{"sf1_id":1666409,"sf2_id":"rnaMy0Ln","title":"The Leaves of Fall Act 2: Fear the Nobodies (Part 25)","author":"Oliver_Hart","words":2671,"posted_at":"2020-12-28T02:10:18.000Z","tags":["Adventure","Alternate Reality","Anon","Boy","Brother","Bunny","Classroom","Couple","Emo","Fight","Girl","Green text","Greentext","HMOFA","Halloween","Heterosexual","High School","Hmofa/","Human","Kissing","Plot Development","Rabbit","Siblings","Slow burn","Young Romance","anthro/human"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1666409-the-leaves-of-fall-act-2-fear-the-nobodies-part-25","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/rnaMy0Ln","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/6d/ca/6dca9661-1022-43aa-a3fe-d981fd2197b5","description":"You've never really 'fit in' with the heavily divided Ranchview High School crowd. Jock, Goth, Prep, Cheerleader, Nerd... you were never any of these. But as Halloween approaches, strange things start happening, and a dark ritual begins with the finding of a curious red book. It's a race against time for you and your friends to stop a group of students from ushering in an age of darkness, and to also figure out just what the hell is wrong with that rabbit.  \n~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  \n  \nAbout this version: originally, The Leaves of Fall was split into two pastebins to compensate for the length of the story. Given that pastebin has chosen to censor this story for ambiguous reasons, it will forever be stored here and on AO3. This new version contains spelling, grammar and content fixes. Please understand that the content is all the same as the earlier versions minus some sentences being changed and fixed up. I cannot stress this enough: no new content has been added. It's my hope that this is a cleaner, easier-to-read version of the story.  \n  \nCover: [https://imgur.com/a/vZS4Q](https://imgur.com/a/vZS4Q)  \nSam (drawn by Akella of /hmofa/) [https://imgur.com/a/nk3t1wT](https://imgur.com/a/nk3t1wT)  \nFan art collection: [https://imgur.com/a/SCCSIQv](https://imgur.com/a/SCCSIQv)  \nAccompanying playlist (WIP): [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9aXlzDRA49QKxgYsOV2JuDd410\\_nI-0J](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9aXlzDRA49QKxgYsOV2JuDd410_nI-0J)  \nAlternative link: [https://www.sofurry.com/view/1479078](https://www.sofurry.com/view/1479078)  \nTotal word count: 147,552 words","content":"\\\u003eYou roll into the small parking lot of the church  \n\\\u003eAh yes, you've been here before, mainly with Mike and Alex to 'hunt ghosts' when you were younger  \n\\\u003eYou never found any ghosts but you did burn a couple thousand calories on the bike ride up the hill  \n\\\u003eWhat?  \n\\\u003eYou were a little chubby back then  \n\\\u003eBecause you were… bulking…?  \n\\\u003eIt doesn't look like anyone is outside except Mike, who sits, shivering, on the concrete steps next to an overturned shopping cart  \n“Yo fagtron,\" you lean your head out the window  \n\\\u003eMike stands up and flips you off  \n\\\u003eAh, glad to see you two are back to normal  \n“Where is everyone?\"  \n\\\u003eYour voice rises over the mounting breeze  \n\\\u003e\"Inside!\" Mike returns  \n\\\u003eHis voice booms like he swallowed a microphone  \n\\\u003eMust be the vampire powers  \n\\\u003e\"Someone left one of the doors unlocked around back.\"   \n\\\u003eHe stands up and walks over to your idling car, throws open the door, and then hauls himself into your backseat  \n\\\u003e\"Hi Anon.\" He kicks the seat ahead of him, eliciting a sharp, feminine gasp from Sam. \"Hi Thumper.\"  \n\\\u003eYep, Mike may be a vampire, but he's still Mike  \n“Hey asshole,\" you fire back  \n\\\u003e\"Ahhh it's good to be back to the old days of casually insulting one another-\"  \n“-Until it explodes into violence,\" you say, cutting Mike off  \n\\\u003e\"Yeah. I missed our toxic dialogues.\"  \n“Strangely enough, so did I.