FSE

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formerly SoFurry search engine

Chapter 10

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Proofage

This was happening.

This was actually happening.

Ryker found his muzzle completely interlocked with Takoshi's, his dick was raging hard in his underwear, he was inhaling the bear's scent and rubbing as much of himself against his IP as was physically possible. It was more than just the sexual gratification that came from the contact. There was still some form of energy exchange occurring with every inch of their fur touching and his flesh was hungry to be revitalised. Their tongues were dancing in the bridge formed by their combined muzzles, both of them eager to explore the other.

But it was beyond whatever metaphysical connection the Overworld brought. It was... He was connected with someone. He was making... a pack.

Takoshi's big paws suddenly seized his rump, giving it a firm squeeze. Those strong arms radiated power and strength more so when they seized his thighs and hoisted him up. Ryker's legs instinctively curled around Takoshi's waist as he was lifted off the ground. This made sure the samurai didn't have to lean down to maintain the tongue-on-tongue contact. It gave Ryker leverage as well to wrap his arms around Takoshi's shoulders, pulling the bear closer to him than they had ever been before.

Every part of him craved Takoshi... except for one part.

"W - w - wait..." he mumbled, pulling away. Takoshi chased his lips as he turned away, nibbling on the bottom of his lip. His cock twitched in desire. "Just a second, Tako..."

"What?" Takoshi rumbled, his cheeks flushed and his eyes half-closed. "Don't tell me you don't want this."

"I... I do but..." He grimaced. "Tako... I'm not gay..."

There was a second where Takoshi's expression went from surprise... then to frustration... and then to exasperation. "You're kidding me, right?"

"Well..." Now that his brain was taking over again and his hormones weren't so wild, he managed to think a little. "I've... not really..."

"You sucked me off, Ryker," Takoshi said bluntly. "You even fucked Oliver."

"No I didn't! He... he fell..."

"On your dick. He fell on your dick."

Ryker grimaced and turned away, his cheeks on fire. "Look... I've never admitted this to anyone but... I've never really been in a meaningful relationship before. Not even my parents. I've got friends but I've always sort of been..."

"Independent?" asked the bear flatly.

The parallels and play of words were not lost on him. "Yeah. I've always been so focused on my career. I kept telling myself 'no getting into relationships until I was at least thirty'. Girls would just be a distraction. Career, house then girl. That was the plan. Hell, any friends I've had only stuck around until we eventually drifted apart. Everything has been... a_phase_ for me."

"Except your career went down the tube when that corporation stole your idea, you're being kicked out of your apartment and you're in the arms of a guy with your raging boner wedged between his abs. Speaking off..."

Takoshi suddenly tensed his abdominals then rolled his stomach. Ryker could feel the muscles tightening first from the base of the bear's torso nearest his cock and then rolling upwards to his diaphragm. All the while, the abdominal muscles there squeezed tighter, gripping his cock through the singlet the bear wore.

"Oh... oh my..." moaned Ryker. He shook his head quickly and gently slapped Takoshi's shoulder. "Stop that. And before you say a girl can't do that, I'm sure a significantly muscled woman could."

"But they wouldn't look this good, would they?" Even with just one paw holding up his rump, Takoshi was able to keep him stable and lift one arm, flexing it to show the thick network of veins popping against the bicep, curling around towards the triceps and forming an intricate lattice pulsating past the thin, white fur on his forearms. Ryker couldn't help himself and dove not for the arm but for the thick brown hair nestled in Takoshi's pits and too a good, long whiff.

Takoshi laughed softly. "W - whoa. Getting right in there, aren't ya?"

He was sure that if the ursine samurai hadn't spoken, he would've been in there, memorising the bear's smell and drowning in the manly musk for longer; memorising it and committing it into the part of his brain where 'packmates' were meant to be. That said, he managed to pull away and look Takoshi right in the eye. "This isn't about my parents or anything like that, okay? I'm pretty sure my mom won't care if I'm gay. Hell, she's off in Europe with her navy sailor boyfriend. I'm pretty sure there's been a _lot_of semen jokes being made there. This is just about..." He struggled for the words. "About my personal preference. I guess it's hard to think of myself as gay because... because I've spent so long thinking I'm straight. Career, house, girl. In that order."

Takoshi... look disappointed for a moment and he hated it. Not only because he was breaking his IP's heart but also because he was afraid he could be fracturing that little island in his mind and potentially setting himself down the path of a psychological breakdown. But he couldn't live a farce and hope Takoshi wouldn't notice. This was how he felt. He just never considered himself gay.

"Do you like me, Ryker?"

He was stunned by the question and took a moment to compose himself. "Well... you're kind of brash, secretive and let's be honest, a bit of an ass sometimes but you're also thoughtful, loyal and..." He cast his gaze onto Takoshi's chest and the light dusting of brown hair that sprouted past the thin coat of creamy, white fur. "... sexy as hell. So yes, I do like you."

"Do you want to fuck me?"

His throat went try. "M - More than anything."

"Do you want to be fucked by me?"

Ryker quivered at the thought of having that huge, ass-destroying pole in him. On the one hand, he was sure it would hurt. A lot. If he didn't die from anal tearing, he was sure it'd be because Takoshi's cum would shoot up his ass, through his guts and right out of his muzzle, drowning him in cum from the inside.

But on the other hand... it would be a different type of intimacy with the bear that he sort of wanted after what Cue had told him.

"Yes."

"But you're not gay," Takoshi stated.

"Y... yes?"

"You're straight. But you like me."

"I... I guess?" Where was he going with this? He expected Takoshi to explode. To demand he make up his mind because the logic just wasn't there. Or maybe drop him painfully on his ass, leaving him on the cold, hard floor.

"If I was a chick, would you be open to a relationship with me?"

Ryker's mind went into overdrive. "You are _not_going to turn yourself into a woman!"

"What?" Takoshi jerked back in surprise. "No! I like having a dick too much!"

"Then you're not going to inflate your pecs until they're boobs, reshape your body until its more feminine and grow your hair out until it's long and silky while maintaining your cock just for me!"

The bear stared at him blankly. "I was just going to suggest I throw on a kimono because I've always seen those as a little girly. The fuck are you talking about?"

Ryker slowly uncurled his legs from Takoshi and the bear took his meaning to let him down. "I don't know... When you starting asking me if I'd like your cock in me, I had this image in my head where you'd go after some Dosers in some weird part of the world, consume them and turn yourself into a hermaphrodite for my sake."

