Enshrouded: Chapter 2 - The Crew
Chapter two of Enshrouded (obviously)
Blake meets the crew that is traveling along with Ocean, what are they like?
Will they like Blake? Will he like them? What kind of crew is Blake going to be a part of?
Also, Blake finally learns about himself and the situation. What's really going on here?
^ Image of The Crew ^
Again: still no yiff in the story -YET- there WILL be some later =P and also I will write side stories
that will involve sexual interactions involving specific crew members (hence why it's marked m/m).
The Crew
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The hard wood door of the apartment slammed against the inside wall of the apartment, leaving a gash in the colored plaster. A slew of the cult members flooded the quarters, just to hear the loud hum of what sounded like a ship right outside the place. They overflowed the apartment and channeled into the bedroom where the two had been just minutes prior. The window was smashed along the floor with a gaping hole where it once had stood. There, the tail end of a ship was pulling away from the building. 'I told you not to leave him in that room with that otter for too long!' barked a feminine voice. Her silhouette spilling down the path toward the carpeted room, her face shaded in as she stood within the door's frame.
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Blake stood in the small corridor of the ship. He had always seen what the ship interiors appeared like in movies and such but this couldn't even remotely compare to those primitive ideas that his generation produced. It looked far nicer and didn't even resemble the interior of a ship. Instead it was more...cozy...like the interior of a welcoming Carnival ship.
'Wow...I never expected the inside to look like this...heh...this is entirely different than how I would have imagined!' Blake stated as he glanced around him, Ocean already starting to walk forward as the ship began to pull off. Blake on the other hand, he wasn't used to this mode of transportation as he stumbled to the side. His body collided with a soft thud on the wall of the corridor.
Hearing this, Ocean turned his head and chuckled as he faced the disoriented panther, 'hehe, it'll take you a little while to get your air legs...think of it like getting used to walking on an airplane or a boat.' Blake nodded as he slid his body against the wall, using it to stay on his feet instead of trying to maneuver about normally.
Ocean stood at a junction where the corridor the two had been standing in, connected to another path, then he stretched his lithe body. 'Man, you have no idea how nice it is to be back on here and not have to run around looking for you...you weren't an easy guy to track down!' the otter cracked his neck and his arms as they were stretched out in front of him. His tail was still coated with the cement dust as it dragged on the ground behind him. 'Hmm,' the otter pondered for a moment, 'well I guess I should let you sit and rest for a little bit...I'll take you to your quarters. You seem to be rather tuckered from all this excitement. Don't worry...I know I promised I'd tell you what's going on.' Ocean paused for a moment and glanced outside as the ship turned around the building, reverting back into its 'stealth' state. He noticed the front of the apartment was forced open and the cult was looming over the area searching for the panther. The otter shook his head and gazed back at Blake, 'A-Anyways, I said I'd tell you...and I will, just let me know when you're ready. Its news that you might quite not like, but you need to know I suppose.'
Blake stood there. If his face could show more coloration, under that dark charcoal fur of his, he would be looking rather insipid from the ships motions. Ocean left the corridor. He then signaled Blake to follow him. The panther tried his very best as he left the wall as he began to wobble about down the hall. At the rate he was going, he felt he would get airsick before long.
Ocean occasionally gave a look back at the struggling male. A quiet smile was on his face as he saw the other stumbling about and would chuckle a little when the other would brush against the smooth wall. The otter stopped and turned back towards his new companion aboard this ship, walking back to him and placed an arm around his shoulders. 'Here, Blake, lemme help you out here,' the otter supported the panther as they continued to walk down the corridor. Blake wasn't struggling as much, now that he had something to help keep him balanced.
'So,' the otter began, 'what were you studying at your school?' he asked, trying to make small talk to keep the panther's mind off of his nauseated state.
'Heh...you'll laugh...' Blake turned his head to the side, looking away from the otter, his hand running along the wall, 'but...I was about to get my degree in Aerospace Engineering.'
'Is that so? Heh, well I'm not that surprised if that's what you were expecting,' Ocean patted the panther on the back, making him buckle forward some from his uneasy state, 'Oh sorry! Heh...once I get you to your room, I'll go get Mungo to fix something up for you. It'll take all your motion sickness away, not to mention his stuff tastes delicious!' The otter continued to help the panther down the hallway toward Blake's new space. Blake still felt too air sick to take in more of the sights of this futuristic ship and his legs felt like they were about to give out underneath him.
It felt like half an hour passed to the fatigued panther when it had only been minutes before the otter came to a stop, 'aaand...here we are!' Ocean took his arm off of the panther, took a step forward and stood in front of a gate-looking door. The object slid open like one of those motion sensory doors at the grocery store. The mustelid took a step to the side, swinging his arm out, 'Right this way, Blake.' The otter smiled at the panther as he stood there, Blake nodded slowly then entered the room. He stood there in pure awe at the spectacle that was his lodging, 'W-whoa...this...is the room where I'm going to be staying?' For those moments, the panther had totally forgotten about his sickness, 'and I thought the ship was nice already...! This...is really nice, are...you sure it's ok?'
The otter responded with a quick nod, 'Of course it is! We got this room cleared out and Tilly set it up especially for you to use. I told you, she's brilliant!' The mustelid had a big grin on his face. The kind of grin that made it seem as if HE was the one who had built it, with that proud look plastered on his face. 'Please,' the otter lead Blake to his large bed, sitting him down on the surface, 'You stay here. I'll go get Mungo to fix something up for you. It shouldn't be too long, just use the time to relax, alright?' Ocean left the panther to rest some to ease his lightheadedness and his fatigue. He gave his leave after a friendly pat on the shoulder, the door opened proceeded to close as the otter disappeared from view.
'Maybe...I did make the right choice after all, sticking with him. I sure hope I didn't make a decision I'll regret later,' Blake spoke to himself as he laid himself down onto the soft surface. His body was enveloped by the comfort of the new mattress, laying on the heavenly concoction of blankets and the soft cushioning.
His mind began to go adrift with thoughts of the recent events once again. More things kept happening, leaving more questions to be asked by the young adult. Not a single one of them he had an answer for as he began to ponder questions about himself: 'Just who am I?' 'Why am I so important, what's so special about me?' 'What is really going on here?'
He asked these along with other questions; wondering about that group with the tattoos, Ocean's intent with him, and also his friends were safe on campus. His gaze was fixed on the ceiling, all these thoughts rummaging through his tired brain. He decided he would close his eyes for a little bit, wanting to rest just a little and enjoy the comfort of the bedding surrounding his weary body. His breathing slowed down as he laid there, still a little nauseous from the unfamiliar feeling of being in a ship like this. The breathing was to help his body remain calm and to relieve that nauseating feeling in his gut and throat.