\"  \n\\\u003eSam leans over the center console  \n\\\u003e\"Y-You two are m-mean to each other,\" he says, hair falling over his eyes  \n\\\u003e\"We're mean because we love each other,\" Mike leans forward and blows a kiss at you. “Anon is my bitch.\"  \n\\\u003eAlright, you can't help but smile at that too  \n“If anything you're my bitch. Always stealing my beer, bumming rides off me. I'm your sugar daddy.\"  \n\\\u003eSam looks completely lost  \n\\\u003eAnd you're sure as hell not going to explain this to him  \n\\\u003eYou clear your throat and try to steer the conversation somewhere more productive  \n“So where's Alex?\"  \n\\\u003eMike stretches out  \n\\\u003e\"Jenna and Alex are inside the church. Turns out someone left the back door unlocked. Lord knows what they're doing in there.\"  \n\\\u003eYeah, he actually does. It's his house  \n“So why aren't you inside?\"  \n\\\u003eMike scowls and points to his glowing eyes  \n“Oh. Right. Sorry again about that.\"  \n\\\u003eBut your apology is not weak this time, nor is it scared of Mike Sapone's anger  \n\\\u003eIt feels like you're talking to him as an equal for once  \n\\\u003e\"I'm still getting used to everything. You know, the nuances of being a blood sucking edgelord, but it turns out I can't actually enter the church. Holy ground and all that good stuff.\"   \n\\\u003e\"M-Mike,\" Sam speaks up. “Ha-Have you…\"   \n\\\u003eAnd then he trails off, shyly looking up to you to distract himself from Mikes annoyed scowl  \n\\\u003e\"Have I what?\"  \n\\\u003e\"Y-You know…\" Sam tries again  \n\\\u003e\"Oh. Blood.\" Mike folds his arms across his chest and looks directly ahead  \n\\\u003eNot at Sam, but through him  \n\\\u003eThis seems to frighten the little rabbit  \n\\\u003e\"I don't want to talk about it.\"  \n\\\u003eSam shrinks into his clothes  \n\\\u003e\"S-Sorry.\"  \n\\\u003eThe vampire sighs deeply. “No, it's fine. I just don't want to talk about it. You two should get inside though, Comrade Alexi and Jenna are waiting for you. Or maybe you should all come out here. I don't know.\"  \n“Why is Jenna here?\" You snatch the keys out of the ignition.  \n\\\u003eMike kicks his feet up onto the center console and shuts his tired eyes. “Because she saved my life.\"  \n\\\u003eHis ordinarily short, spiked hair is ruffled, his green eyes look bloodshot and red (even through their otherworldly glow), and his skin looks bruised and bloody   \n\\\u003eAnd especially pale  \n\\\u003eHe's practically snoring already  \n\\\u003e\"By the way, I'm going to stay here for a hot minute. It's starting to get dark and cold outside and I'm sick of being in the fucking wind.\"  \n\\\u003eYeah, he's is probably done for the night  \n\\\u003eYou want to ask him about Jenna, but you don't bother  \n\\\u003eAll will be explained later  \n\\\u003eProbably  \n\\\u003eHopefully  \n  \n\\\u003eYou slip in through the back of the church, Sam at your heels  \n\\\u003eYou're grateful for the warmth  \n\\\u003eThe wind sharply slams the door shut behind you  \n\\\u003eSam jumps nearly a foot into the air,  \n\\\u003eYou know he's your friend and all, and he's got… issues…   \n\\\u003eBut it's like every little thing sets him off, and-  \n\\\u003e\"ANON!\" Alex hops off the altar with a shout  \n\\\u003eYou also jump a little  \n\\\u003eAlex throws his arms around you  \n\\\u003eSam looks on in dismay, and maybe a little of jealousy  \n\\\u003eSensing this, Alex detaches from you, bends his massive, 6'2\" lanklet frame over and practically lifts the five-foot-nothing rabbit into the air  \n\\\u003e\"And Sam! Sam! Sam!\" He bounces the rabbit like a baby  \n\\\u003eSam, of course, struggles but eventually gives up the fight  \n\\\u003e\"Calm down there, Alex,\" Jenna says, rising from a pew in front of the altar  \n\\\u003eHer tail fans behind her, and the smile plastered across her face says she's happy to see that you and Sam are still alive. \"They just got here, give 'em some room.