Takoshi pointed at him. "Okay... I know you're my Host and all but no. Even if you're into that. No. I've got my standards and I like who I am."

"But you were still willing to wear a girly kimono for me?"

"It's compromise!"

Whether he liked it or not, Ryker realised that he was in a relationship. Hearing the word 'compromise' confirmed it. He stepped over to the sink, resting his back against it and just looked up at Takoshi. "You know on some level, I always thought I'd marry Tess?"

"Childhood friends turned sweethearts?" The bear shrugged. "Yeah. I guess I can see that."

"But We're just two different people. She's into fitness and is an extrovert. I'm... I'm a computer geek and an introvert."

Takoshi snorted. "After the shit you've pulled, I wouldn't think you're an introvert."

Ignoring the comment, Ryker continued. "But I've got more in common with you than I do with Tess. I've always hung around with guys because it just seemed natural. But I've never formed lasting relationships with them. I've always been a bit of an island." A faint prickling sensation peppered the back of his neck and he absently pawed at it. Maybe it was his little island in the Broker Server reminding him of its existence and consequences of breaking it apart. "I could take care of myself. At least that's what I kept saying. Maybe that's why the order of my priorities was always career, house and the girl came last because introducing someone else into my life was always the bottom priority."

"Are you actually listening to me or are you just doing that thing where you're convincing yourself into doing something?"

Ryker shook his head at himself. "God, I'm a mess. I like you. I really do. I want your cock in me because the way Oliver looked when I plough him... I want to see what that feels like. But I don't want _him_to do it. I want you."

"Yeah. You're not listening."

"I want you," Ryker concluded. "I want you, Takoshi. Guy or girl. Gay or straight. It doesn't matter. I want you. That's all that matters."

Takoshi lifted an eyebrow at him. "So... You're done?"

The young wolf nodded and clapped his paws together. "Yeah. Let's do this. Let's fuck." He forced a grin, palms curled into fists. His erection, however had slipped back down and he could tell the moment was lost as well.

"No one ever started a quality sex scene with 'let's fuck'," Takoshi said bluntly. "The magic is gone." He sighed, placing his paws on his hips. "Maybe we can pick this up again later."

Ryker grimaced, his tail drooping. "Sorry... I... I was just all up in my head and... I guess I needed to define the relationship before I could get into it. It's just like in programming. Needed to define the variable first before I could use it in a method or I'll get an error."

"Totally lost me." Takoshi sprayed some shaving cream onto his paws and lathered it on his cheeks again. "I'm going to finish up here. Why don't you take a shower or something. This time, you really _do_have some shaving cream on your cheeks. We were going at it pretty hard."

"Fair enough..."

He turned, mentally kicking himself and headed towards the shower/bathtub. He twisted the knobs, standing away from the splashes as the showerhead rained down cold water onto the tub. The annoying thing about their plumbing was that it took an excruciating amount of time for the water to heat up. Most mornings, he was standing outside the tub for at least two minutes before it even started to veer away from hypothermia levels of cold. Perhaps one of the good things about leaving this place. They might be able to save on the water bill.

His sigh was masked by the sound of rushing water. He just hoped he hadn't messed things up with Takoshi. Why couldn't he be like those impulsive characters in the media where they freaked out after they had sex? Why did he have to stop just as they were hot, horny and ready to go.

Quietly, he promised himself that if the opportunity ever arose again, he would not hesitate. Even if they were walking down the long, dramatic hallway to the final boss, if Takoshi was horny, he would jump on that dick without another second even if it meant fucking in front of their friends.

At long last, the water began to warm up so he could finally strip off his underwear, the sole piece of clothing on him, and step into the tub. As he drew the shower curtains, a big, white paw stopped him. He stared at Takoshi's bright, ice-blue eyes. There was just a spark of understanding between them and he shuffled aside, his tail rising from its droop as the bear entered the shower beside him. Under the rain of warm water, he did not hesitate to wrap his arms around Takoshi's strong, muscular torso, pressing his cheeks against that immense pectoral shelf and nuzzled the valley those two mountains made. Takoshi's arms wrapped around him, one around his rump and the other behind his head, holding him there so that his big ears could hear the titanic bear's heartbeat.

No hesitating, he reminded himself.

He turned towards Takoshi -

...and found their lips together again. The connection was electric and he felt a rush of strength and warmth flood up like Takoshi was pouring raw power down his throat. It was a feeling he just could _not_resist. The fur-on-fur contact was addictive and he found himself suckling on Takoshi's tongue, drawing more of the bear into him both metaphorically and physically.

"You're really eager," chuckled the bear, pulling away for a moment. He dove in a second later, continuing the kiss for three seconds before Ryker could respond.

"I told myself I wouldn't..." He pushed their lips back together, tongue lashing out and catching the base of Takoshi's chin. "... hesitate next time the opportunity came up."

"Good thing..." Takoshi had to pause a second as they once again ravaged one another, his strength pushing Ryker up against the wall and the shower knobs. "... you've got such a cute ass."

"My ass?"

Even with their lips collided and their eyes half-closed, he could still feel Takoshi's smirk. "One look and I was hard again."

Good to know.

But now he was stuck. He loved kissing Takoshi but it felt like he should be doing something with his paws. The towering very naked, very wet samurai had one paw squeezing his rump while the other was pressed against the wall to keep them balanced. Ryker's were just hovering in space, fingers twitching and not knowing what to do.

His brain was freezing up. It was so easy before because Takoshi had taken the lead. When he gave the bear a blowjob, Takoshi had grabbed the back of his head and drove the pace. When he had Oliver between them, Takoshi had again been the driving force. Now, he was lost!

Quick! What did he really like about Takoshi's body?

Those pectorals. He reached up, elbows moving in a jerking fashion and took hold of Takoshi's big, broad chest muscles. Good _lord_they were huge! Bigger than his paws by at least twice and a half! Just roving his fingers trying to get from collarbone to nipple seemed like he was trekking from one coast to the other!

"Give 'em a squeeze," rumbled Takoshi.

He did as he was told.

And they bounced. Ryker's dick did the same. That was very hot and told Takoshi as much with a soft moan. The bear grinned, leaning down and nuzzling his neck affectionately. One by one, he bounced each of his pectorals. First one at a time to some unknown rhythm - left, then right - and then both at the same time. Ryker held on to the muscles tightly, feeling them tense with each movement and running his thumbs over the striations whenever they appeared.

