!?”. A Loban wails with agony.

This again?

Would you prefer to remember us instead? Oh wait, I know just the thing.

No, just- NO

“Process him.” The dog orders, I think they take me away… I don't know, I don't feel like I'm really here. I need to set my head straight before-

________________________________________________________________

“Is that you… Is that really you?” Gold, soft Whiskey-colored eyes… “Is this really real?” Brown fur, Black marking around the eyes.

DO NOT MAKE ME-

You can’t run from us. You know that.

“I- I thought you were dead!” Tears flow down his eyes. There is nothing but him. everything else is covered up by a black fog… But he stands out in the darkness of my mind. A radiant beacon among this blackness.

Anyone but-

If not him, then who? You’ve ruined plenty of lives already, I can think of a particularly big guy that has it out for you.

“I’m just so happy you are here.” He smiles as he tries to wipe the tears from his eyes… This is…

But none of them hurt as much as this small fry, right? you two were so close, after all.

There, through the fog in my mind, I see him clear as day… He had grown so much since last I had seen him. Those eyes of his… Those I missed so much… That lovely Whiskey colored shade… The black marking around his eyes, contrasted against that rich brown fur of his.

Lie to yourself as much as you like.

I see the memory of myself forming a bright red blade in each hand… Whiskey flinches back in shock.

“What are you doing? It-It’s me.” Everything you do is to fool yourself and others. “It’s me, Whiskey! Don’t you remember me?” He pleads…

So that no one realizes how horrible you are.

I know…

I remember it all as if it was yesterday. I can’t ever forget it. Blood. Gunshots. Light. Explosions. Thirteen corpses litter the ground… Thirteen… Oh, how I despise that number.

You can’t keep getting away with the things you did. One day you are gonna pay for all that you have done.

A violet haze closes around the fog in my mind, the voice gets further and further away.

I hope you know how much I hate you, Thirteen.

…

I know.

I hate me too.

_________________________________________________________________

“CRIMINAL H-92347 - 883, PLEASE COMPLY!!!”

Huh?

I snap out of my daze, looking around wildly. Where-? I’m in the center of a completely square gray room. There is a bench to my right with a bag on top, a door to the left wall, and a huge dark mirror in front of me, probably from where my captors are… monitoring me?

Ah. Right…. The prison… The…- Uh?

My eyes of Heimdalr are still active, no wonder the room is completely gray. The weird part is the faint almost unnoticeable violet hue surrounding the edges of my vision. When the ability is active my vision turns colorless for the duration except for energy- I can see energy in great detail with its respective color… But I have never seen any shade of violet or purple?

Purple Light doesn't exist.

I can’t possibly be imagining it, right?

You’re having a conversation with a figment of your imagination that happens to represent ONE of your past victims… Need I say more?

“Yeah, that’s exactly the thing. You aren’t usually this chatty.” I whisper under my breath, looking around the almost empty room. “Or this sassy…”

That’s on you not me. Go imagine the Loban or one of the two Procylanos if you so desire.

“CRIMINAL H-92347 - 883, THERE WON’T BE ANOTHER WARNING, PUT ON THE CLOTHING IN THE BAG!!” I wince at the voice coming from a small speaker on the upper corner of the door.

I look at the bag again, it seems simple enough. I can’t see any color in it, so there is no trap or anything in it. walking towards it, I can see it is open and contains various articles of clothing. Ah, prison-wear… Joy…

Quickly looking for something that fits me I take off all my clothes, folding them neatly and placing them to the side, they probably will collect them and put them with the rest of my belongings as evidence. After grabbing my new set of clothing, I put on this very unfashionable… Thing. I bet the color is even a distasteful shade of something… awful.

It’s only natural that that horrible thing fits you. You are disgusting, after all.