\"  \n\\\u003eShe smooths out her knitted green sweater, ears folding against her skull  \n\\\u003eAlex sets Sam down gingerly and pats him twice on the head while muttering “pat pat\"  \n\\\u003eSam winces with each assailing pat  \n  \n\\\u003eYou don't know what to say  \n\\\u003eYou feel like you just got ran over by a truck full of emotions  \n\\\u003eMike is back on your side  \n\\\u003eAlex is alive  \n\\\u003eJenna is here too  \n\\\u003eAnd Sam is safe  \n“I think I need to sit down for a second,\" you say as you lean into a polished, creaking pew  \n\\\u003eIt squeals with age and protest under your meager weight  \n\\\u003eSam hops up next to you, his drawings still in hand  \n\\\u003eYou don't really mind him tailing you anymore  \n\\\u003eIt's just the signals from Alex that you can't abide  \n\\\u003eAlex winks suspiciously at you  \n\\\u003eYou raise your middle finger to him in response  \n\\\u003eWitnessing the exchange, Jenna rolls her eyes. \"Another thing nobody will explain to me, right?\"  \n\\\u003e\"We're trying to help Anonymous see that he's gay,\" Alex offers  \n\\\u003eA rush of blood hits high in your cheeks  \n\\\u003e\"Y-Y-You're gay?\" Sam says with a weak voice  \n\\\u003eHe almost sounds heartbroken  \n\\\u003eThat's… not what you expected  \n“God damnit, I'm not gay!\" You plead. “Jenna, I swear I'm not.\"  \n\\\u003eShe shrugs  \n\\\u003e\"It doesn't bother me if you are. I've got a gay uncle. It's not a big deal.\"  \n\\\u003eGOD DAMNIT  \n\\\u003eYou throw your hands up  \n\\\u003eYou don't need this shit right now  \n“Can we just… Not talk about this right now? SO much has happened and changed since I last saw the both of you. I need to talk to ALL of you as soon as possible, so we can get a plan together.\"  \n\\\u003e\"A plan?\" Alex remarks. “What happened to wanting to stay out of this?\"  \n\\\u003eA heavy breath of air escapes your lungs  \n“We can no longer hide from this. And frankly, I'm fucking done running away from things that scare me. You understand?\"  \n\\\u003eAlex issues a crisp salute  \n\\\u003e\"Sir!\"  \n\\\u003eAlex is like an obedient child sometimes  \n\\\u003eStupid, well-meaning, optimistic, but above all, he has what Mike doesn't:  \n\\\u003eLoyalty  \n\\\u003eBut you can tell that something has changed with Mike  \n\\\u003eIn a good way  \n\\\u003eYour eyes turn to Jenna  \n“This is your chance to walk away. I won't hold anything against you if you don't want to involve yourself. Hell, I'm not even sure you'll believe the kind of shit that I'm about to tell you.\"  \n\\\u003eIt's true  \n\\\u003eHow the fuck could anyone believe this shit?  \n\\\u003eYou could present all the evidence that you have  \n\\\u003eThe aggression at school  \n\\\u003eThe vampire cheerleaders  \n\\\u003eThe werewolf jocks  \n\\\u003eThe size of the moon  \n\\\u003eThe sudden absence of Gloria Duchene  \n\\\u003eThe Book of Rite  \n\\\u003eThe Book of Wrath (once you get a hold of it)  \n\\\u003eMike MOTHERFUCKING Sapone's current state is evidence enough  \n\\\u003eALL of this, and it wouldn't be enough for anyon-  \n\\\u003e\"And let you all hurt yourselves? Nah. Plus I think I involved myself already,\" she says, a dissaproving hand on her hip  \n\\\u003e\"H-How?\" Sam squeaks up  \n\\\u003e\"Lydia Penferth ate my car,\" she replies  \n\\\u003eHer lips part and you can see the rows of her meticulously cleaned fangs  \n\\\u003eYou shrink back against the pew  \n\\\u003eDamn  \n\\\u003eShe kind of reminds you of Mike  \n\\\u003e\"Welllllll alright then,\" Alex says, trying to ease the tension in the room. “What say we all take a jaunt on over to the rust bucket and Anon can let us in on what he's discovered?