Takoshi suddenly let out a soft hiss and he stopped in surprise. "Did I do something wrong?"

"N - No," mumbled the bear, nuzzling him lightly. His tongue snaked out and traced a light line against Ryker's neck, making the wolf moan. "Your thumb just brushed up against my..."

His voice trailed off. Ryker realised his thumb was hovering just over the pink scar that ran raggedly across Takoshi's torso.

A sore spot, obviously.

He was not going to let the mood die again.

"Lift your arm," he said.

Takoshi did so without question though his eyes were a little puzzled. Ryker swallowed hard. He had never done this before but he _desperately_wanted to. He immediately buried his muzzle into Takoshi's pit. The water hadn't made its way into the dense, black hair yet so he still got the strong scent that reminded him of winter mixed with the strong smell of body odour and sweat. There was no stopping his body and he was already lapping up the fur there, not just smelling the bear but _tasting_him too.

"Oh... Oh yeah..." moaned Takoshi. "Urf... This is you unleashed, boy?"

Ryker reached up with his other hand, grabbing the back of Takoshi's head and twisted it towards him. Their lips met once more, his tongue pushing into the bear's muzzle. He broke off a second just to say, "Shut up and taste yourself." Then he went back in, sending his tongue probing and carrying his IP's scent and taste back into the bear that made it.

Takoshi's moan was a good sign that he was doing something right and all because he switched off his thoughts for a second.

What else could he do to pleasure the bear?

No. Don't think about it.

The other pit!

His paws roved around Takoshi's other arm, feeling the strong, vascular muscles there which sent his muzzle watering. Takoshi got the hint and lifted his arm behind his head. Ryker broke off the kiss and went straight for that armpit, taking a good, long whiff. His eyelids fluttered. This was the scent of a male. Not just any male either. His_male. His IP. No. More than that. His _partner. There was definitely a difference between the bear sharing the shower with him right now and the rhino chained to a bedpost outside. He wasn't even sure when his tongue had snaked out and he started lapping at Takoshi's armpits.

The taste of the bear was simply exquisite. It was like he would put a tangible _taste_and substance to the energy that was flooding him. He realised he could get a better taste from another source. Turning his head slightly, he began lapping at the bear's flanks, loving how the muscles there were so perfectly shaped and defined that Takoshi could very well be a living, breathing anatomical reference. His lips glided down to the underside of Takoshi's pectorals and he decided to give the bear's nipple a little flick with his tongue.

"Urf..."

He glanced up at Takoshi, the bear's cheeks now bright red. "Like that?"

"Fuck yes..." came the response between heavy pants.

Something else to note. But he had his eyes on a bigger prize; much bigger. Takoshi was already at full mast. The fourteen inch member was truly a sight to behold and now that he could see it in the full light of the shower, Ryker was mesmerised by every vein, every curve and that pulsing, bright red head. He leaned now, pressing his nose right up against the glands and taking a big long whiff. The warmth coming off it was too alluring to waste another second. His muzzle was around it without hesitation. The taste was slightly different to Takoshi's pits but the scent was there and it was warm. The fresh jets of precum made it juicier. With the water raining down on them, he didn't need any lube to slide the member down his throat. Takoshi grunted, gently resting a paw on his shoulders while thrusting his hips ever so slowly.

Ryker's paws traced the lines of the bear's legs. With his eyes closed, he 'saw' with his fingers as the muscles tensed and relaxed with every powerful thrust. Gripped those powerful quads, following their thick plateaus and only stopping whenever he found a rich, thick vein to follow. He was like an early pioneer mapping the veins across Takoshi's beautifully contoured legs. Then he found the hot, furry balls resting between those legs.

Those he had to see with his own eyes so when he cupped those huge orange-sized sacks, he opened his eyes and stared at their glorious forms. They filled his palms easily and while mostly covered in his white fur had a nice, strangely symmetrical growth of black pubic fur running right down the middle. He imagined that was a product of Takoshi's attempt to make himself attractive to another Host. The question of what kind of Host would be attracted to the shape and design of one's balls would have to be answered later but then he realised he found those balls very attractive. He ran his thumb over that line of thick pubic hair, making Takoshi grunt and thrust a little harder.

With his other paw, he explored the base of Takoshi's member, running his fingers through the wet forest of black hair which naturally led upwards in a trail towards the bear's rippling muscled abdominals. His throat went try when he stared at the hardened washboard in front of him but that was quickly remedied by a shot of salty precum down his throat. They were irresistible. All those TV shows, actors with abdominals had nothing on Takoshi. They had the lean physique of a model. Takoshi was a bodybuilder. More. He was a god. Ryker had never seen such definition and he couldn't believe it was just inches from his face let alone that such beauty was related to something sexual.

His adolescence has been spent associating any sort of sexual stimulation with women so this was entirely new territory to him.

He just had to touch it.

His paw gripped one of the hard, muscled cubes hidden beneath a thin layer of white fur and his cock spasmed in response. Amazing. Simply amazing.

Ryker couldn't help it; he tore his muzzle away from Takoshi's dick and ran his precum-covered tongue all the way up those washboard abdominals. He didn't stop there. He slipped his tongue between the bear's thick pectorals, exploring every inch of them. Even when Takoshi tensed his chest muscles just for him, he was determined to make it to the other end of the valley just so his tongue could once more push between the bear's lips.

Success.

Their lips collided in a passionate union while their dicks pressed up against one another, throbbing with need.

Takoshi pulled away for a brief moment. "Mount me."

"Urf...?" he mumbled as their lips became occupied again.

"Fuck me, Ryker," Takoshi clarified. "Stick your fucking dick in me and tie with me."

There was no stopping the bear as he immediately broke the kiss and turned around. Pressing both paws against the wall, he leaned back a little and offered his shapely ass to the panting, horny wolf. It was impossible to resist the allure. Ryker now had an unobstructed view of Takoshi's back. The perfectly symmetrical contoured back was just as mesmerising as the front and his paws were already reaching out to grip those mountains, consequently pulling him forward. He had turned into a one of those mainstream zombies, paws outstretched and hunting for flesh only as he stepped forward, his dock somehow gravitated towards Takoshi's ass and pushed into the tight hole.

