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When one is first freed from the bonds of consequence, and forced to face the temptation to use the freedom which has arisen within their very soul, an unenviable choice must then be made. To abandon humanity forever, and be consumed by the endless pursuit of power, or to pursue that very same power, in the name of a far nobler goal.

But whatever decision we may make, whatever path we eventually follow, the temptation to choose the other never truly leaves us. It is always there drifting just beneath the surface of our thoughts, disturbing our hearts, our minds, and our very souls.

Chapter Thirty Seven : A light, to hold the darkness at bay.

Kato's search for Lady had not been an easy one. It taken almost two full years before he had finally managed to pick up her trail. Two years filled with close calls and shady back room deals. Where one wrong step, one simple mistake, would have left him as nothing more then a lifeless corpse left lying by the side of the road. And if the corporate side of SynCity could be considered by many to be cutthroat and ruthless, then the dark reality of its underworld, a world often run by the vicious and the dispossessed, was at times worse then even they could imagine.

Lacking in all the subtleties that made life among the elite so civilized, those who made their living existing on the fringes of SynCity's so-called perfect society, often resorted to nothing more then acts of crude violence and simple threats to obtain everything that they desired. And it was because of that very fact, that often were the times when he had found himself a shark in unfamiliar waters, waters where his many rivals were always waiting for him to make that one slip, that one fatal mistake, that would give them their chance to close in and finally tear him apart.

Not that he could ever really find it in himself to fault them for it. Since he was so often doing the same thing himself, they had even managed to turn it into a game. A game were they even took bets on who would be the first to fall. But the sheer thrill of putting his life on the line, of gambling everything he had on that last roll of the dice, it was exhilarating, and one that he had thoroughly come to enjoy.

Kato knew that somewhere deep inside his soul, he was losing sight of what it meant to live a normal life, and with it, his ability to care about the things that really mattered. But even that was a price worth paying, if it meant that he could be with her again.

Following the trail to its eventual end, Kato had made his way to a seedy night club that skirted the edges of the UnderCity. To a place the locals liked to call, The rabbit hole.

After glancing up at a truly tasteless neon sign of a woman dressed in a rabbit costume having intercourse with a carrot, Kato tossed his money in front of a wide eyed clerk who didn't even bother to pick it up.

Strange, He thought to himself, People usually like money. Waving his hand in front of the clerk's face a few times, he started snapping his fingers just to confirm his suspicions.

Nothing, not even a blink.

Satisfied that the kid was a deadhead, someone who had sold out space in their head to the Companies for extra processing power, Kato moved to take back his credits.

The clerks expression remaining as blank as ever, one hand snapped out in order to grab the money, the other held up a gun that had the words 'No refunds' written on the side.

“Not bad.” Tossing the clerk a tip as he walked through the front door and into the club proper, Kato had to smile just to spite the irony of the world around him. Kid's got what it takes to work in this business, no wonder someone decided to hire him.

Standing on the threshold of a palace dedicated to pleasure, Kato wondered what kind of a sick and twisted mind had seen fit to dream up a place where grown men could come in order to spend their hard earned credits to watch lapin chimeras do things that were barely considered legal even at the best of times. Lap dances from strippers, live sex shows, this place isn't a night club, its a freaking petting zoo!

Hoping that he hadn't just gotten himself in over his head while he stood in line, waiting for his chance to be looked over by a bunch of burly looking bouncers, Kato noticed that there was even an optional dressing room off to the side of the line, for those who wanted to make themselves less conspicuous.

Not that I really need it, Thought Kato as he looked around the room in the hopes that he might catch a glimpse of Lady. Because when it comes to places like this wearing a trench coat and a hat tends to make you blend in, not stand out. Although a mask would be nice. I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise after all.

Greeted by a gorilla in a monkey suit as he stepped up to the queue, the bouncer holding his hands behind his back gave him a friendly once over and said. “No weapons allowed.”