Everything went silent all of a sudden, no soft hum of the aircraft or anything.
...fere suscitatio...
Blake's ears twitched as he heard that low voice once again. 'Who are you?' he called out to the voice, wanting to know more.
I.....am you...
He got a response and it was one he could actually understand! Whatever it was that had been calling out to him, finally spoke to him in a manner that would register with the dialect he knew.
'What do you mean!? You're me? I can't even see you, yet you claim you're me? Hah!' Blake retorted, 'How can you claim such a thing?'
... __suscitatio...
...the strange voice repeated itself...
...awaken...
...it followed up again in the tongue he understood. All went silent again. The panther, at an unhurried pace, slowly reopened his eyes.
'AAAAHHhhh!' the panther grasped onto the sheets beside him, staring up at a large canine. His voice surely reverberated down the hallway of the ship. This large guy was rather built: muscular arms, a broad torso. He just had an overall broad appearance. The large male also held a shocked expression on his face, obviously taken back by the surprised panther. He resembled a pit bull terrier in bodily appearance where white fur covered his unclothed areas with the exception of brown blotched around his left eye and a stub of a tail instead of a longer one. 'W-Who are you!? Why are you just standing there like that!?' the panther noticed briefly that the male had something in his grasp.
'S...sorry,' the canine spoke softly and placed the mug he had been holding on the stand beside the bed for the panther.
Blake simply shook his head, 'It...it's fine, I assume you're one of the crew on here then?' he asked while he reached for the mug that sat beside his bed. He lifted it up and brought it closer to his snout. The panther then proceeded to take a whiff of it, seeing if it smelled peculiar at all, making sure it was, indeed, safe for him to drink. The smell was...intoxicating. It smelled like a chai tea latte but with other extracts and herbs inside as well. He raised it to his lips and took a sip. Its taste was greatly surpassed the wonderful aroma that protruded from the container. 'Wow...did you make this...uhm...what was your name again?' Blake asked the other standing before him as he looked up at the canine.
The pit bull terrier looked down with a quiet, gentle smile and nodded in response to Blake's first group of questions. The broad male quietly spoke once more. 'Mungo...' he just gave the panther a name to connect with his facade.
Blake nodded and cocked his head at the other's atypically hushed demeanor. Mungo was really quiet and soft spoken, especially for someone of his size and build. Blake stood from his bed. As he gained his footing, he looked at the other. It was then that he realized he was quite a bit shorter than the pit bull terrier, at least half a foot shorter to be exact. When he placed himself back onto his feet he noticed that the spinning, lightheaded feeling had vanished. Whatever was concocted for that beverage, it worked instantaneously and had a wonderful flavor to boot.
Blake shifted his glace upwards, looking up at the large male, '...sorry for startling you before.'
The only response he got was a firm hand on the shoulder and a shaking of the other's head. That warm smile still spread on his face. The panther couldn't help but smile back at him; he felt that genuine kind aura emanate from the guy. Mungo turned and headed back to the entrance of the room, the large door opening for the muscular canine as he made his exit. His large frame disappearing from Blake's view as he turned down the hall and the entrance closed once more leaving the panther by his lonesome inside his room.
'Real quiet guy...strange...,' Blake shrugged as he exhaled, 'but he seemed real nice...maybe I had these guys all wrong.' He finished the beverage, his body felt completely different now as he no longer sensed that seasick feeling. He stretched his body out as he stood at the end of his bed, 'man...I feel great now~!'
The panther started moving about the large space, examining his new room now that he had the mobility and condition to do so. He gazed into his very own bathroom, he was surprised at how big it was, sporting a full tub and sink with counter space to boot. It really was like he was staying in a fancy resort for a holiday. He noted that there was no dresser either. Instead the drawers for a dresser were built into the wall. Blake liked how the room was set up, it felt very...futuristic.
I wonder where Ocean went off to...Blake wondered as he made his way to the entrance of his new abode. The motion sensors kicked in and released the lock, the pressure system reeled the door into the slit that opened up for it. With the door now opened, Blake took his first firm-footed step into the ship's corridor. He looked to the left and then to the right, looking and trying to figure out which way he should go. His room seemed to be located at the end of the hall, right beside a large open room where a table sat in the middle with seats around it. He assumed, by the appearance, that it was the ship's dining hall.
'Huh?' Blake looked in through the room. There was a particularly large frame partially visible in through a second doorway located on the other side. The fur was white and looked rather familiar to the panther. 'Wonder if that's Mungo...?' he murmured as he stood there. Soon enough his answer was given to him as scrumptious scents wafted into his nostrils, 'w-wow...yea, that must be him. Heh. Ocean said that he was an awesome coo-'
'EEEK!' CRASH!!!
Blake nearly jumped out of his skin as there was a shrill, high-pitched shriek followed by a crash from behind. The panther turned and walked in the opposite direction of the dining hall, where the loud sound had originated.
As he neared the other room he heard a familiar voice, one that he remembered hearing over the communicator in his apartment, 'Damn this thang! Scarin' meh half-ta death, sheez-louize...!'
Blake turned his head around the corner, peering into the room secretively. His eyes were flooded with an array of colors as a female peacock stood in the middle of the room, right in front of a cluttered mess that lay on the table in front of her. She looked like a male peacock, bright plumage and everything, but all else, besides her color, said that she was female. It's not every day you see a guy with cleavage like that after all. Her palm was resting on her forehead, right below the front end of a red bandana. She had a very industrial worker look to her. The peacock wore a brown colored wife beater and baggy cargos that had their fair share of grease and oil stains along with marks. She turned her head towards the door, spotting the head of the panther before it vanished around the corner. Blake stood against the wall, about to panic from being caught spying...in a way.
'Oh c'mon out now~...I know yer tha' Blake fellah,' she chuckled. 'C'mere so Till' can get a look atcha!' the peacock said with a bounce in her voice. She sounded awfully chipper all of a sudden, after being so startled not too long prior.
Blake obliged slowly, he turned and entered the room, 'uhm...h-hello.' Blake looked at her then noticed the room: it was full of electronics and all sorts of mechanical objects.
She must be the one that Ocean had mentioned about making one of those electronic things for me... the panther thought to himself, oblivious that the female was approaching him.
'Mah-oh-mah! You are CAYUTE!' she suddenly exclaimed as she walked towards the unsuspecting male. Not a single warning was given as Blake suddenly found his face right between her breasts. He began pushing against her, trying to free himself from this vice but she just squeezed him harder until he made an 'urk!' sound and his arms went limp at his sides. Finally she released the panther as he stumbled back, his face was bright red as he stood there.
'Yo-you trying to suffocate me or something!' he huffs out, catching his breath after being nearly smothered by the avian.