Both furs moaned at the contact. Ryker's legs almost gave out from underneath him and he had to rest his paws on the small of Takoshi's back just to keep himself from falling over. A soft, low whine left his lips. An inexplicable force pulled him deeper into Takoshi, another inch sliding forward. With that inch, his paws slid further up the bear's back, fingers holding tight to the strong muscles.

There was a moment when he wondered if he should pull out or just keep pushing back in but then instincts took over. He pulled back, panting while the shower peppered him from behind. Then he pushed back in, deeper this time and eliciting a long, loud moan from Takoshi. His balls were screaming to burst. In a desperate attempt to to explode too soon, he held his breath as he repeated the gesture - pulling out and pushing another half-inch deeper. Some part of his mind was surprised Takoshi was so tight given that the bear was so hormonal. Then he wondered if he was the bear's first but that thought quickly evaporated when Takoshi shifted his weight, the muscles on the bear's back moving like the plates on the earth's crust and drawing Ryker deeper into their hypnotic spell.

Another inch deeper and Takoshi let out a grunt. He reached behind himself, gently grasping Ryker's paw. The contact broke the spell for second. That is until Takoshi guided his paw over to that monster cock of his. The temperature seemed to rise by a hundred degrees as Takoshi wrapped his fingers - and consequently Ryker's - around the base of his dick then guided it up the entire fourteen inch length. Ryker was pulled forward, pushing deeper into Takoshi. When the bear began guiding his paw back to the base, he pulled back.

He could feel the throbbing need in the ursine's dick; like the cum was gurgling in that shaft ready to explode. Ryker whined, his own dick just as needy. But something about Takoshi's slow movements told him, 'not yet'. There was just one more step that needed to be taken. When he felt his knot pushing up against Takoshi's ass, he knew exactly what that step was.

He needed to tie with his bear.

Ryker tried to force his knot in but it was too big to fit in immediately. Takoshi grimaced and he was causing his bear pain. No pain. He didn't want to hurt his IP. So he gently pulled back and then drove back in, slowly. A little further this time and now Takoshi moaned when he couldn't take more. Ryker pulled back again and once again, dove back in. Little progress this time but it felt amazing and now the end goal was in sight.

One more time, this time a little faster. Takoshi grunted, his paw following Ryker's pace as the wolf slammed his knot against his anal ring over and over again. Their grunts and huffs grew louder and louder with Ryker's blunted claws gripping hard onto Takoshi's flanks for support. Takoshi slouched forward, pressing his cheek against the wall with his tongue lolling out and eyes gazing off into nowhere. Both their bodies went into autopilot with Ryker pounding the bear harder and harder with every passing second. His knot was almost in and the moment it Takoshi's ass wrapped about halfway around, he couldn't take it anymore.

Something just... snapped in Ryker.

The wolf's entire body went rigid and he thrust his hips with all his might forward. His balls jostled, momentarily swinging forward and tapping against Takoshi's - like a tiny little kiss - before they shot all his seed straight up his dick and sent it straight into Takoshi's waiting hole. That one thrust was enough to lock him in place, tying into the bear. He threw his head back, his back arching and a loud, jubilant howl ripping from his throat. The force of his orgasm caused him to jerk his hips forward, pressing right up against Takoshi's prostate.

Takoshi was just two seconds behind. His long dick went rigid and he slammed both their paws against the base of his member, holding it firm as a jet of sticky, white seed came blasting out of the head and splattering against the wall. Contrary to Ryker's momentum, his blast send him shoving back against the wolf. The two opposing forces sent both furs colliding with one another in a war for stability, fighting against the might of their orgasms while trying hard to keep standing. There was something to be said that, somehow, despite Takoshi being so much bigger than Ryker, both of them remained on their feet even with the cum-infused waters at their ankles keeping the bathtub slick and with little traction.

A wave of exhaustion, different from when he had first woken up, crashed against Ryker and he ended his howl. The wolf slumped forward, collapsing against Takoshi's shoulder's, eyes half-closed and gazing off into the distance. Takoshi let out a choking gasp as the last of his seed blasted out of his now-empty balls. His arms slumped beside him, finally releasing Ryker's paw. For his part, Ryker gave the bear's long member one last stroke, bringing a soft, gasp from his partner and IP some drips of cum slipped out onto his fingers. He lifted his cum-soaked paw towards his muzzle, sniffed it a little and then instinctively, placed his sticky fingers into his muzzle.

He decided he liked the taste.

He liked the taste of cum. He liked the feel of strong muscles. He liked the smell of a man.

Most of all, he liked Takoshi.

"Oooorf..." he moaned. "I wish we were in bed right now so I could fall asleep in your arms..."

Takoshi could only mumble an incoherent response as they remained standing int he shower for a few minutes before their senses started to come back to them. Just in time as Ryker's knot began to deflate and he was able to slip out of Takoshi. The bear turned back around to face him, a gentle smile on his features. He feared there would be some awkwardness now that they finally had sex but Takoshi leaned down, gave him a light kiss and then reached past him to grab the sponge.

They lathered themselves up, making sure their fur was devoid of all signs of cum and their activities. Ryker wasn't too fond of the idea that Takoshi would be masking his manly scent with some admittedly pleasant smelling shampoo and deodorant. But there was another aspect he was looking forward to and that was the idea that Takoshi would eventually get hot and sweaty again and eventually build up that scent all over again.

"Get my back?" Takoshi asked, holding out the sponge.

"Just don't flex again," Ryker warned. "I might pounce."

He didn't flex but Ryker almost wished that he did. The young wolf was at least sure what he wanted. Labels weren't important. Takoshi understood that and he was eager to explore more of the bear's body when they had a bit more free time.

The shower went off and they drained the bathtub. After a quick blast from the hair dryer and a rub down with a towel, they emerged from the bathroom with a towel around their waists. Ryker froze when he realised Decanter was still chained to the bedpost.

"About time," sighed the rhino. "Weren't we supposed to meet up with Kanoth soon?"

Ryker glanced towards Takoshi for answers.

"Kanoth wanted to see if he could convince Nero to abandon AllAle," supplied his IP. "After what happened with Raskeil, he was afraid whoever shot her would go after Greenwood next. Apparently those two are close so he didn't want the same thing happening. We were supposed to meet him today. But then you woke up and..."

"I get it," Ryker said, lifting his paw. "Let's go see him."

"You sure you wouldn't rather rest?"