Sizing up the chimera in front of him in return, Kato flexed his claws and said. “Do these count?”

Giving him a look that said he could choose to cooperate and be let inside, or be tossed back out onto the street, the bouncer just shook his head and said. “No.”

Alright then, Thought Kato. Subtlety it is.

“Look, just between you and me,” Ignoring the other bouncer's who had suddenly made it their business to take an interest in him, Kato said. “You can tell your buddies over there its alright for them to relax, cause the only heat I'm packing,” Grabbing his own crotch, he leaned in and said. “Is right here. In my pants.”

“Not funny.” Crossing his massive arms in front of a barrel shaped chest he snorted and said. “Not funny at all.”

“Well that's good,” Said Kato as, with a wave of his hand he slipped a cred card into the front of the big guy's lapel. “Cause you see, I too just happen to have been born without a sense of humor.” Opening his coat to show that he was indeed unarmed, he asked. “Now, I'm looking to find someone in particular. Do I have to point her out, or can I simply order from a menu?”

Unhooking a velvet rope that had probably started out life as a brighter color, before the constant cigarette smoke saturating the air had rendered it a dull and disgusting gray, the bouncer pushed a button on his datapad that ejected a clearplaz menu with a list of names on it. “Private room,” He said, handing it to Kato. “More fun that way.”

“Thanks,” Said Kato. “You've been very helpful.” Smiling as he walked away with the menu in hand, Kato suppressed the urge to laugh. The cred card he had given the bouncer as a bribe, had been lifted out of the bouncer's own pocket.

Slamming her tray into the bar, Lady said. “I swear, if one more guy asks me to help him bury his carrot tonight, I'm gonna rip his ball's off and spoon feed them to him.”

“Well that's good.” Said Cherry in her perpetually cheery way. “Because you've already got a customer waiting for you in a private room.”

Staring openly at the rabbit next to her, Lady began counting to ten as she felt the vein in her forehead starting to throb. It isn't Cherry's fault she enjoys the attention so much. She reminded herself for what was probably the thousandth time that night. Some people, they, they actually like being fucked until they don't have an original thought in their head.

Perpetually sucking away on one of her favorite carrot shaped lollipops, Cherry seemed oblivious to everything but the stares her heaving chest garnered from all of the customers who just happened to look her way. Although in Cherry's case, Thought Lady, That might actually explain a few things.

A legend among the regulars at The Rabbit Hole, Cherry had even gone so far as to dye her own fur a vivid shade of bubble gum pink, just so she would be easier to recognize.

Ten wasn't working. Lady decided to try a hundred.

“Fan-fucking-tastic,” Said Lady as she sat down in front of the bar. “And here I thought the night was going so well.” Resting her head on her hands she looked over at her friend and said. “Can you cover this one for me Cherry? Please?”

“Sorry Lady, you know I would if I could, but if a customer requests you, well you know the rules as well as I do.”

“When its a customer request there's no trading allowed. Damn. Still,” Said Lady as she tried to look on the bright side. “At least there are tips to look forward too, a chance to get away from the bar, and I won't have to deal with any drunk customers for a while . . . Ah who am I kidding? Tell me he's at least decent looking this time. I'm sick of having horny old men grab my ass as I try to serve them.”

Cherry managed to look thoughtful, which for her was an actual accomplishment. “Well it was hard to tell, he was wearing a really heavy coat and one of those butterfly masks we give out, so I couldn't get a very good look at him. And I think one of the bouncer's might have said that he was a panther, or was it a tiger?”

“Great.” Said Lady as she went to get changed. It's probably another pervert who enjoys flashing people. Why is it always me who gets stuck with the freaks? “Tell security to be on standby, I'm taking a shower to wash some of the sweat from my fur before going in.”

Lady sighed, her shift was almost over and all she wanted to do was go home and wash the feel of another man's hands from her body before starting the whole thing over again. Now she wasn't even going to have the chance to do that until she was done servicing her customer. “The thing's we do to pay the bills.”