A couple moments passed and Blake regained his composure, 'By the way...I uh...heard a loud crash, and are you ok Miss...uh...?'
'Oh deary me, hehe I thought you heard me say my name already? Granted you WERE kinda petrified at bein' found out peekin' in on meh like that, teehee. The name's Tilly, but ya'll can jus' call me Till, kay sweet pea?' the peacock winked at the panther. 'Teehehe...who knew the one we came lookin' for would be this dashing young thang?'
Blake simply cocked an eyebrow and tilted his head at the avian's rambling, 'uhm...anyways...I'm...looking for Ocean...have you seen him anywhere? Also...if you don't mind my asking... exactly what were you doing in here?'
'Mmm? Ocean-baby? Oh, he swung by here some time ago sayin' sumthan' 'bout you bein' aboard mah ship.' Her disposition suddenly changes to one of revelation as she just remembered. 'Ah-yah! I was jus' workin' on this tele-communicator for y'all,' she gave the panther a smile, one that wasn't all crazy like she had been acting, 'he asked meh ta work on one jus' fuh you, so tha's wha I was workin on until CURRRASH!...teehee! I seemed to have made my desk a little too cluttered...oh well~! I'll jus' havta dig through it all 'til I find yer l'il gadget...hehe no worries, Till's on tha job hun!' Just like that, her optimism returned and she drove her hands into the pile, searching for that project she was working on for the panther.
'Uhm...I can see you're pretty busy,' Blake spoke up which made Tilly tilt her head at him.
She stood upright, rubbed her cheek and giggled, 'Oh deary me! Hehe~ oh I DO so humbly apologize, honey! I get oh so sidetracked with all my gadgets and l'il trinkets around here. As you can see, I'm quite tickled pink with these l'il thingamabobs.' She continued sifting through the wreckage that was her desk. She tried to get everything pushed off, not minding the mess one bit as she looked for her current assignment.
'Humm...naw whare did that tele-communicator~ disappear to in there! I oh-so wanted ta show ya buh...OOOOO!!!' the peacock stopped her search for a minute and placed he hand on her hip, shifting it to the side slightly and released an annoyed sigh, 'mebbeh I shudda listened to tha guys an' freshened muh workin' place up a wee bit~ now I up an' lost it...oh well~. I'll find it, yuh betchure sweet l'il cheeks on it, hehehe.' The peacock kept glancing at the pile atop her working station, it was covered in what the panther would just say was useless junk. He knew not to say anything about it though, feeling that if he did then the female that stood before him, would suddenly go sour.
'Well...this darn thang's buggin the heck outta meh! I'm sorreh sweet cheeks buh I realleh hafta fin' this so ah can finish it fer ya. I hope ya can understan' darlin',' Tilly stood there with a hand on her cheek and and uneasy expression on her face. 'Oh and if ya wanna fin' Ocean-baby, try goin' down this hallway ta get ta the fron' of the ship. Tha's where he was headin' off ta...afteh he came to pay meh a l'il visit.'
With that, her attention shifted back to the pile that lay in front of her, 'Mah-oh-mah...where DID ya get tuh shugga-plum?'
Blake cocked his brow and slowly backed out of the room, the door closed behind him.
'EEEEP!' CRASH!!!
'Oh darn it!' the panther heard the femme shouting from inside the room as he turned down the hall as directed.
Luckily this ship wasn't too difficult to navigate. The sides of the corridor had rooms for each of the crew members including the additional one for the panther. He couldn't help but wonder if it was planned to originally hold five rooms or if his was a different room changed around to accommodate the new 'crew' member.
Blake still wasn't sure what to do as he wandered down the hall. For all he knew, it could be that he was on some alien ship claiming to be from the future. Also that he is supposedly this figure in the past that's gravely important. He has no idea why. He knew that he just had to keep looking for the otter but kept coming across all these other...unique...characters in the process. Blake just wanted to know: what made him so damn special? Why was he the target of that cult? What were they talking about when they said, 'IT must not be born? What is 'IT' and what does it have to do with him? He planned on getting an answer to these questions from Ocean, as soon as he was found.
The panther continued his trek toward his destination. He passed a couple more doors on his way. He turned a couple of times as the passage curved here and there. Eventually, he came to a flight of stairs...maybe this was bigger than he let himself believe. He climbed the stairway, only a moderate number of stairs, like he was going to the second floor of a department store.
Right before him was what almost looked like a massive living room. Sofas and chairs were spread about with large screens forming a triangular pattern with one in the middle and the other two on the sides. It really was more like he was inside a manor or mansion rather than a so-called ship from the future.
Blake's thoughts drifted once more as he meandered through the open area, thinking of all the questions he was going to ask the otter once he caught up with him...he was remarkably hard to track down on such a limited vessel with a small number of crew.
At long last, he came to the door to what he had hoped was the cockpit area. The door in front of him opened. The innards appeared as if it was ripped from some TV show, a movie, or some videogame. Come to think of it, everything that has been happening to him seemed as if it was all fictional...it was all so surreal. Yet, he stood there at the open door, marveling the cliché ultramodern room. There were monitors outlining the front and several chairs, all but one was vacant.
He was glad he finally caught up with the otter. A thought had crossed through his brain. 'Hmm...Ocean's not here I guess,' the panther muttered as he slowly turned to exit back through the door.
'Nope! Left just a couple minutes ago,' spoke the one occupying the chair, piloting the ship, 'said he was gonna go check on that Blake bloke.'
Blake turned again, and took a closer look in front of him. There was a large window that covered a majority of the front portion of the room. Outside this large front window of the ship he could see the roof of a wooded area...he knew this area. It was the wood on the other side of the lake. The panther then noticed the ship was sinking in the air almost vertically. Soon the roof was eye level which eventually became a thick flora ceiling. Light scattered through the open holes in the thick cover as the ship continued to lower until it came to a stop with a soft thump. Overall, it was a very smooth landing. This pilot was obviously very good at maneuvering the craft.
'There we go! A good ways away, and still cloaked...now I can take a break!' the stranger said, he knew the voice as the 'J.C.' he had heard over the device from within his apartment.
A hand grasped onto the top of the chair as the mystery guy leapt over it, solidly landing on the floor with a thud from his boots. 'Ugh! So sweet ta finally get offa my ass after sittin' there for so long!'
Before Blake stood a bat, coming up to his snout; the bat would probably be even shorter if it wasn't for him wearing those boots. J.C. just stood there and his arms spread out, letting out a loud groan as he stretched his arms out from his body. His wings extended underneath his arms to his shoulders. His fur was a grayish purple and looked up at the panther with his amber eyes. He had the full 'gothic' appearance going for him. Then again, it was rare that Blake didn't see a bat that didn't dress like that or have some connection with the gothic subculture in one way or another.