He was sure 'resting' would be the last thing they'd be doing but if he had been out for four days, AllAle was likely on its way to recovery already. If they didn't act soon, the company would forever be locked away and out of reach. They couldn't stop now. Not when they were so close to defeating AllAle once and for all.

"I've rested enough." He hiked a thumb towards the closet. "Let's get dressed and go."

"Think you can let me out of this?" Decanter asked, lifting his arm. "Not like I can do much here anyway. I don't have my powers while in the Realworld and you've already proved to me that you're not responsible for Aileen's death."

With a shrug, Takoshi padded over to Decanter, reached for the chain of the handcuffs and tore it clean in two. Ryker felt his dick twitch in his sheath. That display of strength was immensely sexy.

"What happened to the key?" Decanter demanded.

"I lost it," Takoshi answered with a shrug. "Besides, this'll remind you that you're still on a short leash, bud." He pointed at the remaining cuff on his wrist.

"Whatever." Decanter stood and straightened. "By the way, boys..." He locked gazes first with Takoshi and then Ryker. "I heard everything."

******

Cramming into a single car with three big guys like Arthur, Soren and Takoshi would have been hard enough but with Decanter in the mix, it was impossible to get just a single taxi to take them to the cafe. So it was two cars with Takoshi, Decanter and Ryker in one and the others in another. Decanter rode shotgun while Takoshi was parked in the back with Ryker. There was nothing different in the air apart from the fact that Takoshi kept a paw on his knee the entire ride.

It was nice. Their relationship wasn't exploding out of of the pens and crashing into everything that was in their way. It was proceeding slowly, naturally.

Speaking of relationships...

Ryker glanced at his phone at the Independent App. He flicked it open into its passive mode where he could check his synch rates and Contacts without having to drop into the Overworld. He briefly wondered what would happen if he entered the Overworld while in a speeding vehicle and decided he didn't want to test that out.

Decanter was definitely on his list of Contacts with their synch-rate at a piddling 11%. Still better than zero. Takoshi was at 39%. Even after they had sex, just at 39%. He wondered if he had to offer his ass to the bear in order to get it to jump up further. Then again, this wasn't a _true_measure of their relationship but rather how closely their thoughts were attuned to one another. He could imagine that was why a lot of other people who entered the Broken Server would find their psyches torn apart; because they just could not synchronise with everyone at any one time.

The weight of his 'ailment' hit him hard and he shook it from his mind for the moment.

True to what Cue had mentioned, there was a new option under his menu.

'Go to Server'.

Curious he pressed it.

Suddenly, he was back in the Broken Server of Dreams, once again standing in the thick garden of blue flowers, feet bound and surrounded by darkness. Not too far away from him, he could see Takoshi. One of the flower had now bloomed for the bear. That warmed his heart.

"Back so soon?" Cue stepped into view, face hidden as ever and strangely mobile despite the densely packed flowers. "How can I help you?"

"Just a few questions," Ryker said. "When I first made a Pact with Takoshi, he said that he took half of my lifespan to live in the Realworld. Is that true?"

Cue shook his head, waving a hand absently through the air. "Not entirely. Just another lie perpetuated for the sake of everyone's safety." The mysterious guide lifted a finger. "Think of it this way. Corporations make a mint off IPs but only ones that they vet and consider to be of benefit to their corporation. They maintain their control by ensuring that everyone, even their own Corpsmen, keep their imaginations at a minimum and don't go off creating their own IPs. They keep their employees from becoming Independents because that would just cost them more to integrate said employee into the Overworld and they ran the risk of this employee realising that what they're doing is wrong and that employee running off to spill their secrets to someone. By telling people that maintaining a unique, free-thinking IP will cut their lifespan in half, they ensure that even if someone does get an IP, they are more likely to get rid of it and allow it to become a Doser than let it run around freely."

"That's terrible!"

"Such is the world we live in. Besides, when you think about it, this fabrication falls apart at the seams. A lot of CEOs live well past the 'halfway mark' of their lives and they have their IPs with them. If that lifespan penalty were true, you wouldn't have a CEO older than, say, forty or fifty."

That was true. Many CEOs lived well beyond that and most even reached retirement age. If even a few of those had IPs or were aware of the Overworld, they should have died a long time ago.

"So having Decanter as my IP won't really kill me sooner?"

"No. The true cost of having more than one IP comes when trying to manifest that IP in the Realworld for the first time. When forming a Pact, you are pooling your and your IP's energy reserves together. Often times, IPs have much greater stores than the common fur. Manifesting in the Realworld takes a lot of power, most of which must be drained from the Host as they are the anchor to the Realworld. Those who are ill-prepared for the burden of manifesting more than one IP will often die from the strain." Cue gestured at the world around them. "So there is a risk but it isn't nearly as grave as most people think."

"I guess if people knew it was possible, they'd be putting themselves at risk of going insane or becoming brain dead if and when those relationships break down." He glanced towards Decanter. At least one flower had bloomed for the rhino. "Another question... When I woke up, Takoshi touched me and... I felt this... this thing."

"The natural transference of energy from Host to IP," Cue concluded. "I imagine so. Now that you have awoken to the Server, you are aware of not only the Overworld and it's relationship to the Realworld but also that there once existed a bridge between those two worlds. This awareness has awakened your connections to the people you are connected to. You can draw strength from them. Remember, the Overworld is a psychic world. Not only does it reflect people's thoughts but their emotions as well. When one of your Contacts has intense emotions, you will feel it and you will be able to metabolise it and draw upon it. It is much like the Refresh Function. Perhaps it is really the precursor to the Refresh Function before Functions were even a thing.

"Think of it like when you made your first Pact, you were still asleep but peripherally aware, a little little like lucid dreaming." He gestured at the figures slumbering around him. "Now that you've made a connection with more than one IP, you are now fully awake. No mobile but awake. A little like sleep paralysis."

"That's grim." Ryker tilted his head to the side. "You mentioned Functions and how this connection between me and Takoshi was like Refresh. Does that mean Functions weren't always there?"

"No. Functions are a recent addition. Brought on by the development of the Independent Application and the work the Frank Benson did in the Server. Before that, there were no such uses. One could argue that magic spells and incantations used to be a form of Function but they were never really defined as they are now."

Cue did mention that in the past, IPs had been interpreted as Gods and mythical creatures that more readily interacted the world given people's collective beliefs. Now that the world had gotten much smaller and everyone had a different opinion and different interpretation, it probably meant that what used to work centuries ago no longer worked today. The scientists working on the Overworld and the Server likely created Functions as a means to more readily and easily control the powers they possessed.