Nodding sagely Cherry called out after her. “Oh yeah, Bobo said he sounded young! So that's a bonus, right?”

Sitting alone in a room that he had rented for a evening filled with fun and leisure, Kato had traded in his hat and coat for a plain black butterfly mask that had been made to cover the upper half of his face. It seemed the management at The Rabbit Hole was more then willing to promise its clientèle absolute anonymity, you just had to pay them enough.

Sipping a catnip cocktail while he stared up at the ceiling, Kato could feel that his mind was already beginning to slip once more into the increasingly familiar patterns that he had learned in order to safeguard his life. The mirrors on the walls are definitely a nice touch, He thought as he looked around, trying to spot any places where less technological means could be more effectively employed. And they certainly do a decent enough job of hiding the cameras, but you just can't beat the human element when it comes to security. His tail lashing back and forth as the fur on the nape of his neck started to rise in response to the nameless sensation of being watched by eyes he couldn't see, Kato thought to himself. No doubt this room is being monitored even now. In case things start to get, out of hand.

The lights in the circular room began to dim as soft music started to play. A pole rising up from the floor created an elevated platform in the middle of the room. And holding herself against that pole like her life depended on it, was Lady.

Kato felt his heart skip a couple beats as he saw what she was wearing.

Dressed in a schoolgirl outfit her shirt was tied so tight across her chest that it practically strained to hold back her her breasts, while the miniskirt she was wearing was cut so low that even though it tried, it hardly covered anything at all.

Wrapping her legs around the pole, Lady started her dance by slipping up and down it in a way that left little if anything to the imagination.

Her motions slow and deliberate, Kato felt his jaw drop to the floor as he watched her twist and bend in ways that did nothing to slow the beating of his heart, or still his raging imagination.

Forcing himself to remember to close his mouth, before the things that Lady was doing managed to completely reduce him to the level of a drooling moron, Kato swallowed the remainder of his catnip cocktail and wiped his mouth on his sleeve.

Some knight in shining armor I turned out to be. He thought as he watched Lady start to throw herself into her work. Here I am, hoping to rescue her from a life of abject poverty and sexual degradation, and all I can do is stare at her ass. Oh well, might as well just sit back and enjoy the show. After all, she is a talented dancer, and I did pay for it. Realizing that he was far more interested in her than in what she was actually doing, Kato began to examine every curve of her body, all the while attempting to match them up to the ones he had imagined in his mind.

Physically, Lady hadn't changed that much since they had parted ways. She was still very much the woman that had haunted the better parts of his dreams. But more than that, Lady was someone who attracted him on both a physical and mental level. In her, he felt as if he might find a true equal. And then came the moment when he remembered exactly why the place he was in had decided to call itself The Rabbit Hole. It was a no-panties night club. And the pole Lady was holding onto had already begun to glisten.

Kato cocked his head to the side as he started to make the connection. That isn't sweat on the pole, its . . . His brain suddenly deciding on that exact moment to go on vacation, Kato felt all the blood rush from his head, and begin flowing towards, other, more vital areas of his anatomy.

Blinking twice he thought to himself. No wonder there was a sign on the door that said: No licking the pole when the dancers are done!

Shaking himself to break free from the spell, Kato swore under his breath. If he couldn't find a way to stop her without making it look suspicious, and soon, then there was a good chance that she might not even listen to what he had come to say.

What do I do? What can I . . . Smiling as he had an idea, Kato pulled a loaded cred card out of his pocket and waved it at her temptingly.

Lady didn't even let go of the pole. “If you think that's an invitation for you to take your pants off, then this little show is going to cost you a whole lot more then that.”

“Eh? No, I mean. What I want is . . .” Kato trailed of as Lady leaned her back against the pole. “For you to tell me your name.”