'Aincha, that Blake guy, Oshe has been runnin' around lookin' for? Name's Jayce Chapp! The guys here jus' call me J.C., though. I'll be your dashing pilot for your lovely trip, 90 years into the future!' He stuck his hand out to the panther with a grin.
Blake looked him up and down: the bat had on a tight under-armor shirt and pair baggy pants that cut off mid calf. 'U-Uhm. Y-yea, I'm Blake, heh,' the panther chuckled lightly, shaking the bat's hand. J.C. was a very energetic guy, which wasn't too surprising for someone who had been sitting around this entire time. 'I heard you and Ocean talking on the communicator earlier.'
'Oh you did, didja? I uh...' the bat paused for a moment, chuckling nervously while he scratched the back of his head, 'heh...ya know I wasn't serious about that whole...not caring if you were dead or captured, right? I mean... no hard feelings, right? You're actually very important to our cause, so keh-heh-heh...yea...'
Blake cocked his head, 'Huh? Oh...I---- still don't get what's going on, but don't worry about it...besides I heard you getting smacked for saying it, so I think it's safe to call us even.' He gave a slight cocky smile back down at the bat.
'Heh...yea, that girl had one of her doohickeys in her hand! I think she gave me a concussion...' he rubbed his head, presumably where the point of impact was. 'Anyways, glad ta see ya made it here in one piece! It'd be a big pain to hafta go around and pick up pieces of panther then put you back together.' J.C. chuckled and grinned up at the panther. There was a confidence that shone in his eyes and a flare that easily caught Blake's attention.
'So you're lookin' for Oshe, eh? I'll go with ya, I wanted to tell 'em I got the ship landed at a good place and we're well hidden from the Blitzes,' J.C. walked up beside and tucked an arm around the panther, giving him a friendly pat on the rear then placed his hand along the panther's side. The bat's wing draped down over Blake's buttocks and half way down his thighs.
This coaxed a bit of an uneasy squirm out of Blake as he looked at the other male quizzically.
'What?' J.C. just looked up at him, like nothing had just happed and that he wasn't just feeling the panther's ass.
'Nothing...' Blake shook his head, 'so...you think you might know where Ocean is then? Also...what are 'the Blitzes'? You mentioned them?'
'The Blitzes are those guys out there that were searching for you at the same time Oshe was. They're the baddies here and in the future.' J.C. explained. 'Ocean can fill you in better when we find 'em. I'm not so good at explaining the complicated things, kehehe~.' The bat chuckled and smirked, 'I just know what I'm good at!'
'And what might that be?' Blake asked the lively male, who still had that poised aura. Even the way he looked at the panther screamed self-confidence.
'Flyin' this ship...Kickin' ass, and takin' ass!' the smaller male cackled as he looked up at the panther and gave him a wink and that same smirk as his hand gave a bit of a firm squeeze along Blake's torso.
'Uhh...heh heh,' Blake took the bat's hand off from his side, 'that's uh...nice? Anyways, back to the matter at hand, you said you could help me find Ocean?'
'Yea-up,' J.C. gave a bit of a nod as he still cackled some, 'doncha worry, I'll getcha ta him safe an' sound. You can count on me, kiddo!'
Kiddo? Blake thought to himself as he sighed and nodded. Who is he to call me kiddo? I'm 23...I'm beyond being called 'kiddo'. Blake shrugged, 'alright, lead the way if you would, please?'
'Yooouuuuu got it!' the bat walked with the panther to the door, which opened itself to show the large open area Blake had ventured through once before. The bat waltzed in with the panther in tow, leading him through the room, toward the best location the otter would be found. 'Oshe will probably be in the dining quarter...or the training area,' J.C. stopped and turned around. 'Yea, we got a big room for training...pretty kick ass ain't it? I use it often ta keep myself lookin' like this and keep my skills sharp!' He stood there with a cocky, smug grin and looked at the panther as if he was checking him out.
'Y'know kid, ya don't look too bad,' the bat began as he started to take off through the quarters and in the direction of the stairs with that smirk still on his mug.
'Uh, thanks...I guess?' Blake responded as he followed the bat who was in front readjusting himself with a bit of a grunt, all the while his back was turned toward the panther.
J.C. looked over his shoulder, 'Kehehe no thanks needed, I should be thanking you!' the male cackled, 'I always enjoy somethin' nice to look at...surely you've done that too haven'tcha? Watched some guy or gal wander on by when they're wearing something revealin' an' tight! Imagining yourself behind them, doin' all sortsa things to their bottom; things that I'll just leave for your imagination, kehehe!'
The panther stopped in his tracks at how the direction of this conversation suddenly took a sexual twist. He thought it would be smart to take the best road and keep his mouth shut and just continue follow the bat. J.C.'s line of thought didn't stop there though. He talked about 'one time with this guy' or 'there was a lass with an ass like no other.' The bat would talk about the deeds he had performed like he had been awarded some trophy for those endeavors. All this sexual talk helped Blake easily realize what kind of person J.C. was: a sex-hound. It helped explain all the energy the bat had.
Blake just continued to follow the shorter male, listening to him talk giving responses and nodded. It was all so very awkward to him.
'So, panther, you ever been with a guy or gal?' the bat suddenly asked as he stopped in the middle of one of the lower hallways.
'H-Huh? Th...that's none of your business, thank you!' Blake stuttered out, 'and I have a name too! It's Blake!'
It seemed as it went completely through the bat, 'Oh? Heh! You're the submissive quiet and shy type, eh? Nothin' wrong with that! I enjoy myself some like that now an' again,' J.C. turned and winked at the panther, as if he was insinuating something to the younger male.
This startled the panther, 'L-Let's just find Ocean, okay? Please, I really want to know what's going on here...and find out about myself.'
'Shhoooore thing, kiddo!' J.C. chuckled as he continued to walk down the path. Blake just sighed and shook his head...he was going to have to be careful around that bat.
The pair continued down the path until they came to a stop. It was an area that Blake could easily pinpoint, 'The dining hall?' Blake questioned as he looked around at his surroundings. He knew this area; his room was located right next to it. Mungo still appeared through the frame of other door occasionally. He seemed to still be working on the menu for the evening.
'You been here already?' J.C. glanced back at the panther.
'Well...yea...my room's right here after all,' the panther nodded slowly and looked at the entrance to his room, 'say...is Ocean really in here?'
'Yup, more than likely! Oshe loooooves his food! Kehehehe!' the bat snickered as he strolled into the large room. 'So this IS where ya went ta, Oshe! This kid here's been lookin' all around for ya, and here ya are waitin' to stuff your face with Mung's grub!'