I look at myself in the dark mirror. The prison clothes I found closest to my size are kinda baggy, but at least they won’t fall. I deactivate my ocular ability to see that they appear to have a very intense mix of green and yellow color. Looking up I also see my uncovered face in the mirror and-

The face of a traitor. A criminal… A murderer. I see his figure in the reflection, even though I know he is not really there I still tense up. His visage is directly behind me. One of his clawed hands rests on my shoulder. His fingers are not like Styx’s, he is also not as big as him. What I can see of his body is covered in scars. There is a particularly nasty one to the left of his muzzle, pink tender flesh uncovering his teeth making him appear as if he is forever smirking, his crimson red eyes focused directly on my own, same shade of eyes… He looks just like the day that I-

Go on. Say it… He leans down over me. Good thing I still have the collar that interferes with my Light, as I may have used something against thin air as I see him roll out his forked tongue and lick the side of my face. Say what you did to me…

I know he isn’t there. I can’t feel his touch. Can’t smell him… But I can’t stop my body from turning around and facing… Nothing… I turn back to the mirror to observe that his ghostly visage is no longer there. But I do see my face… A completely cold expression looks back at me. Cold calculating eyes stare into the mirror…

Only a killer can look like that.

I dig through the bag, pulling out a white undershirt several sizes too big for me. I carefully tear off a piece big enough to wrap around my face, tying a knot behind my head to keep it in place. I look at my reflection again, feeling much better now that the shirt is covering my face from below my eyes down… Fuck… I wish Styx was here.

I hate being left alone with my thoughts… They don’t like me.

“CRIMINAL H-92347 - 883, STEP OUT OF THE ROOM” The voice orders. The door in the room slides opens showing an equally gray hallway.

Might as well get this done with. I step out of the room, walking down the long hallway as I think about what I may do to accomplish my goal. I need to find my other target, he may have another dangerous artifact that the FL asked me to get. I also need to find Rippy, I don’t even know if he is okay. From what I little I remember the enforcers were being pretty rough on him… Okay, Ripley may have deserved some of the treatment with the vile things that were spewing out of his mouth, but still…

You sure are fond of Whiskey’s replacement…

Oh no, YOU DIDNT!

“I AM NOT REPLACING HIM WITH ANY-” I whip around, ready to yell at the ghostly figure only to find myself face to ears against a male Lisico. orange fur, brown ears, and typical fox-like features. He has one eyebrow raised as if asking me what the hell was my problem. “Uhhh…” Well, this is awkward…

“First time?” He thankfully breaks the awkwardness. His expression does a total flip as he quickly adorns a smirk and playful green eyes… His fur is a vibrant orange that is surprisingly well kept for someone wearing the same prison wear as me. The fox-like muzzle is white with black markings, typical of his kind.

He reminds me of a politician.

“Not at all. I guess you could say I get arrested whenever I want free food…” I try joking. I get the feeling that something is off…

“Oh, splendid I haven’t heard that one before, HA!” That's a totally fake laugh. “But I do bet that you haven’t been to ‘Izolim 1’” He makes a gesture as if he is presenting something grandiose.

“I take it you are familiar with the place.” I keep walking down the hallway as my new smaller companion follows along. Where did he come from? Why didn’t I see him?... Why is he here in this lone hallway?

The long hallway ends in a wide-open space with an incredibly high ceiling. There is a myriad of tables all around the area. There are walls to the far sides, I can see that along the walls are what I can barely see entries similar to the hallway I just came out of. Up near the ceiling, there are sections of what appear to be control rooms? They are suspended mid-air and connected by bridges, armed guards walk along those, keeping an eye on all those below them.

“Why, yes. You could say I got addicted to the free food!” The fox appears in my vision. I raise an eyebrow at his behavior.

“Sure. uh-...”

“Oh, Architects! How rude of me.” His slender figure bends down in a courteous bow. “Tadhg Fopius The Third, a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” From his bent position, he grins at me. I can see a glint of light green in his eyes. “I gotta say… Today is a great day…” His eyes are half-lidded, watching me expectantly. “Especially since it’s not every day Izolim gets an S rank mercenary and former Alticia’s very own Crimson Butcher.”

Oh no… As if things couldn’t be worse.

He works for the damn Church Of Light…

Shit

“DA’ FUCK DID YOU SAY TO ME, YOU SCROTUM-FACED ASSWIPE!?”