\"  \n\\\u003eOooh, jaunt. You like that word  \n\\\u003eYou're proud of Alex  \n\\\u003eHis dumbass is learning bigger and bigger words  \n\\\u003eProbably all the books you've been forcing him to read  \n\\\u003eYou give a disparaging look at the double-wide white oak doors behind you  \n\\\u003eFrom the stained glass windows, crafted in the shape of a cross that loom over the wooden altar, the blue light of dusk is pouring through  \n\\\u003eIt's going to be cold as hell you tell yourself  \n\\\u003eBut you go anyway, because this shit is important  \n  \n\\\u003eYou rap several times on the window  \n\\\u003eMike wakes with a loud snort  \n\\\u003eHe looks about, shaking the dreams from his head  \n\\\u003eWhen his eyes settle on you, he nods twice and reaches for the lock  \n  \n\\\u003eThis car isn't big  \n\\\u003eIt's rusty, smelly, and gets terrible gas mileage  \n\\\u003eBut damnit, you're starting to grow attached to its flaws  \n\\\u003eThe cracked windshield  \n\\\u003eThe bent-in front hood  \n\\\u003eThe raw passenger side door which lacks any kind of upholstery  \n\\\u003eThis little battlewagon can fit five people, albiet uncomfortably  \n\\\u003eMike crams himself in the middle seat in the back  \n\\\u003eHim and Jenna are practically ontop of each other  \n\\\u003eAnd you can see Jenna looks flustered by the whole situation  \n\\\u003eLol nerd with no experience with the opposite sex aside from her slut brother  \n\\\u003eAlex spreads his spindly legs wide like an asshole  \n\\\u003eHe probably has no idea what he's doing or how much room he's taking up, he's just stretching his legs  \n\\\u003eSam gets the privilege of sitting in the passenger seat next to you  \n\\\u003eHe's distracted by his drawings that he never got to show you  \n\\\u003eYou glare at him until he stuffs them into his hoodie's pocket  \n\\\u003eYou'll look after this, you promise to yourself  \n\\\u003eYou don't enjoy seeing him so sad  \n\\\u003eAlright, the gang's all here  \n\\\u003eSo, do you-  \n\\\u003e\"Can you hurry up?\" Mike says. \"Fur is hot and I'm basically using Jenna as a coat right now.\"  \n\\\u003e\"You're WHAT!?\" Jenna says with a gasp. “You so are not. You're the one rubbing up against me!\"  \n\\\u003e\"I dunno,\" Alex says with a dopey smile. “I think both of you would make great coats for each other.\"  \n\\\u003eMike slugs Alex hard  \n\\\u003e\"Hey, don't hit him!\" Jenna says, catching at Mike's arm  \n\\\u003eMike looks about ready to turn and hit the vixen as well  \n\\\u003eTo your surprise, he lets his hands drop into his lap  \n\\\u003e\"Sorry,\" he grumbles  \n\\\u003eYou can't help but crack a slight smile  \n\\\u003eJust like normal. Alex is a dumbfuck, Mike is an asshole  \n\\\u003eAnd you like Jenna. She's smart but doesn't put up with Mike's shit  \n\\\u003eBut now is not the time for this  \n\\\u003eNow is time for… EXPOSITION  \n  \n\\\u003eThe sun slips behind the mountains, small trails of golden light shining through the overcast  \n\\\u003eBlue dusk had long since settled over everything, smothering the world in a shade above black  \n“So just to recap: Vanessa and her gang of retards have the ritual in place and ready to go. They just need this here book-\" you hold the red book out to the passengers in the back, though you doubt any of them can see it in the darkness. “-and Sam to finish things.\"  \n\\\u003e\"Okay, easy,\" Mike claps his hands. “We don't give them either the book or Thumper.\"   \n\\\u003eYou frown  \n“Unfortunately we also need Sam and the book to stop the ritual and banish the Behemoth. Oh, and from what I can tell, we'll have to do it at the altar that we all saw on Friday.\"  \n\\\u003e\"I've got a question,\" Jenna cuts in. “What is this Behemoth?\"  \n“Dunno,\" you say. “It's some kind of old god that they say can bring the world to chaos-\"  \n\\\u003e\"-And debauchery and hedonism,\" you and Mike utter in unison.  \n\\\u003eYou throw him a confused look  \n\\\u003e\"Lydia Penferth tried to convince me to join her side earlier today. She told me the same shpeel. I blinded her with oranges.