Blake approached the door and saw Ocean as he was rising up from his spot at the table.
'Nah, heh heh...although hearing you talk of his food is making it sound mighty tasty. It SMELLS awesome too! So sitting here I am getting awfully hungry now!' the otter whined. 'I've actually been waiting from Blake, he wasn't in his room and I figured he'd come back eventually. I must've been lost in thought, thinking about what I was going to be talking to him about and figuring out what to say exactly.' J.C. moved to the side, giving the otter a clear view of the panther behind him. Ocean looked at Blake, giving him a smile while tilting his head a little, 'So, how was your tour of the ship? I heard from everyone else that they've already met you now. I told you we were the motley crew!' Ocean moved closer to the panther, leaned in and whispered to his ear, 'I hope J.C. didn't try getting you to sleep with him, he's well...'
'I know...and don't worry,' Blake chuckled and shook his head. He felt the otter's hand rest in his forearm. 'It took a while to find you though, there's a lot I want to.' J.C. looked at the two with a perplexed expression as he saw Ocean whisper into the panther's ear, and the audible response he gave.
'Then let's get down to it shall we!?' the otter patted Blake on the back and smiled to him. He smiled back and followed the otter to a more comfortable location and one where their senses weren't overwhelmed by the scent of the chef's meal in progress.
Ocean looked at J.C., 'you know J.C...you could have as easily called for me over the intercom than come walking all the way down here.' The otter's line of sight directed itself towards the panther then, 'I hope Mungo's drink helped you some? You don't look like you're about to curdle over and become ill.'
Blake nodded in response, 'Mhm. Its working wonders and I feel great right now, actually!' He followed Ocean back down the passage and into another room that also had a large table sitting in the middle of it. This room was toned down and also had more of a serious, organizational feel to it.
Ocean took a seat at one of the chairs as J.C. followed in behind Blake who had been following the otter. The panther took the seat opposite of the mustelid while J.C. sat down at a spot right beside the panther patting him on the knee.
'Uhh...hey J.C., I think Tilly could use some help on that communicator for Blake...why don't you go lend her a hand?' Ocean brought up, noting Blake's reaction to the bat's actions and knowing what was on his mind.
'Tch...okaaay. A thing for this guy, huh?' the bat got up from his chair and gave the panther's shoulder a light squeeze to, rubbing it gently. 'You can count on me to make it absolutely amazing for ya kiddo!' With that, J.C. left the room and headed towards the peacock's work area,
'Heya Till' I'm here ta help ya!'
'EEEK!' CRASH!!!! 'JAYCE CHAPP! LOOK WHATCHA DID TA MAH ARE-'
The sound of the door closing and clicking was heard, which silenced the shouting.
Ocean sat there shaking his head, 'don't you worry about him okay? I'll keep ya safe from his persistent sexual needs.' The otter chuckled then sighed, 'anyways...you wanted to talk, right? So...let's talk then, shall we?'
Blake nodded and started his questioning, 'Explain to me: What's going on? Who are those guys? Who are YOU? And what the hell makes me so special that you both are after me? I'm just a college student! I'm no one even remotely special...just a guy trying to get a set career path in life!'
The otter shook his head slowly. He rose from his chair and walked over to the panther. He sat on the table edge beside the panther, 'I always hated these chairs...I dislike business-y things like this, just does mix with who I am! As for the questions...well...' Ocean paused for a moment. The look on his face showed that he was trying to gather his thoughts.
Blake could tell that the otter was quite intellectual, he didn't know how old the otter was but he figured him to be somewhere around the same age as himself. Right now though, he didn't care...he knew the answers to the questions he was asking.
'The guys that were chasing you down: they're called 'the Blitz'. They're the lowest level, grunts if you will, of a cult that is practically ruling the future. Their leader is a man who goes by the name of Darke Hart. He holds a very fearsome power. It's a power that you're the only person that it can be related to.'
'Why me...? How can I relate to this? I don't have any kind of power that you keep mentioning! What you're babbling about makes no sense to me!' Blake shouted but it wasn't a reaction that was unexpected to the otter.
'Because...that power came from you originally, I mean, surely you've been noticing strange things going on, things that only you could see. I don't know what exactly but there surely must have been something happening to you or your body that made you feel or think like you were going insane.'
Blake sat there, an alarmed expression washed over his face as he COULD relate to that: the lake's water suddenly changing, the shadow that loomed over him when there wasn't a cloud in the sky or when the moon was engulfed by that odd opaque sheet in the night sky. There was also that strange voice he would here, but he would just brush it off as some strange recurring dream. He looked at the otter and gave a slight nod, 'maybe I have, but...what's so important about that anyways? Why does THAT make me so important? So what if some guy has that power in the futu-'
'heh,' Ocean scoffed, '...so what...? ...so what!? You may not give a damn right now because you're clueless, but in my time, people are terrified to leave their houses. They're afraid to sneeze, even afraid to even talk to one another in fear of what may happen to them if they mention or do the slightest thing that would be deemed 'wrong' at that particular time! It's a global concentration camp where we're all being forced to join this cult and lose our own lives...our thoughts...to this man! Even the slightest thing, some miniscule thing that no one would even CARE about, can be deemed non-rule abiding by what the laws he decrees on that particular day!' There was a burning feel in the otter's words, mixed emotions running rampant: anger, distress, desperation. 'It's important because he has that power...because of YOU!' the otter spoke loudly, glaring directly at the panther.
'In the year 2100, 90 years ago in my world, a student named Blake Darnell went missing from the history books and was never found. On this same day, they took you into their custody. The Blitz drained you of your 'power' before it had been awakened inside you. This was the only way a successful transfer could be possible.'
'Successful...transfer? What do you mean by that? And what do you mean 'your' world?' Blake questioned the otter as he was intently listening to the explanation.
'We believe the same being inside of you is what Darke has possesses in the future: the spirit of the ultimate shadow god, [Chernobog](%5C).' the otter nodded slowly. 'In the future, Darke used the power for corruption and destruction, molding the world to follow his own rules and legislation. No...there is no legislation, either you follow him and his rule or you lose your life: either by becoming one of those grunts, the Blitz, or sacrificed as warning in order to frighten the others and keep them in his grasp.'
'That doesn't answer my que-'
'I'm getting there,' Ocean sighed as he looked at the panther. He gave a half smile as he looked at the intent-looking panther and placed his hand on the other's shoulder, 'now then...the transfer. Now don't quote me on this, 'cause we can only speculate, but we're pretty certain on how the procedure was accomplished. Think of it...as a transfer of souls. You know how some believe that a soul can be preserved in a stones or other precious gems and materials? Well, 90 years ago, when this cult captured you in my world, they brought you years into the future. Actually it would have been more like 85 years...since the world's downfall began around 2095, it was around then that Darke started his rise into power.'