Never once taking her eyes off the card she spread her legs slowly, revealing a mound of soft white fur. “What your mouth says you want and what your body is telling me it wants are two completely different things.” Sliding forwards across the floor of the platform she stole the card from his hand and tossed it aside before he could think of a way to stop her. “So which one is it?”

Drawing a second card from his pocket, Kato awarded her with a laugh that ended in a purr. “To be honest, even I don't think I know any more.” Suddenly enjoying the game far more than he was letting on, Kato said. “But what if my pants were to just, spontaneously come off on their own?” Slipping the loaded card down the front of his pants he motioned for her to come and get it.

Giving him a sly look as she slid her hand across his swollen member, Lady teased him by saying. “I don't know.” Unzipping his pants with a practiced ease she added. “Its never happened before.”

Reaching out to take hold of her hands, Kato said. “Before that. I want you to at least tell me your name.”

Taking the card from him before he could even move to stop her, Kato could only watch as Lady made it disappear somewhere altogether indecent. “My name is Jane.” She said.

“Really?” Kato didn't lament the loss of either card, neither of them had even been his to begin with. “Because all this time,” Putting on a show for the cameras, He began running his hands down her back. “I had thought that your name was Lady.” Eliciting a soft moan from her, he undid her shirt and kissed each of her breasts.

“Wait.” Lady shivered as something about the way he had said her real name made her stop and think. “I said wait.”

Kato didn't want to to stop. Not now, not that he was finally close enough to lay claim to the woman who had haunted his dreams. His tongue flicking out one last time as he looked up at the face that he had seen every time that he closed his eyes, Kato wrapped his hands around her waist and said. “But I don't want to.”

That voice, Lady looked into Kato's pale blue eyes, recognition lighting up her entire face when she said. “Kato? Is it, no. It couldn't be.” Letting Lady remove the mask that covered his face while he just sat there and smiled Lady pinched him a few times, just to be sure he wasn't a dream.

“Ow.” Batting her hands away playfully, Kato said. “So does this mean I pass the test?”

“It is you.” Forgetting everything else, Lady leaned in and hugged him so tightly that it became difficult for him to breathe. “Oh Kato, why didn't you just say that it was you?”

“Because I didn't think you would have believed it was me. I mean, this isn't exactly the kind of place where a straight laced chimera like me would go to meet someone.”

Lady nodded. Kato was right about that much. A message left behind with only his name on it would have seemed suspicious.

“And so instead of trying to talk to me directly, you decided to purchase my services for the night?” In a way it was ingenious, since it eliminated the chance of mistaking him for someone else, but more importantly then that. Just being able to see his striped face again was like waking from a long dream, only to find that her feelings for him had never really faded, that his long absence from her life had only made them grow stronger. And then she realized the unique position she was in. “You know that makes you a bad kitty Kato. Yes,” She said as she repositioned herself so she was sitting in his lap. “A very bad kitty indeed.”

“I wanted to talk to you alone,” Secretly enjoying the way Lady had teased him with her words while at the same time stroking his ego, he said. “And besides, it worked, didn't it?”

“Better then you know.” Mmmm, Thought Lady as she made herself comfortable. It feels like my dance has left him all wound up with no place to go. Maybe I should do something about that. Sliding her hand down his pants while Kato was busy talking, Lady was only half-listening to the things that he said.

“I searched everywhere that I could think of while trying to find you. But with no service contract, no contact codes.” Kato sighed. “And when we parted ways that night, I thought I might never get to see you again. You don't know how much I've been looking forward to this moment.”

That caught her attention. “Kato . . .” Wrapping her arms around his neck she buried his face in her breasts. “I've been waiting for this moment too.” Lady's voice was like a warm caress when she said. “So what say we don't keep each other waiting any longer?”

“I'm sorry Lady,” Said Kato. “As tempting as it is . . . I can't. Not like this.”

Nodding slightly, Lady could understand Kato's reluctance. Having sex with someone in a strip club wasn't exactly the most intimate act in the world, and if Kato was still the kind of person who valued people for who they were, rather then what they could do, then that just meant she was going to have to convince him to take her on as his mate in some other way. “So if its not sex that you came for, then what are you doing here?”