\"  \n\\\u003e\"Impressive,\" Alex says  \n\\\u003e\"It- It-\" Sam tries sitting up in his seat  \n\\\u003eDamn, he's actually contributing  \n\\\u003eIt's enough to make you smile  \n\\\u003eOrdinarily he doesn't speak unless spoken to  \n\\\u003e\"It makes you s-s-see things that a-a-aren't there, I s-s-saw you my brother,\" Sam says, almost ashamed  \n\\\u003eYou've been meaning to ask about… Jacob? Was it Jacob? Maybe after this  \n\\\u003eYou clear your throat to dispel the melancholy mood settling over the vehicle's occupants  \n“So like I said. We'll need to bring Sam and the Book of Rite with us on Friday, sneak into the gym, and… I'll read up and figure out a way to undo all of this. But I know for sure we need Sam and the book.\"  \n\\\u003e\"We could…\" Jenna starts, before her words collapse into a series of thoughtful hums  \n\\\u003e\"We could get costumes. I mean, the Spooktober Fest is a costumed event. Plus the goths won't be able to tell it's us if we're all dressed up.\"  \n\\\u003eThere's silence, almost as if everyone is still digesting what you said  \n\\\u003eSam squeaks up again  \n\\\u003eIn the mounting darkness, you can see his hands go to his ears and tug at them softly  \n\\\u003e\"W-What about my d-d-dad?\"  \n\\\u003eAh yes  \n\\\u003eThe crazy, abusive, dangerous, alcoholic rabbit who is probably still out hunting for Sam right now  \n\\\u003eYou hadn't even thought of him  \n\\\u003eHe's a rogue element  \n\\\u003eA dingo in the daycare  \n\\\u003eIt's not like Sam can avoid school  \n\\\u003eIf he misses any more class his chances of graduating are slim  \n\\\u003eAnd you will not fuck his life up anymore than you already have  \n\\\u003eIn the darkness, you shrug, hoping nobody can see your complete ineptitude  \n\\\u003e\"What's so scary about Sam's dad?\" Mike asks  \n\\\u003eAh, that's right. He never met the guy  \n“Bruh, Sam's dad is-\"  \n\\\u003e\"Deeply misguided,\" Alex cuts in  \n\\\u003e….  \n“You could say that.\"  \n\\\u003eOr you could call him what he really is:  \n“Sam's dad is a violent drunk who's out hunting for us.\"  \n\\\u003eSilence  \n\\\u003e\"You mean, like, right now?\" Mike asks. “As in, he's driving around looking for us? To do what?\"  \n\\\u003eSam pulls anxiously at his ears  \n\\\u003eReflexively, you snatch his hands with your own and give them both gentle squeezes  \n“H-Hurt me,\" Sam says. “Last time I r-r-ran away my d-d-dad burned me and b-beat me,\"  \n\\\u003eJesus CHROIST  \n\\\u003eHe BURNED Sam?  \n\\\u003eYou remember the way he stomped on your hood and caved it in  \n\\\u003eFuark  \n\\\u003eSomehow the goths seem less threatening than a psychotic rabbit  \n\\\u003eYou guess you'll… cross that bridge when you come to it?  \n“He knows my name and my car, but I think we're safe here. Nobody ever comes to the old church.\"  \n\\\u003eYou only get silence in response  \n\\\u003e…  \n\\\u003eProbably wasn't a good enough answer  \n“Well shit, what do you want me to say? I don't have a plan. If we stay here, we'll likely be fine .\"  \n\\\u003e…  \n\\\u003e\"I bet I could take him in a fight,\" Mike remarks  \n\\\u003eWell probably not  \n\\\u003eBut okay  \n“Sure thing, buddy.\"  \n\\\u003eYour sarcasm is nearly physical  \n\\\u003eMike folds his arms across his chest, poking Jenna in the boobs  \n\\\u003eHe doesn't seem to care, but the fox does  \n\\\u003eShe strains away from the human, only gaining meager ground  \n\\\u003eSam squeezes your hand anxiously   \n\\\u003eAnd for a good minute, nobody speaks  \n\\\u003eYou all just saturate in the revelations  \n\\\u003eMarinate in their weight  \n\\\u003eSEETHE in their-  \n\\\u003eAlright that's enough  \n\\\u003eAlex, thankfully, says one word  \n\\\u003eBut it's enough to get you all to pile out of the car and into the fresh air (it was getting kind of musty)  \n\\\u003e\"Fire?\"","series":{"name":"The Leaves of Fall","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1666406-the-leaves-of-fall-act-2-fear-the-nobodies-part-24.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1666411-the-leaves-of-fall-act-2-fear-the-nobodies-part-26.json"}}