The otter paused for a moment, he wore a vacant face as it was hard to talk about for someone experiencing this turn in the upcoming century change. He resumed his explanation once more, 'Anyways, while nearing death, the soul of Chernobog was captured inside of this crystal while he was trying to escape the vessel's body, which was slowly slipping away from the grasp of life. His soul was then transported into Darke's body. How the transfer from the crystal took place, we're not quite certain, but we know it DID happen. His power is controlling the world after all. '
'This is so confusing. And...when those...goons...surrounded me before, one of them muttered, 'IT shall not be born'...' Blake spoke, kind of more like talking to himself but the otter heard him just as plainly.
'I think it was because you were at the stage where Chernobog was just starting to awaken inside of you. They were going to kill you on the spot because he wouldn't survive then. Or they were just going to wound you and take you to their time to try and make him stronger by repeating the procedure. I think that might be what they meant...but I don't think they were quite expecting that Chernobog would show himself to protect you either.' The otter looked at Blake intriguingly. He stared at the panther as if he were studying him. 'I was surprised when I saw you launch those three into the air like that.'
Blake sat there, shaking his head, 'I haven't the foggiest as to what you're talking to that, I don't remember anything after I saw the other pulling that dagger back...I was petrified.' He looked up at the otter in revelation, 'You...you really think that Chernobog, thing, inside of me...protected me at that moment? Was it really because I was in danger?' Things were slowly starting to make sense to the feline. He cocked his head as he was deep in thought and looked up at the otter, 'Hmmm...Ocean...can I ask you something?'
The other nodded and smiled, 'Sue, ask away, that's what I'm here for! I'll answer to the best of my ability.' He gave the panther a reassuring smile and a nod, moving his hand along Blake's clothed shoulder. It was a more comforting touch, at least compared to the hold J.C. had performed earlier. He could tell that the otter was trying to keep the panther in a calm state.
'Why are they after me here? I mean, they already have the power they were trying to get, what do they need me for? And you keep passing over my question about this 'other world' you keep talking about?' Blake asked a very logical question to the otter.
'The 'other world'...hmm...how should I explain it...well...we didn't just traveling into the past to come to get you. We also crossed into a parallel dimension, your dimension. Y'see...in my dimension's future, we have gained a lot of technology. The ability to traverse into the past is one of these. Then...we discovered some forbidden knowledge was uncovered and locked it away. This information was stolen and we believe it was Darke's doing. I don't know why people always just lock such dangerous information up instead of destroying it. Well, regardless, it happened. Now, no matter where we would go, your life would be in jeopardy. The Blitz can find you in any time prior to the time their own as well as across either world...yours or mine.'
'I see. I don't know how I can still believe you...I mean it all seems just far too surreal. Traveling across time...crossing into a parallel dimension? This ship is real enough, sure, but I still don't know what to believe. There's still more that I simply don't understand. Like if the technology was stolen, how did you manage to come back to this time yourselves?'
Ocean looked at the door and motioned with him thumb, facing it out like a hitchhiker's thumb, out at the wall, in the direction of the peacock's laboratory. 'Tilly,' the otter stated.
'Tilly...? How does she figure into it?' Blake asked as he curiously gazed at the otter.
'You may not realize it, Blake, but even though she may seem like a bit of a klutz at times. Till' is remarkably brilliant, she's actually seen the information before. As a matter of fact, she was one of those who helped formulate it. She simply used her knowledge for our use. Plus she is one nasty gal if you get on her bad side. This mission required those who were chosen to be able to support one another for this mission regardless of what may happen, and protect themselves should the need arise.'
'Ah, so she's really a genius?' Blake asked his head.
'Despite her demeanor, she's easily one of the brightest, if not THE most intellectual person on the planet in 2100.' the mustelid answered.
'It's a good thing that she's here then, but...one other thing I still don't understand. If the 'me' from the other dimension was already captured and had the power drained and transferred; why are they after me here?' the panther questioned, confused about the whole ordeal.
'Yeah...I think you're beyond their power now to transfer again, they're most likely going to try and rid you from the world.' Ocean stated.
'Why would they do this?' the feline posed.
'You have a power inside of you that can possibly compromise Darke's own power, Blake. Naturally, knowing another exists with the same power and has the potential to possibly overpower or compete with his, he'd want to eliminate it. Our job is to protect and get you ready to take Darke down in our time. We're even willing to lay our lives down, just so you'll be successful. You may not believe us, but we're all depending on you and are willing to sacrifice what is needed to make this mission a success and bring order back to our future.'
Blake just sat there and stared blankly at the table's surface. All this information was a lot to take in. Who would believe in something like traveling to the past and traveling into a parallel dimension? He was finding this very hard to believe, yet...he doesn't have a real reason to deny them the benefit of the doubt. So far he's almost been killed by some strange group, rode inside of a ship that looked far too futuristic to be real for own his time. On top of that, there were all those strange occurrences that he could claim were happening. To make matters even more fathomable, if he were to tell Ocean about them, he would fully believe him and not think of the panther as crazy. This was definitely a hard pill for Blake to swallow and he needed time to himself to sort matters out within his mind.
'I...I need some time...to think...sorry...' Blake stood from his chair. Ocean got up and opened his mouth. He extended his arm out as if he was going to try and stop the panther. He paused as Blake reached the door and lowered his hand, letting the panther leave without saying a word or trying to stop him. Blake then made his way down the hall en route to what was now his room.
He approached the door, which caused it to open, and the panther entered the room. He walked slowly to the foot of his bed where he stood for a couple moments then let himself flop back onto the blissfully cushioned surface. Blake laid there as he vacantly stared at the ceiling while his mind drowned in thought. He tried to piece together everything that Ocean had explained to him just moments before.
'Man...why did this have to happen to me...I never asked for any of this. I just wanted a normal life: graduate with my degree...get a job and enjoy life. I don't want any of this running away or have a need to prepare myself for something that I hardly know anything about. I don't want to have to be wary of every corner I turn,' he turned with a sign and faced the wall where the drawers were located. He noted that all his clothing had already been put away. Normally this would have left him feeling a little violated about his stuff being rummaged through but right now he simply didn't care. 'I don't even know where to begin with this...power thing. How can I even compete against someone who's managed to terrify an entire planet with this same power...One that he got from a different me? ...A...Different me? Parallel worlds? I pray that when I wake up, I'm in my own bed back in my apartment, that this is all some strange dream I can share with my friends and laugh about later.'
The door opened once more, Blake didn't even bother to turn his head to see who it was. 'Sorry I was standing outside your door. I wanted to give you a little more time to think but then I thought of something else.' Spoke the otter that the panther had been dialogued with not too long ago.