“I came to find you of course, because I had a promise to keep.” Showing her the thread he had tied around his wrist, Kato reached up, and removed his control collar. “And so that I could show you this.”

“Kato.” Lady held her breath while she waited for the axe to fall. “How did you do that?” More urgently she hissed. “Put it back on. They scan these rooms regularly.”

“Well then no worries,” Pulling a bottle of Dylexene tablets out of his pocket, He showed them to Lady. “I've got plenty of camouflage.” The latest in black market pharmaceuticals, they were a non-addictive substance with the ability to nullify all bio-sensors. “Every time that they scan this room, all they'll be able to detect is one human and one chimera having themselves a little bit of fun. That's all.”

Her doe eyes wide Lady was almost frightened by the difference she saw in him. He was definitely a little rougher around the edges, a little dirtier, and his shy innocence had been all but replaced by a quiet confidence, a certainty in himself that he hadn't had before. But was he still the same Kato that she had met so long ago? Lady hoped so.

“You've changed,” She said. “And not in a good way, haven't you?”

Kato refused to meet the accusation in her eyes. “It's been four years already since we've seen each other. In that kind of time, everybody changes.”

“No,” She shook her head and placed a hand against his heart. “I mean you've changed in here.”

“Yeah, I guess I have. You could even say that I've become more, practical.” Tying her shirt back into a knot he added. “But I'm still the same Kato that I was before, that much hasn't changed.”

“Somehow, I'm not so sure about that.” Eying him carefully, watching for any sign that would serve to indicate that he was lying to her, Lady said. “Kato, tell me why you really came here.”

“I told you, I came to find you.”

“Don't lie to me Kato, please, if I really mean anything to you at all then tell me the truth. I deserve to hear at least that much.”

Taking a deep breath, Kato considered his words carefully and said. “I came here because I wanted to say goodbye.”

Of all the things that he could have said, that was the one she had never expected to hear.

“What? But why?”

“Because I'm leaving SynCity. I've made all of the necessary arrangements and I wanted to know if you would come with—”

Silencing him with a kiss, Lady tilted her eyes to look up at the ceiling as she whispered into his ear. “You can tell me everything that you need to later, but not now, not here.”

Damn. The cameras. Caught up in the excitement of finally meeting Lady again, He had managed to forget all about them. Berating himself for getting careless, Kato snapped the collar back into place. “Where?” He asked her as he felt it close around his throat with an all too familiar click.

“My home.” Lady's ears perked up. There wasn't even time to form a warning before the door was suddenly being broken open by a burly looking bull chimera with a single gold ring dangling from his nostrils.

“Something wrong in here Jane?” He said to both of them, while his gaze focused itself entirely on Kato. “Security says there's some kind of a problem.” Folding his arms in front of his chest, an act that wasn't made any easier by the presence of the rippling pectorals that were in his way, he snorted in a way that said he knew exactly who the problem was.

Matching the bull chimera glare for glare, all the while secretly sizing him up out of the corner of his eye, Kato knew that it wouldn't even be a fair fight.

The massive monstrosity of walking muscle held himself like a man who spent all of his free time working out at a gym, and not enough of it in actual combat. Which means that he has no idea how to use his size effectively in a fight. Stupid, but it can be useful in the right circumstances.

The first to notice what it was that Kato was doing, Lady leaned over and whispered into his ear. “Don't hurt him, he's just the bouncer.” Out loud she said. “Its alright Bruno. Kato here is an old friend of mine.” Giving him a quick scratch behind the ears before showing him the goods, Lady stretched her legs before stepping off the couch. “Since it seems my shift is already over,” She said as she held her hand out to him. “Would the gentleman care to walk me home?”

“I'd like that.” Remembering to zip up his fly before he stood up, Kato said. “I'd like that a lot.”