"If you're curious," Cue said, "in the beginning, people couldn't manifest their Functions into weapons either. That developed over the years." The mysterious man turned, tapping a finger against his chin - at least Ryker thought it was his chin. "It really is fascinating how people can evolve and grow given enough time and when faced with a significant challenge."

That brought to mind his own Function, Break, and how he still hadn't managed to manifest it.

"Don't suppose you have any tips for manifesting a Function, do you?"

Cue turned to him, head tilted slightly. "Sadly, no. No one really knows how or why people get assigned Functions or what decides what Function they get. In fact, no one is sure why certain people are 'accidentally awakened' like you were. Some people just get the Independent Application though, admittedly, most people have the common sense to delete a mysterious application instead of clicking it."

Ryker grimaced. "I was curious!"

"Most of the time, that curiosity would lead to your social security number getting stolen, credit card info plastered all over the dark net and consequently, your identity stolen and your bank account emptied out."

"Yeah, yeah..." he mumbled. "So you really don't know why people get the Functions that they're assigned?"

"There have been theories," Cue answered with a shrug. "Some say it's because it's a reflection of their heart and ideals. Maybe some sort of representation of their personalities in the Overworld. Others think it has something to do with their destiny or that there's some sort of deity in the Overworld that gives them their Functions. Those who have studied the past of the Overworld subscribe into one of two camps." He held up two fingers. "The first is that in the past, something akin to Functions already existing in the Overworld and these were magic spells but like this incarnation, every person was only ever given a single word that could let them do one particular thing. The magical phrases that we see stringed together are the result of Hosts working together and compiling their words together to form intricate spells that could do much more."

That made a lot of sense. A Function was only a single word and most 'magic spells' that were shown in popular media were strings of nonsense. There was also proof that people could transfer Functions from one Host to the other but using Functions alien to themselves was incredibly taxing. That lined up with the common perception of 'magic'.

"The second of the two theories is that the Functions were once part of the code that made up the Broken Server," Cue said, waving absently around himself. "However, when the Server was destroyed, those Functions got scattered. Since the Overworld and Realworld are inexplicably linked, those Functions find Hosts randomly, causing them to awaken." The man shrugged absently. "But who truly knows?"

"Right..." He sighed heavily. "So back to my original question. No way you can help me manifest my Function?"

"Sadly, no. Much like how we don't know how Functions are assigned, the criteria to manifest a Function is different for every person."

"I was afraid of that." Ryker's shoulders slumped but he gave Cue a grateful smile nonetheless. "Thanks a lot. I really appreciate you telling me all this. I know a lot of leaders of mysterious organisations that'd keep the 'grunts' like me in the dark."

"Allow me to be blunt, Ryker Wall. I am not without my secrets but you are more than welcome to them. If..." Cue held up a finger again. "... you can ask me the right question."

Before Ryker could ask another question, he was suddenly shaken and he was suddenly back in the Realworld.

"You okay, Ryker?" Takoshi asked, regarding him with concern. "You were just staring off into space for a long while there. I thought your eyeballs would dry out."

"What an oddly specific concern," he muttered though he had to blink a couple of times because his eyeballs were feeling a little strained. "I'm alright. Just... off in my own world, I guess."

He realised they had stopped. The cafe was just outside.

After paying the driver they found Kanoth seated in the usual booth with Cedar occupying a good amount of the cushioning. It was clear that the two were in love. Just the way that they were seated next to each other, Cedar's thick arm draped around Kanoth's shoulders and the gopher leaning back against the crook of his arm with a pleasant smile on his features. Ryker wasn't sure if he had exactly the same thing with Takoshi. He wouldn't be fawning over the bear in public or giving him googly eyes every second but he certainly enjoyed the bear's company now more than ever.

As the party arrived, Kanoth looked up to greet them and gave them a nod. His features immediately darkened, however.

"Your meeting with Nero didn't go so well," Ryker surmised. It wasn't a question.

"Sadly, no." The gopher shuffled aside to give the rest of the party some room, showing more dexterity even with his missing leg. Showed he was getting used to her predicament. Even with the slight movement, only Ryker, Cliff, Oliver and Takoshi could fit in the booth alongside the other two. Soren remained standing while Arthur knelt on the seats of the next booth over, crossed his arms and peeked over the barrier between them. Decanter stood some distance away, face steely and unmoving.

"No matter what I tried, Nero won't abandon AllAle," Kanoth sighed heavily. "I'm sure he believed me when I said we weren't the ones that pulled the trigger..." He glanced up towards Decanter who merely nodded in acknowledgement. "But he's devoted to AllAle. He's even ignoring the facts that it could be crooked."

"What are you suggesting?" Decanter demanded. "Do you have any proof?"

Cedar rose slightly from his seat. "Take it easy, Decanter. We're not sure what's wrong either. You knew Raskeil better than anyone. You knew she was getting frustrated with Emile's obsession with staying in alcohol, his secrets and even the absence of his IP!"

Just the look on Decanter's face told him that he had these very same concerns.

"Well, what do we do then?" asked the white-haired rhino. "If I know AllAle, they'll be enacting disaster recovery protocols now. They're probably already moving operations to their DR site."

"Where's that?" Cliff asked.

"Only place that's more secure than the headquarters itself," replied Kanoth. "Emile's mansion upstate. He's got the backup Server hidden right beneath his mansion. It's under 24/7 watch from Corpsmen and is a fortress. If it isn't on high alert now, it soon will be. If they move the Server there, AllAle will be completely unreachable."

"Why didn't they just do that in the first place?" Ryker asked. "Seems to be it'd be better to put your servers in the most secure place possible from the get-go."

"Logistics," Cedar answered. "It takes hours to get from Emile's mansion to Manhattan. Running operations out of there is a nightmare. Let's not forget that if something goes down on the Server, it'll take that much longer to actually get a technician up there to fix it. The Server also exudes a sort of area of influence. AllAle's abilities and Corpsmen are strongest near the Server. Corpsmen had more power closer to it so it makes sense to put it in the middle of the place where they are most active."

"While Emile's place can be a fortress," Kanoth chimed in, "it also doesn't look very good politics-wise. If external regulators come knocking, you're going to have to explain to them why your entire company's database and heart of processing rests in a private residence which is vulnerable to things like storms, blackouts, home invasions and whatever else."

