ToLaD: Chapter 12: Action's Reaction
Warning: This chapter does contain Australian slang terms as a description and a possibly ideologically sensitive format of fates. If you don't like either of these two things, please either proceed carefully or leave.
This message of warning has been brought to you by the author.
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The following morning, the news of the head of Vision Corporation's death by bullets was broadcasted all over.
The Reischer family sat and watched the news with disgusted intrigue. They have noticed an odd rise in unexplained deaths, along with many other families as well. Like any smart family, when the scenes of the unfortunate victim was shown, everyone covered Blyde's eyes so he wouldn't get nightmares because of it.
Braedon shook his head, the bell on the accursed collar softly ringing after each movement. He stood and made his way over to his room. Despite his parents' wishes, he doesn't like opening the blinds he has hanging over his windows, preferring to keep his room mostly in darkness. He never knew why, but he just liked it that way.
He looked at the calender he had hanging in his room. It was of his favourite band, the Free Wings. And that also reminded him to get the tickets for the concert coming up. But there was a more pressing matter. A tournament tomorrow.
He went back down, seeing his father has already changed the channel, Blyde playing outside on the swings and his mother on the phone. Which reminded him of something else, too.
"So, 'Defenders Without A Home' is already becoming a bestseller? And why aren't you surprised?....... Yes, I know that many anthros all around Loscade loves my books, but it couldn't become one this fast. It has only been a day!" She sighed, all of a sudden. "I guess you're right. Others seem to not compete as well as I wanted them to. Alright, just keep the royalties at a constant and I'll come up with the next book in the series as soon as I am able. Bye."
She hung up on the phone, looking over to where she sensed a presence before but saw no one there. She grunted and placed the phone back.
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Braedon was lying across his mess of a bed, his phone up to his ear. He was waiting patiently, but the damn collar was annoying him. And he knew just who to call to get this collar off.
"Hello Braedon. Why are you calling?" Amato asked over the phone, all innocent-like.
"Amato, I need you to get the collar off now." Braedon ordered.
He heard a soft chuckle on the other side of the phone, aggravating the black fox.
"Tell me why, and I shall consider it."
"I have a tournament representing the club tomorrow and I cannot wear this or, Kaklene help me, I will make your life a living hell." Braedon threatened. He hated threatening others, but it had to be done this time.
"Can I come?"
"Now why are you asking that, Amato?!"
"If I cannot, then the collar doesn't come off. If I can, then the collar comes off for the duration of the tournament. But, either way, the collar stays."
Braedon pulled the phone away from his ear so Amato cannot hear him.
"Damn it." He whispered harshly.
He pushed the phone back to his ear, hearing a soft drum beat through the phone.
"I'll ask Dad, Amato. No promises, though." Braedon answered.
"Ok. See you then." Amato responded and hung up.
Braedon slowly lowered his phone and placed it down upon the mattress. He then just remembered something.
He has to actually train today.
Braedon almost leapt from his bed to his door in one leap, the accursed bell jingling. He dashed through the hall and out into the main room, seeing his father pick up the keys to the car. Azaz looked over to Braedon and smirked.
"Finally remembered, did you?" Azaz asked.
Braedon nodded, too high on adrenaline to actually answer verbally. Azaz allowed Braedon to walk through, but turned halfway to the inside of the house.
"Teagan! Braedon and I will just be down at the Modern Quester! See ya in a few hours!" Azaz yelled into the house.
"Alright!" Was the reply back.
Azaz closed the door and the two vulpines got into the car and left the house. When they got to the Modern Quester, there were five other vehicles there. Both father and son were confused, since there should only be four other cars excluding their own. And the strange fifth one was a rustic van.
They parked the car and got out, five other getting out of the four other cars. All of them roughly around Braedon's age, some older, some younger, they all deemed Braedon the unofficial leader of the group. A male white-scaled dragon, hyena twin sisters, who always look like mirror images of each other while excluding clothes worn, a ferret with glasses and a female snow leopard. All vital parts of the Modern Quester's competition team.
A familiar kangaroo to all of the team got out of the van. And it was a surprise. The team's sponsor, a well respected company anthro, used a van in a shocking state of near disrepair to get around town. The sponsor bounced merrily over to them.
"G'day, Azaz. I see ya team's here as well." The kangaroo greeted, waving a paw as well.
"Barry, why the wrecked vehicle?" Azaz asked, now trying to unlock the front door to the Modern Quester.
"Aww, jus' a casual van, mate. I don't take it for business trips. Go'a keep up the respect, 'ey?"
"And why are you here now?" Azaz asked once more, opening the door for the team.
"Jus' to let ya know that our sponsorship of your team is still high an' migh'y, mate. Righ' now, I go'a go. The joey's gettin' impatient, ya know?" Barry continued, scratching vigorously above his nose.
Azaz chuckled a bit. "I know that feeling well and truly."
Barry turned around and hopped away, yelling goodbyes as he did. Azaz watched the kangaroo drive away, then shook his head in mock disgust as he walked in.
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At an unknown place on Loscade:
Ming entered the one place that only her and her group can enter. A small fortress, the old brick and mortar breaking down and slowly being replaced by new ones, only to be worn down once more to be replaced.
Such is the nature of things.
But she isn't here for such musings. She came here for answers to the prophecy that her group has been wishing to happen for millennia.
Inside the deepest part of the fortress, there stood a worn statue of Rikmos. Ming immediately closed her eyes and the panda was transported to the plane. Once she opened her eyes, Ming saw Rikmos already standing there, eyeing her.
"Master Rikmos. I want answers." Ming announced.
Rikmos chuckled, smiling. "As the Fates foretold. I know what you want to ask, Ming. I know you have been a faithful follower, but I cannot give you the answers you seek." Rikmos said.
"The two warriors. What will their alignments be?" Ming asked.
Rikmos spread his wings wide and fast, illuminating their surroundings with a web of glowing lines. Ming and Rikmos both looked up, one perplexed, the other staring bluntly.
"This is how you think Fate works, Ming. And for almost everyone, it is how it works. However," Rikmos said. The web of lines disappeared to become two lines, intersecting at various points. "these are the Fates of the two warriors. Their Fates are written in stone, unchanging as the very ground. Only I shall know which side they will take, what each will do to the others around them and what others will do around them."
Rikmos let the two intersecting lines disappear.
"Even the other gods do not know this. They leave me to my Fates, as I leave them to their domains. The prophecy is not complete, as I wrote it that way on purpose. It is to allow them to walk their respective Fates, rather than to force them down that path." Rikmos continued. "And now, it is time for you to go, Ming."
Ming was transported back to the room with Rikmos' statue, the faint breeze whipping up the silks she wore. She left the room, closing the door behind her to wander the fortress' halls in thought for the umpteenth time in her life.