My head whips around at the familiar voice and the sound of a small crowd. Quickly activating my vision I scan the crowd of aliens looking for the distinctive orange hue that is inside of Rippy. I scurry through the many gray figures and some faintly colored ones, searching desperately for-

You are forgetting about the fox…

FUCK!

I turn around expecting to find the Lisico there but I find nothing but a thick cloud of residual light green energy… Shit, I should have guessed he is a Light-bearer, a light green one too. Just my luck… Where did he go? How is he using his Light? I saw no collar on him… How much does he know?

Scared he might tell the Procylanos of your dirty little secret, hmm?

“YES!” Some other inmates give me the stink eye when they see me yell at nothing. Crap, I don't have time for this, I either find Teck or whatever is his name or find Rippy!

We both know already what you are going to choose…

“COME ON TOUGH GUY, SQUARE THE FUCK UP!!” I hear Ripley’s voice

“I’LL FUCK YOUR SSSKULL THROUGH YOUR BACKSSSIDE, YOU PESSST!” I hear another, unfamiliar voice, the guy seems very angry and extends his ‘S’... An Ophodid.

I turn my vision towards where I heard the voice coming from and there, among all the bodies I see clearly the orange flicker of the artifact inside Ripley’s chest beside a bigger faintly yellow shape. The Ophodid is another Light-bearer. Apparently, this prison has no trouble detaining us…

I quickly make my way to where the damn raccoon is, doesn’t he know the rule number one of when you get arrested into a highly dangerous prison? Now I cant focus on the fox thanks to this stunt of his!

You were going to pick him anyways. He reminds you of-

“Zip it, not now, Chuckle!” I push a rather burly rhinoceros-looking guy to the side. I don’t care if anyone hears me at this point or why my consciousness is INCREDIBLY more chatty than normal, I swear to the Architects he wasn’t like this for so long, only when I-...

Go on, finish that. The screaming Loban, the lives you destroyed, and the events you-

FUCK!

I shake my head, and deactivate my energy vision, the violet tint was a bit stronger. This isn’t right. I think someone must be playing with me… It has to be that, right?

“FUCK HIM UP, LANCE!” Somebody yells.

I finally break through the circle of burly criminals. Just as I thought there I see a black-scaled reptile with an elongated neck and tail, his blood-red slitted pupils wild in rage as he menacingly flicks his forked tongue at the panting Procylanos on the ground. Yes, Indeed, Ripley is stupid enough to start a fight against an Ophodid in his condition.

“WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL YOUR BRAVADO YOU DISSSSGUSTING FUR BAG!?” The Ophodid mocks, I think his name is Lance from what I hear the crowd yell. His shirt is off and looking closely I can see he has a famous gang tattoo on his shoulder. A black skull with what looks like antennae… The Black Skulls, I think.

Pretty original, I know.

“You- Ahg fuck. Just let me catch my breath!” Rippy flips the snake off as he clutches his chest from his position on the ground. He is breathing quite heavily. his head was bleeding and some of his wounds opened up. His opponent just has a few scratches and bruises. Shifting into my energy vision I see yellow light dripping from Lance’s arms, he is a light-bearer indeed… Another one without a collar. What is going on here?... Wait-

Looking closely I see there is a faint mist of light green energy over his eyes. Looking at Rippy I can also see he has the same mist over his eyes. I also take note that the core inside of him is going crazy. This doesn’t look good no matter how I look at it, I wanted to keep a low profile. THAT was my initial plan, I would work things out later until Styx could get us out of here… Now, things are looking dire.

I may have to step out of my comfort zone, and I have no idea where that may lead us. I look around the crowd of criminals looking for any info or whatever I could use that could help Rippy without me getting involved, I need to find something quick or he might-

Oh, There he is.

I see the Lisico among the crowd. There is no doubt in my mind that he is a Light user now. I see his glowing light green eyes staring at me directly from across the crowd, aliens move around him as if there was a wall protecting him, all of them have the same shade of green covering their eyes... Is he controlling them? all of them?

No, It's different.

He is smiling devilishly at me as if waiting for me to do something. Daring me to act. If I could use my Light correctly I could decapitate him in the blink of an eye, but this damn collar doesn’t let me do much!

