Prelude Chapter 1
#1 of The Adventures of Chris and Elly
Prelude to a story I've been working on for the last few years. I'm going to try to work on it every sunday for a few hours.
It follows a bunny couple that get entangled in a conspiracy and save the world, and make some friends along the way.
A chill ran down Adagio's spine, as the cold wet air hit his nose, A droplet of water fell from the tip of his folded ear, he put his paws into the pockets of his trenchcoat.
He felt the small container in there, the culmination of 427 years of work...
The end of 427 years of work...
He tilted his muzzle to the sky, the small droplets of rain hitting his face. Thoughts raced through his mind. Was he suddenly second guessing himself? After all the work he put into this?
I guess giving up something that's been a part of your life for over 400 years isn't as easy as flipping a switch?
Or is it? By his calculations the effects won't be immediate. The nanites will take a while to decay. Their power supplies will last for a few dozen more years?
Is it really an ending? Or is this just where his life really begins?
Has it really been 401 years ago that they had made him this way?
Has it really been 26 years since he tried to destroy the world?
He felt behind his neck, the small bump.
--- 23 years ago ---
"Your honor!"
The hyena was standing at the bench facing the judge. His tailored suit didn't have a wrinkle in it.
"Expecting my client to spend his life in servitude to this taskforce, is simply unreasonable. My client is over 400 years old, no one knows how long he'll still-"
"I accept."
The hyena tilted his head and almost didn't believe his own ears to his what his client was saying.
"Your honor, can we take a break, I think my client is having a- Senior moment."
He glanced back at the snow leopard, if you could even call him that anymore. He was practically all machine.
The only thing sticking out through his black hoodie was his light blue nose.
Adagio stood up in his seat, unfolding his arms to take the covering off of his head. He touched the shoulder of his lawyer, the servos of his arm slightly wirred as the PID systems controlling his mechanical had fought for balance between pressure and not crushing the hyena's shoulder.
"It is true what my legal representation has said. I have spent over 400 years on this earth, and in that time, all I could see was the bad.
I spent my life resenting the world for what it took for me, and I nearly took everything from everyone as a result.
I accept my fate. I will join your task force. But I will not be joining it as a punishment. I will be joining it out of my own free will, in hopes that I might redeem myself, for the crimes I committed. And the atrocities I nearly committed out of my blindness, brought on by grief and resentment.
Maybe there's someone out there like me, that only needs a guiding light to see that what they are doing is wrong. Maybe there's someone out there that needs an old cyborgs hand.
I ask only that I be allowed to continue to research a cure for my immortality, and when I do find it, I be allowed to take it on my own time, and live a normal life- a finite life.
That I can experience what you all consider normal- Knowing that my next day could be my last."
The judge; a honey badger, looked at Adagio over his frameless glasses.
"Mr Evans. The court will grant you this wish."
He kept walking down the largely empty streets, some hollowsigns flickering over some long closed stores, their driver circuits emitting a soft hum.
He finally came up the the place he was looking for. No hollowsigns on this one. Just an old stone building with a wooden sign. How they got away with that after wood was banned in the early 2300s, is anyone's guess.
He pushed the heavy doors open, the warm orange hue of the dimly lit building a stark contrast to the cold blues outside.
He saw what he was looking for, or who, rather.
That tail was unmistakable, the ridgeback jackal was sitting at the raised bar stools, looking intently at his drink.
"It's been awhile Jacques." He pulled up the chair next to Jacques'.
The snow leopard sat down, the claw at the tip of his tail dangling behind him, drawing a few eyes."
"Ren-"
"Please don't call me that."
"Then what would you have me call you?"
"Adagio."
"Okay- Adagio" He stretched it out. "I got your message."
"I wasn't sure if you'd still be looking." Adagio said, ordering the same thing as Jacques.
"Old habits." He took a big sip of the golden coloured liquid.
He took the container out of his pocket and slid it towards the jackal.
"This... Is this what I think it is?"
The bartender put down a napkin, and placed a glass with ice, and filled it halfway. "Whiskey on the rocks"
The snow leopard nodded, taking the glass and swirling it with his mechanical arm.
"The kill code for the nanites."