"Wouldn't you have to answer those questions anyway given that the DR site is in a private residence?" Ryker asked.

"You'd be surprised how little people care where the secondary site is as long as the primary is up to scratch," Kanoth said. "I've had to bribe more than a few officials to make sure they overlooked this stuff."

Oliver looked like he was about to say something biting but instead bit his lower lip. Kanoth didn't miss it.

"Before we continue," said the gopher, reaching into the pocket of his sports jacket. "Oliver, I know things have been tense between us. Nothing I can do will ever return Summer to you and even if I could, I doubt it would fix what I did in the past." He slid a piece of paper across the table. "I'm hoping this will at least help make amends."

It was a cheque.

A big cheque.

Ryker's jaw dropped open and Cliff looked like he would've done a spit take if he had been drinking something.

"Holy shit, dude!" exclaimed the tiger. "You're a millionaire!"

Oliver stared at the cheque, his lips pressed tight into a line. "You think money will solve everything between us."

Ryker's heart plummeted.

"Here we go..." sighed Takoshi, rolling his eyes.

"You took Summer from me," snarled Oliver, rising to his feet. "You crushed my dreams and made me your fucking slave!"

Ryker was about to make a counterargument but Kanoth immediately held up a paw, keeping him silent. This was between the two furs.

"I know," the gopher said. "I can't tell you how sorry I am. It's like I'm just waking up from a nightmare where I wasn't in control of my own body. I know I did all those things. I did them willingly. I'm culpable. I'm willing to go to jail for it if that'll make you happy but let me sort things out with my family first and then I'll happily confess to everything and -"

Oliver reached down, grabbed the cheque and tore it in half. He then tossed the pieces right back in Kanoth's face. Cedar's big hands curled into fists.

"I don't want you to go to jail," spat the feline. "You think that going to some minimum security prison where you can just work out, get pity because of your leg and then get out on good behaviour would make up for what you did to me? Fuck no!"

"Then tell me what I have to do," Kanoth pleaded. "Tell me what I can do to make amends."

Oliver lifted his head. "Help me with my cafe."

Everyone stared at him for a long moment, each of them stunned, even Soren.

"Uhm..." Cedar began. "...What?"

"I'm thinking about opening a cafe," Oliver said firmly, arms folded. "Instead of brewing my own beer and then trusting other people to sell it, I'm going to start making my own blend of coffee and serve on the side alcohol. All organic, of course. Going to cater for people who either need that pick-me up in the morning, a little bit of social lubricant in the afternoon without getting too drunk."

Ryker tilted his head to the side. "That's... oddly specific."

Kanoth narrowed his gaze, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "No... No I can actually see this working. During the morning, when people are just getting up, you can serve them pure coffee. Then in the afternoon, you could start opening up the bar to alcohol. In the evenings, you could serve hard liqueur and coffee at the same time. Maybe even blend it in such a way that it works really well together."

"Don't bars and clubs already do that?" Takoshi asked bluntly.

"Yes but those are side drinks. Mostly novelties. But a cafe that serves it exclusively would likely sell very well in this environment. Assuming we can get enough funds and marketing..."

"I'm not gunning to be the next Starbucks," Oliver interrupted. "I just want to be a small store that's able to support itself and still make a profit without dipping into my savings. Doesn't mean I don't have ambitions but I am _not_going to be another corporate CEO that makes IPs into Dosers. In fact..." He turned towards Ryker. "... I was actually thinking it might be the platform you needed for your IP dating program."

Ryker had all but forgotten about Crossover. With everything that had been happening, he had little time to work on his 'revolutionary application that would bridge the gap between IP and Hosts and provide shelter for abandoned IPs'.

"Are you thinking like some sort of internet cafe where you have my program running?" he asked.

"Kind of, yeah." He sat back down, calming slightly and his whiskers drooping. "After you blew up at me the other day..."

"No regrets, by the way."

Oliver nodded in understanding. "After you blew up at me and then you went into a coma after trying to save Decanter, I realised what an ass I've been. You were out there saving IPs and making a difference and here I was throwing a temper tantrum. Everyone was moving on while I wasn't. Then while you were out, everyone was stressed and I found myself making coffee for everyone so that they would at least stay up. Though sometimes I switched it to decaf so some people would sleep." He glanced at Takoshi and the bear stood up, pointing an accusing finger at him.

"I knew it was decaf and not my 48-hours without sleep!"

"Anyway," Oliver continued. "Got me to thinking. Soren helped too. Maybe I should start serving coffee instead of booze. I started doing some research and found that it's not really recommended to serve the two together since caffeine can hide the effects of alcohol which can make people think they're less drunk than they really are but I found these cool recipes for cocktails that taste like coffee but aren't really. There's this 'Chocotini' and something called a 'Black Forest'. I kind of want to try them."

Kanoth's eyes lit up. "So you want to open up a coffee store during the morning and serve coffee exclusively and then switch to alcohol as the day progresses? That's actually a good way to attract return customers and reach out to a large demographic."

Decanter huffed. "You'd need to have some skilled bartenders and baristas. Though it could easily work as well because people who can work in the mornings can get those shifts while those in the evening can jump on as bartenders. Could even help people get their licences in both. Would be attractive to the young workers of today..."

Ryker glanced from face to face, his heart cautiously rising with hope as everyone was contributing their ideas to Oliver's concept. The tabby had finally gotten off his sorry ass and was making something of his life and moving forward. There was something to be said about how with every face in the small booth, a new idea was being contributed to Oliver's idea of a cafe. In his heart, Ryker felt his little island in the Broken Server grow a little bigger.

Maybe the relationships didn't have to rely on him solely being the binding force to hold everyone together. Perhaps that was the problem of those others that had awakened to the Server; only they had the relationship with their Contacts but none of the Contacts ever collaborated with one another.

No way to know for sure but it gave him hope that this was achievable and that he just might survive.

"You'll still need some starting capital," Kanoth said. "Not to mention a location."

"I've already got a place in mind," answered Oliver. "One of the stores close to the college recently shutdown. It's a corner location too. I've already got the applications and have started enquiring."

"What about a name?" Takoshi prompted. "You got a name for the place?"

Oliver smiled wistfully. "Summer Cafe. In honour of Summer."