“ARRG!!!” Ripley somehow stands up, rushing at Snake boy attempting to keep fighting and save some face… Wrong move. He gets swatted away easily by the long thick tail of the Ophodid. The crowd cheers when he lands face-first on the ground. His opponent laughs.

“Oh come on! I heard of the gang’s desssserter! Is that everything you have? Even with all your enhancements, you remain nothing but a pathetic little turd!” Lance mocks, raising his arms and riling up the crowd of violence-craving criminals. The crowd in turn takes it out on the heaving raccoon on the ground, who does nothing but clutch his chest as he struggles to even breathe.

They boo him.

Call him names.

Throw stuff at him.

Laugh at him.

They tell him of how worthless he is, how weak and pathetic he is, how he is nothing to no one…

…

This is too cruel.

Oh, the irony…

“What do you say, boyssss, should I put this deserter out of his misssery!?” Lance asks the crowd, they yell their desire for more violence… This is no different from a blood sport. “Well, then.” He turns towards Rippys curled form.

“Wait!” I yell as I run and place myself between Rippy’s form and snake boy. I raise my arms in a placating manner.

What am I doing!?

Indeed, what the fuck are you doing?

I don’t know.

“A human?” Lance raises what appears to be a scaled eyebrow in confusion. His face soon contorts to disgust. “What is someone of a pathetic ssspecies like yours doing here? I thought only us big names were supposed to come here!” The crowd whispers among themselves confused too. “And why do you have a jammer? Your kind is lightlessss asss fuck, bunch of fragile twarts can't even sssurvive without your tech!”

“Well, Uh- you see. I… “ Quick, think of something. “He is a - Uh…” I get to where Ripley’s form is. I can at least stop the energy going crazy inside of him. “This one here is an associate of mine and-”

“Oh, so you are with thisss wimp? I guess filth should sssstick together! Am I right boysss!?” The crowd laughs at his joke. I use the opportunity to kneel beside Ripley, quickly placing my left hand on his back and running circles along with it. Soon after the raccoons’s heaving breaths calm down. I can’t use the Light inside of me due to the jammer, but I can manipulate energy OUTSIDE of me. One of the perks of being a red Lighbearer.

You are so shameless. Do you know that?

“Awww. Look at this, the wimp found himself a boyfriend!” He mocks me again as he tries and fails to do kissy faces, his muzzle isn’t geared for that motion.

“Look man, we don’t want any trouble. I’ll just get my friend and we’ll stay out of your sight-”

“Hell no!” Ripley interrupts me with a coarse voice, I smack him on the back, sending him into a coughing fit. I’m trying to save this asshole and he keeps trying to get killed!? What the hell is wrong with him?

“You heard the man, he wants more.” Lance shrugs his shoulders. “Truly a ssshame that I will have to end you too, never fucked a human before. I could have found some ussse to you, heh.” His scaled clawed hand reaches for my face but I grab his forearm mid-way.

“Last warning. Let. Us. Go…” I see the yellow light gathering in his arm, I already know he isn’t backing down… There goes my plan of keeping things under the table.

His face contorts in anger and disgust. Yellow Light shines from the arm in my hand. Energy outside my body that I can use… “You ungrateful muzzleless bitch! I’ll show you-!”

“RedShift” The principle is simple. Find the energy wavelength, learn how it moves. “Disruption” Then break it apart spectacularly.

Ripley had shields when I used it on him… Lance boy doesn’t…

In a flash Snake boy’s arm is annihilated by the sheer force of his own Light losing its integrity, the shockwave sends him flying into the sea of bodies, causing collateral damage to the onlookers, destroying a couple of dozen tables and chairs along the way. That very same crowd falls dead silent, staring at me with various expressions. My face and clothing got splattered with thick green blood, but I don't mind. Besides, with the color of my clothes the stains won’t be noticeable.

“Holy. Shit.” I look down at Ripley who has his maw open in shock. “I gotta admit I’m proud I could still walk after that!” I realize my hand is still running circles along his back. The artifact doesn’t seem to be acting up anymore and Rippy looks much better, so I stop my hand motions.