'Y'know, Blake, I never wanted to be a part of a mission like this. I mean...seriously...me? Be a large role for a mission as grand as this? I asked and said the same things as you: 'Why me?', 'I don't want this kind of responsibility'. It's really tough that I have this kind of weight on my shoulders, I can relate to how you feel. I mean, if I fail, the future of my world remains as it is or possibly fall even deeper into ruin.'
Blake turned slowly, facing the otter from his bed. Ocean leaned against the wall, his heel propped up against it and his toes still on the floor, with his arms crossed over his chest. The mustelid looked up and at Blake, a slight smile on his face. He was just as scared as the panther was, and it showed.
'I'm sure there's many more qualified than me, so I don't know why they had me do this. I can tell you now though: I don't know if it's any consolation either but...you're not in this alone. The four of us were chosen to especially to aid you in your efforts. Not only to help you gain access to the power you possess, but also to keep you safe and watch each other's backs while we work towards the same goal. I may not look like much, but,' Ocean suddenly pushed away from the wall stood there in a fighting stance, bouncing and rocking his body about. He continued his statement with a confident smirk, 'I'm one of the higher levels of Shotokan Karate, a 5th Dan Blackbelt. You can definitely count on me to keep you safe Blake, okay? I'm right beside you this entire time and I will do whatever I can to help you find your path to get to where you need to be.'
The otter stopped his movements just to end up walking to the base of the bed. He smiled down at the panther who was still just laying there. Blake couldn't help but look at him standing there above him. He felt like he could trust this crew, or at least the otter, a bit more at this time. Now that the feline understood what was actually going on and that he was the latest member to tread the same path these 4 were on. Ocean let his hand out, reaching out for the panther.
'Y-yeah...Thanks, Ocean. I don't fully understand what's going on...or what I must do...well I do, but I don't know the means to get there. Just knowing that I'm not alone here does offer some comfort.' He took the otter's extended hand.
Ocean pulled the panther up and off the bed, 'Theeere ya go! It won't be easy, but I'll help you as much as I possibly can, everyone will too! I assure you!' he grinned and patted the panther's shoulder. Soon the door opened again, and there stood J.C.
'Geez Oshe! Th' kid's not even been here for a day and you're makin' a move on him and before I can even! You're gonna put me t' shame here!' the bat grinned and motioned for the two to follow, 'now c'mon, Mungo's done with the meal prep, so let's get some grub!'
His words made Ocean blush a little bit and turn to face away from the panther and shook his head slowly. 'Uhh...right! Heh...food, let's go join everyone else then, shall we Blake? You thought that drink Mungo made was good, just wait to actually have a full meal prepared by him!' The otter gave a big grin and ran out the door turning to the dining room.
Blake nodded and gave a brief smile as before he followed the otter out of the room, with much less excitement than the predecessor. He shortly entered the next room where the members of the crew sat around the table. In the middle was what could only be described as a full-fledged feast as Mungo seemed to have put a lot of work into it. The pit bull terrier was the also the only one that wasn't sitting at the table, Blake noted. He then took an open spot on the side between Ocean and J.C.
The otter smiled at him as he sat, 'So, Blake, whadd'ya think? Looks AND smells incredible, doesn't it!?' he said with a grin.
'Hey Oshe, you're drooling at the kid,' J.C. joked. 'Which dish are you drooling over now? The stuff on the table, or the one sittin' beside us' he grinned and snickered. He was looking at the panther as well. In fact, everyone in the room was.
'I-Is there something wrong with me? Why, why is everyone staring at me?' Blake asked as he shirked down some in his seat.
'Blake-doll, we ain't starin' atcha.' Tilly spoke from the other side of the table, 'Thinka this as a initiation of a new famileh membuh. We here aw famileh to one anotheh.'
J.C. sat across from the panther with a grin. 'You don't gotta worry kid, you're in good hands with me here. I won't let anything get atcha without getting through J.C., here, first!'
Mungo stood at the wall where he simply watched everyone else at the table. He gave Blake a quiet smile and a nod, it was easily seen in his eyes that he already felt the same toward the panther as well.
Blake cocked his head and looked at the otter, 'Say...how come Mungo isn't sitting here with us?'
'Mungo doesn't eat with us, he says he prefers to watch others eat his food and see the looks on their faces as their taste buds are assaulted with the rich and exotic flavors and tastes.' Ocean explained.
This answer took Blake back as he sat back in his chair, a shocked look on his face, 'He...really said that? That seems like a lot for someone like him...I mean...he barely says anything though...'
'He talks more when you get to know him better...I also might have paraphrased a little bit, but I know that's how he feels about it. He'll eat too, don't worry. He takes care of us and keeps us well fed. He's like Tilly, but with food!' The otter grinned and chuckled. Tilly apparently didn't hear what was said while Mungo still stood there quiet.
Blake nodded and smiled, 'well I look forward to your 'exquisite' food Mungo.' This acquired another quiet smile from the large canine.
'Okay-okay enough of this chatter, let's eat already!' J.C. piped up, 'we don't want it gettin' cold, so c'mon~!'
The meal advanced onward. Blake discovered many tastes that were held in the futuristic other world. It was definitely like nothing he had ever tasted before. He spent the meal with others talking and nothing was said about the events that were to come. The panther was starting to feel more and more comfortable around them, feeling almost as if he were back at school enjoying a meal with his friends. Tilly rambled on about how J.C. 'scared the bejeezus' out of her which made the bat go on about how abusive she is. It was definitely a motley crew, Blake thought, but...at least it kept his mind occupied as he laughed and smiled with the meal's developments. He never thought he would actually enjoy a moment such as this here, on this vehicle.
J.C. would hit on the panther upon occasion which usually resulted in Tilly smacking him or threatening to throw her silverware at him. Then Ocean would apologize for the bat. This would get a cackle out of the bat and a shaking of the panther's head accompanied by a sigh. J.C. certainly was a horn dog, plain and simple, when it came down to it. It was obvious that he was trying to work his charms on the panther to no avail.
Soon enough the dinner had concluded and Mungo started to clean up the mess at the table. Blake decided he would stay and lend a hand, out of common courtesy. The large pit bull terrier wouldn't allow him to do such a thing, shaking his head and mutter that he would do it. Still, the panther insisted on assisting.
'Your food was simply amazing,' Blake spoke as he picked up the silverware from around the table as well as the empty plates. 'Where did you learn such skills?' he asked.
The canine stood there, working on gathering the leftovers and covering or sealing them up, 'Family...wife and kids...I feed them...'
'You have a family? Heh. I never would have guessed. I'll have to ask more about them sometime.' Blake spoke. The only response he got from Mungo was a quiet nod and that same soft smile.