Soren's features fell a little but the eagle remained silent. Ryker was about to call attention to it when Oliver said, "I'm going to need help with the place as well. I'm good at serving coffee but I'd like to get my actual barista license and take some classes. It'll only be a week and they run ones every month at the college. I've already signed me and Soren up."

Soren's eyes lit up. "Y - You have?"

"Yeah. Of course. You're going to help me, right?" It was less of a demand and more a hopeful question.

The eagle nodded happily. "Yeah! Of course!"

"You'll still need the starting funds," Kanoth said. "I'll write you another cheque."

"I'd rather you help me manage the place," Oliver said, holding out a paw. "At least at the very beginning, it's probably just going to be me and Soren running the shop. I don't know if I'll have the energy or capacity to manage the books. I was hoping you would help out there? It's the least you could do."

"You want me to manage the finances of your cafe?" asked the gopher, stunned. "You're putting an awful lot of trust in me."

Oliver locked gazes with Ryker. "It's recently been pointed out that I can't keep blaming people for things that I've done. I was the ass. I was the one that bucked and caved instead of fighting. I was the one that got Summer rebranded. I was the one that was stupid enough to believe I could fight you by myself. I've given you a lot of shit and it's clouded my judgement because I was too busy trying to find others to blame for my own faults." He puffed out his cheeks and turned back towards Kanoth. "So, in that spirit. I want us to start again. Will you work for me?"

"I note the distinction," chuckled Kanoth. He grabbed Oliver's paw firmly. "I'm with you. I can never replace the Summer you lost but I can certainly try and help you make the Summer you're building a success."

Ryker couldn't help but wonder how many flowers had just bloomed in the Broker Server.

"Back to Nero," said Cedar. "He's probably going to move the server soon. This might be our chance to take down AllAle once and for all."

He flicked his ears towards the green-haired rhino. "What are you thinking?"

******

The AllAle building certainly was different in the Overworld as opposed to the Realworld. In the Realworld, it appeared like a typical New York City skyscraper with concrete walls, glass buildings and antennae sticking up from the top floor. But in the Overworld, it was a testament to all that AllAle had become. The building itself was so decadent, opulent and over-indulgent it made Ryker's eyes bleed just looking at it. It simply screamed 'mob'.

The towering, square building was gone. Instead, it looked like someone had taken the United States Capitol Building with its massive, iconic dome and stretched it upwards multiple storeys while merging the front facade of the White House. Instead of the pillars of the President's abode, there were massive, naked statues of rhinoceroses, each holding up a tankard into the air while the other was holding up the roof. Each glass was tilted slightly so that it could pour a constant stream of golden, boozy liquid down into an enormous moat that surrounded most of the building. White bridges allowed IPs to cross from the garden onto to building proper. Massive green banners emblazoned with the emblem of AllAle fluttered from the rooftops of the building and from every other floor. Huge spotlights waved through the perpetual twilight of the Overworld, announcing to everyone that this was where the godfather of the booze mafia ran his business. It was an open challenge to anyone who would dare attack AllAle.

"Just looking at it makes me want to give up beer forever," Ryker muttered, his voice scrambled thanks to the mask and LED goggles he wore over his features.

Cedar had thought to give them all some new attire to fit their roles. The image of a couple of college students running around in nothing but street clothes and admittedly intimidating masks didn't quite strike the intimidating force that they were looking for. There was still a lot of Corpsmen loyal to AllAle after all and appearances were everything. So Cedar had procured a long, blood-red, floor-length coat for Ryker. Though he hated to admit it, Ryker loved the feeling of standing on the edge of a building while the wind from the Overworld was billowing away at the tails of his coat. He tried not to look down too much because the height made him dizzy and he really wished someone would take a picture before he threw up in his mask. Beneath the coat was a black, bulletproof utility vest that made him look a little more bulky that he should have. His legs were covered by black and grey camouflage pants while thick, steel-toed boots complete with sharpened toes and heels for climbing covered his feet.

"Please don't," Takoshi chuckled, once more in his ragged samurai outfit. "I like getting drunk."

Across the street from him, standing on the rooftop of another building was Cliff. Like him, Cedar had given the tiger a new attire. It consisted of a black leather vest to show off the feline's powerful arms with white fur lining to contrast against his orange and black striped fur. The rim of the vest was actually a little thicker and wider to the point that it flared out behind his head a little. Brown, leather gloves were wrapped around his wrists complete with iron knuckles. Cliff insisted choosing the shirts he wore beneath the vest and today, he wore one showing a tiger's head snarling with the teeth of said feline shaping the letters to say, 'Bite Me'. A pair of cut-off black, cargo pants allowed Cliff to show off his calves while black sneakers completed the ensemble.

Arthur, once again in his golden armour, was unmistakable standing next to the tiger.

"If we manage to pull this off, drinks are on me," announced the tiger. "This is going to be one hell of a movement for the Custodes Libertatis_. If people didn't know we existed or doubted we existed, they'd know by the end of this."_

"Let's just hope we actually pull it off," came Oliver's distorted voice.

The tabby stood atop the building next to Ryker. Though not an official member of the Custodes Libertatis, Oliver had been given a rather classy ensemble. He wore a deep blue vest complete with a blood-red tie. Underneath, he wore a white, long-sleeved shirt with bright blue pinstripes. Those stripes would not have been that evident were it not for the fact that his legs were covered in tight-fitting, black formal pants with the same pinstripes. Only by noticing the stripes on the pants did one notice the stripes on his shirt. He had more formal-looking shoes but they were quite flexible despite looking like lace-up boots.

"Don't go backing out now," Decanter said. Unlike the others, he was down on the street amongst the huge crowd of angry IPs that were charging towards the AllAle_building. _"We're committed. Let's do this.

Ryker nodded, more to himself than anyone else.

The huge crowd filled the streets and even the persistent line of IPs waiting to be vetted and turned into Dosers within the building had to turn and disperse as the angry wave approached. The Corpsmen guarding the line and the perimeter were forced to stare in awe. More than a thousand_IPs were heading their way and _all of them were pissed. They were all shouting; screaming about how they were misled by AllAle. After all, these people were lured into Aileen Raskeil's building promised a chance at survival only to have their hopes dashed.

They wanted answers.

And they were the distraction.

"Now,"_Decanter hissed into their ears. _"The guards are distracted. Go! Go! Go!"

Ryker exchanged glances with Takoshi.

This night was the night AllAle fell once and for all.