“BRAVO. BRA- VO!” I hear someone clapping their hands very enthusiastically. “SPLENDID. MARVELOUS!” Me and Rippy-boy turn our eyes at the same time to the Lisico walking towards us who he keeps showering us with praise and clapping his hands. “The tension! The drama! Your conviction! His stubbornness! Chef's kiss!!!” He kisses the tip of his pinched finger in a weird gesture, he smiles in what can only be described as pure joy.

“Who in the imaginary fucks I don't give are YOU!?” Ripley showers the fox with his usual welcoming demeanor as a thank you.

“Tekk.” I spat the name.

He clears his throat. “It’s ‘Tadgh’.” He corrects me. I have never been good with names, hence why I nickname everyone I may care about or need. “Gotta say the chemistry between you too is stunning, It almost makes me feel jealous!” He adds giddily.

“What. The. Fuck?” Ripley says, I try helping him stand up but he bats my hand away. Charming as always.

“Architects!!! My manners have eluded me too much today it seems!” The Lisico gives a dramatic bow with extra flair. “Tadhg Fopius The Third.” He raises his eyes at us again, power shining from within those orbs. “You may also call refer to me as ‘The Ghost Of Izolim’ and your inside contact to get to your target, Mr. Crimsom Butcher. It will be my pleasure doing business with you.” There is a threat behind those honeyed words in a way only a politician can convey.

So he is not actually working for the Church. Good, that would have made things here a hell of a lot harder, we already have enough with the fights and the guards-...

Wait a damn minute.

“Oh, you finally realized?” Tek mocks me with a sweet smile.

“What is this clown talking about, Ace?” Rippy asks but I’m too preoccupied confirming my suspicions with my abilities.

As I look around everywhere with my eyes of Heimdallr I see not only not a single guard nearby but EVERY SINGLE ONE of the other prisoners is ignoring us as if the altercation that just took place never even happened. They all have a light green mist covering their eyes and ears. Some of them are even interacting with a shapeless mist of light green moving about, yelling at them, mocking them, stepping out of their way, almost as those misty shapes were…

“Wow…” I almost forgot what the ‘green’ side of the spectrum of light is capable of. “He is keeping everyone here under an illusion, using fake guards to keep the prisoners well behaved.” Looking at the impossibly far walls I finally see some guards, they too have the same colored mist covering their sensory organs. “And he keeps the guards under the illusion that everything is under control…” Remarkable. Truly remarkable.

“He is what-” Rippy-boy tries to add but is interrupted by the happy squeals of the Lisico as he pushes the Procylanos away, practically vibrating in happiness.

“Oh my! I am so delighted by meeting you and recognizing my work, Mr. Butcher!” He looks like a little kid who just had gotten particularly good candy from his parents for his hard work. “I gotta say I always admired your work and ALL you did for us who did not agree with the church, and THOSE EYES! Goodness the legends were true you can see things only Seers could dream of watching, I have heard many tales of the deadly eyes of Heimdallr and how they can strip you of your advantages and secrets almost instantly-”

Okay, he is rambling now.

Can’t believe you have fans.

Me neither.

Wonder if he would still admire you if he knew about-

“CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON!?” Ripley's anger pulls me out of my thoughts. Takh is still rambling about how he used to keep close eyes on my jobs when he was just a trainee, freshly taken from his mother because of his abilities or whatever, completely in his own words of reminiscence.

“Basically, he is a friend. Don’t worry. He is also the contact hired by the Fleeting Lights to lead us to our target, and helps us get out of this whole mess.” I say matter of factly.

“THAT whack-job is a friend!?” Ripley points an accusatory finger at the drama-loving fox. who is now spewing tales about how he was betrayed by the Church and he had to use everything in his power to remain hidden after he joined the Light Rebellion. Going from place to place, lover to lover… In great detail…

“I uh-...” Ripley and I just watch him in horror as he is spewing his soul out in this grandiose tale of his life that quite honestly… We are paying zero attention. “He is having a moment. Just-” He is now crying… “Let him compose himself?”

“I am SO dead, my sister is dead, my nephews are dead- WE are dead. Did I say I am dead, too? Yup, I am SUPER dead.” Ripley just sounds completely defeated.