The table clearing continued on, Blake didn't talk much more aside from questions about food to the quiet canine, which usually got a one or two word answer and not much else. Before long the table was cleared and cleaned up and Mungo stood right beside Blake. He placed his larger hand onto the panther's shoulder, '...Thanks...' he spoke considerately.
Everyone seemed to like Blake's shoulder for some particular reason, but he didn't think anything of it. 'You're very welcome, I'll help every time...it's not right for you to make such delicious food and clean it up all by yourself.' the panther responded to the gratified remark.
'I don't mind it...' Mungo responded.
'Still doesn't make I right,' Blake shook his head and patted the canine on the arm. Mungo responded with yet another smile from the quiet male and a nod before he walked back into the kitchen area. The pit bull terrier started cleaning the dishes off, Blake felt bad for him having to clean up after the rest of the crew's meals. It didn't seem as if he had any worries about doing the task, he was just quiet as usual fulfilled his work.
Blake left the dining area after Mungo started to work. Shortly after leaving said room, he noticed that the door to his room was open. Curious as to why, the panther walked the open doorway and saw no one inside, it was very peculiar.
Without warning, a pair of arms lunged from behind him and latched around his torso. His arms were pinned to his side, which made the panther unable to counter or maneuver and was stuck to the other body. Blake fought and struggled against the strong grasp, but he couldn't even move his torso. He noted that the other body was shorter than his own but then felt something odd. It was something that made him blush deeply as his crotch received a full-palmed grope and was followed by some snickering before he was let go.
'You're far too easy kid,' J.C. snickered as he stood behind the panther. Blake turned, swinging his fist at the bat with a snarl. To his surprise, J.C. easily intercepted the throw and simply held his arm in place there. 'Now now, just havin' a little fun with ya, guy! No need ta get all riled up! Keehehe~' he smirked and released the panther's fist.
'Why the hell'd you do that for? You scared the shit out of me!' Blake shouted at the bat.
'We'll work on that later, you need to be able to defend yourself better if you're gonna end up facing the Blitz.' the bat responded.
'That doesn't mean you can just cop a feel!' Blake's face was rather flushed. He never really got any physical contact from anyone before, not in this manner at least.
The bat chuckled and patted the panther's rear. This made Blake groan in his throat in discontent. The bat was too up front with him and obviously trying to work his way with the panther. Blake wasn't going to let it get to him, though_._
_ J.C. does have a point to some extent though_, Blake thought to himself, I just hope he won't keep trying to get all feely with me...it's...awkward.
'Welp, I gotta go back to piloting the ship, we're departing for the future soon! Enjoy the flight, panther!' the bat strolled out of the room with a self-satisfied grin.
Blake just sighed and shook his head as J.C. left the premises. 'This is all moving too fast...I hope that they won't try to make me do all this stuff once we get there...they say I'm not alone...but...they don't have the same pressure as me. I'm just expected to leave everything behind and march ready into this place?' he muttered to himself.
The panther turned and the doors opened once again.
'EEEEP!' there was a loud shriek that deafened his hearing for some moments as Tilly's loud shrill reverberated in his ear canals and jumped like a startled house cat.
'Blakey-darlin'! Ya' frightened meh half ta death! I wasn' expectin' ya ta be RIGHT thar' when I wanted ta come an' give ya somethin'.' The peacock had a smile on her face as she held up a make-up compact at Blake.
'I...don't wear make-up. Hate to burst your bubble.' Blake shook his head.
'No Silleh! This is the tele-communicator thin' ah've been workin' on so diligently for you sweetie-pie!' the female giggled as she grabbed Blakes hand, placing the compact in his palm. 'Just clicky on tha' l'il button on the side, this thang'll pop raigh-open for ya. I even made 'em special jus' so yeh can read wha' ta do ta use it!'
The panther pushed the button as indicated and he looked at the insides. He could see little buttons and knew exactly what they meant. They weren't even in English. In fact there were only patterns and designs on the buttons, ones that only the panther could decipher. 'H-how did you know about these? They were part of a secret code in a tree house club when I was little...' the panther cocked his head and looked at the peacock perplexed.
'Naw c'mon baby-cakes, yeh thank Till' couldn't find out somehow? Ah'm a lot smarter than I give off sweetie,' she tapped her finger at her temple. 'When ah firs' metcha I got summa ya fur. I could easileh fin' the symbols in ya memoreh honey. Nah remembuh, if ya'll need ta call any of us...yuh can! Nah if you 'scuse meh sweet cheeks, ah need ta keep workin' on somethin' else. Ya'll know how ta reach meh if yeh need now, or jus' swing on by mah workshop!'
Blake stood there studying the new contraption in his grasp while Tilly made her exit and headed back to her work room.
'All this stuff keeps happening all at once...and...now I get this? It really feels like I'm just a character in a game...or some sci-fi movie on tv, or something....when am I going to wake up?' he sighed as he stood there. He suddenly stumbled as he felt the ship move. 'J.C. must be starting to move on ahead to the future. Guess...it's time...I think I'm going to lay down for a little bit.'
After coming to that decision, Blake moved his tired body to his bed and flopped down onto the soft cushiony surface once again. He hadn't realized just how exhausted his body felt as he laid there, staring at the ceiling.
Soon, he found himself standing in that vast empty void again. The same black field he had encountered so many times prior.
...awaken...young panther...open yourself...embrace yourself...
'Chernobog! Is that what your name is!?' the panther shouted out as there was nothing but darkness surrounding him, always unable to tell if his eyes were actually opened or if he was just staring at the back of his eyelids.
...that is I...thou dost know thy name...
'Why are you inside of me!? Why have you chosen me?' the panther cried out with mixed emotions carried in the sound of his voice. Anger, terror, uncertainty, disbelief; all of these were mixed and intertwined.
...destiny...
What kind of a lame answer is that...? Blake thought to himself. 'Well...what the hell am I supposed to do!? I know what you are, but I don't know anything about what to do for myself! How am I supposed to go up against this Darke guy!? Why the hell am I the one that has to do this!? Why can't someone else do it! I don't want a part of this!!'
...you alone...feel the shadow...your mind...fill your body...let the shadow envelope...your soul...
'envelope...my soul? What do you mean?' the panther asked the surrounding entity, 'how am I supposed to let it do that?' The more the panther heard the more he was at a loss about how he got into his position and how he was supposed to accomplish what he was expected to. He wished it could just be something simple, but of course...it could never be that easy.
His eyes shot open with a start. He had a feeling, inside, that something was happening.
Mere seconds passed. J.C.'s voice carried over the ship's intercoms overhead:
'Till'! Oshe! Get'ta the bridge, stat! We got a huuuge problem, somethin's not right!!'
- Next: The Journey -