I…

I think for once Ripley may be right?

“Ahem, sorry about that, fellows.” Tap casually clears his throat, dusting his prison outfit. No signs of the previous unwanted show he just gave us. “It’s been a while since I received clientele such as you, Mr. Butcher. You must understand I got a little emotional of having my hard training and efforts recognized, especially by one such as you.” His whole demeanor changes, he tucks his hands behind his back and walks in a confident stride to befitting that of royalty, he motions for us to follow, not bothering to look back. “Move along gentlemen, we have matters to discuss. Worry not about the other inmates or guards, I have that covered.”

I try to help Ripley up against his will again, and after struggling with me for a couple of seconds he reluctantly agrees to use me as a crutch to help him walk. I slip my arm behind his back as he latches onto my shoulder with his left arm. He grumbles and I can clearly hear him growling under his breath. I honestly don’t care if he is in a mood, I’m just tired and want to get this day over with. I need sleep, and he is obviously wounded, both from our previous fights throughout the day this most recent one. Blood is starting to stain some of his newly worn prison clothes from his previous wounds. Maybe I should ask Todhg about a first aid kit that I could use on Ripley-

“Why are you doing this?” He asks. He doesn’t sound angry. Or threatening… I turn to look at him, and from this position we are pretty close, allowing me to stare directly into his familiar copper-colored eyes. He looks at me with a calmness in his eyes that scares me more than anything he could ever do. “I get the part that you are doing your job and made a deal with me for the Coil. But THIS?” He signals our current position. I am holding his wounded body to me, almost against his will as we are following a total stranger… In a way, as much of a stranger as Ripley is… “You can’t tell me you are doing this out of the kindness of your heart?”

Oh, He got you there…

“Why not?” Cold grips my chest, a vicious grip that slowñy takes the air from my lungs. “I am very kind, I’ll have you know.” My mind goes back to moments before we got arrested, when Rippy was still unconscious on the ground from Stygian’s venom and Styx asked the exact same thing. “Can’t a guy help a good alien in need just because?”

_____________________________________________________________________

“Why, Ace?” Styx asks, He invades my personal space, as usual, bending down to look me directly in the eyes, he looks at me with innocence in those yellow eyes of his.

“Why, what?” I play dumb, reloading my guns.

“You know what, silly.” He boops my nose with his huge claw. He smiles at me sweetly. “I know you want to make amends for your past and everything. But don’t you think you are going a bit far for someone you don't even know?” He finds strands of hair out of place on my head, and he makes it his personal mission to put them back into place with the utmost care in the world. I try and fail to swat his hand away.

“I do know him.” I say, nervous. I could lie. I could easily make something up. Architect knows lying is one of my best skills. “Well- not quite.” Yet, I swore long ago that I would not lie, again. Not to Stygian, at least.

“Hmm?” He looks at me expectantly, his ears and eyes are fully focused on me. There is no judgment or bad intentions in that gaze of his. I know no matter what I say he is going to hang on every word and hold it as an absolute universal truth no matter what… If I told him he was a duck he would probably believe it.

“I uh-” I swallow saliva. I have killed armies, yet saying a simple thing can be so hard. My mind can be strange sometimes.

It’s because you are a horrible monster that-

“Don’t listen to him.” As if reading my mind Stygian squeezes my hand in his huge one, my whole hand disappears in his huge mitt. “I’m here, I won't judge you…” He playfully pokes out his forked tongue at me along with a flirtatious wink. “I can’t.” He boops my noose again with his other hand, and he smiles again.

“I knew his father.” I say. Styx’s ears raise in shock. “I was pretty close with him, actually.”

I swallow spit, wondering if beating around the bush or outright telling him would be easier. I know Stygian would care at all about context, he would just hear my side of the story and take it, and he would support me no matter what…

Yet here I am, faltering.

He silently encourages me, knowing there's more, somehow. He has a way of knowing things I don't, despite him not being the smartest guy ever.

Screw it, better to rip the band-aid out at once. As much as it pains me to say it.

“I also killed him…”

_____________________________________________________________