{"sf1_id":1701289,"sf2_id":"pnGDrW61","title":" The Leaves of Fall Act 3: Something That Matters (Part 20)","author":"Oliver_Hart","words":2375,"posted_at":"2021-03-31T02:37:39.000Z","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/1701289-the-leaves-of-fall-act-3-something-that-matters-part-20","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/pnGDrW61","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/64/4c/644cb411-e2e9-401d-9c98-641a0576caba","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":"\\\u003eAll six cheerleaders converge in a single moment, most of them opting to leap forward like feral wolves  \n\\\u003e\"God, FINALLY.\" Mike unloads a blast of holy water into the face of a pig cheerleader  \n\\\u003eShe makes a horrendous, high pitched squealing noise and crashes head-first into Mike  \n\\\u003eMike goes down hard with the anguished swine on top of him  \n\\\u003eStill wearing her cheerleading uniform, she clutches at her face as steam pours from her sizzling flesh  \n\\\u003eIn the middle of pitched battle, you can't help but smell… bacon  \n\\\u003eMakes you kinda want breakfas-  \n\\\u003eSuddenly you're in the air as Gloria's brawny fist wraps around your midsection and squeezes you like a stress toy   \n\\\u003eYou swear you can hear something snapping  \n\\\u003e\"You're lucky I'm so gentle 'Nonny,\" Gloria bellows  \n\\\u003eWell given that you think she cracked a rib, you don't think that's entirely true  \n\\\u003eThe goat turns and starts walking you towards Vanessa, who waits with The Behemoth at her side  \n\\\u003eYou struggle and kick valiantly, but with your water pistol tucked safely in a belt loop beneath your robes (and really, it's not like you could harm Gloria, of all people, with holy water) you're defenseless  \n\\\u003eChrist on a fucking cracker how did they already win? This is so unfair  \n\\\u003eYou turn around and peer over Gloria's shoulder  \n\\\u003eMike and Jenna are back-to-back, fending off no less than five vampire cheerleaders by themselves, blasting holy water in wide sprays  \n\\\u003eJenna's garlic necklace and bumblebee costume might keep her safe, but Mike is straight up raw dogging it  \n\\\u003eYou can see that even the tips of his fingers are starting to burn from stray splashes  \n\\\u003eWell, everyone's fucked now- wait, where's Sam?  \n\\\u003eThere is no Sam right now, but there is Samurai Outlaw  \n\\\u003eThe hooded hero dashes in front of Gloria with her baseball bat drawn, bringing the hulking Goat to a halt  \n\\\u003eSamurai Outlaw's chest heaves — both with nerves and exhaustion  \n\\\u003eFrom scared amber eyes, she peers up at you like a mountain climber might look up at a perilous summit   \n\\\u003eWith curiosity, Gloria reaches for Samurai Outlaw, but the bun jumps out of the way  \n\\\u003e\"Sam?\" Gloria asks, her voice deep as a canyon. “What are you doing?\"  \n\\\u003eSamurai Outlaw rips down her red bandana  \n\\\u003e\"S-S-S- GOD DAMNIT s-s-saving the world,\" she yells, so that Gloria can hear her above the yowls and screams of the cheerleaders  \n\\\u003eGloria scowls  \n\\\u003e\"Only one person can save the world, and His name is Jesus Christ.\"  \n\\\u003eThe goat sweeps her free arm at Samurai Outlaw, but the bunny propels herself upwards into the air  \n\\\u003eGloria's meaty arm passes harmlessly underneath the rabbit, who stomps back onto the polished wooden floors with a massive \\*thud\\*  \n\\\u003e\"Heretic!\" Gloria's cry vibrates in the hollows of your chest  \n\\\u003eShe stomps her huge feet  \n\\\u003eThe whole gym seems to quake in sharp bursts  \n\\\u003eSamurai Outlaw falls onto her ass, momentarily dazed  \n\\\u003eTaking advantage of Samurai Outlaw's temporary immobility, the goat lifts one massive foot to stomp the hero out like a bug  \n\\\u003eBut the bun is quick to scramble up to her feet and hop (heh) out of the way  \n\\\u003eTo add injury to insult, Samurai Outlaw grips her baseball bat tight, pulls it behind her shoulders, and swings for the fences…  \n\\\u003e…Though Gloria's leg happens to be in the way  \n\\\u003eMaybe that was the point  \n\\\u003eThe bat collides with the goat's shine bone, resonating with a mighty and metallic \\*THUNK\\*  \n\\\u003eYour captor roars with pain  \n\\\u003eGloria keels over, eyes squeezed shut, her grip on you loosening  \n\\\u003eNow's your chance  \n\\\u003eYou start to pull and wriggle yourself free, feeling less like a worm on a hook and more like a fish in a loose net  \n\\\u003eSamurai Outlaw swings with two more rapid bursts, the bat colliding into Gloria's shin bone like a freight train  \n\\\u003eAnd right as you get free and tumble onto the hard gym floor, Gloria kicks out her wounded leg, punting Samurai Outlaw across the gym  \n\\\u003eShe CRASHES into a table, knocking the whole thing over and falling limp  \n\\\u003eBut you're okay  \n\\\u003eKind of  \n\\\u003eThe fall dazed you, but Gloria looks more stunned than you are, which is a blessing  \n\\\u003e\"God damnit you stupid mutt!\" Vanessa cries. \"Grab him!\"  \n\\\u003eYou turn to see Vanessa smacking The Behemoth, who cowers next to her  \n\\\u003eWhat the fuck is this  \n\\\u003e\"Why won't you do as I tell you!?\" She screams  \n\\\u003eThe beast finally budges, its ephemeral ears folded backwards  \n\\\u003eIt takes slow, plodding steps towards you, like it was dodging land mines  \n\\\u003eWhy is it not lunging at you and attacking?  \n\\\u003eWhat the fu-  \n\\\u003eAh  \n\\\u003eYou feel Gloria's massive, gaudy crucifix against your chest  \n\\\u003eThat's right. The power of Christ compels it  \n\\\u003eYou breathe a sigh of relief  \n\\\u003eThe behemoth won't get near you  \n\\\u003eAnd Vanessa can't use The Book of Wrath on you when you've got The Book of Rite with you  \n\\\u003eAll was going as well as it could  \n\\\u003eUntil you feel a dark shadow eclipse the spotlights now shining holes into you  \n\\\u003eYou look up  \n\\\u003eOh  \n\\\u003eWell  \n\\\u003eFuck  \n\\\u003eVanessa looms over you, hands on her hips, the canvas bag with The Book of Wrath in it resting on the gym's floor  \n\\\u003eCompletely unattended  \n\\\u003eHoly fuck  \n\\\u003eYour eyes flick between Vanessa and the bag  \n\\\u003e\"I've gotta do everything myself,\" Vanessa growls, her fangs boldly exposed  \n\\\u003eYou jump to your feet and throw a quick punch at Vanessa  \n\\\u003eThis time you're not going to get your ass kic-  \n\\\u003eThe doe expertly catches the thrown fist and pushes it back, the look of boredom and annoyance on her face never crossing over into strain  \n\\\u003eGod, you must really be weak  \n\\\u003eOr she's juiced up with a curse?  \n\\\u003eWhatever it is, she uses her new strength to her advantage…  \n\\\u003eAnd belts you one in the face  \n\\\u003eActually, more like in the nose  \n  \n\\\u003eBright lights fading to darkness  \n\\\u003eYour vision explodes; white rods and cones  \n\\\u003eYou feel (and hear) bone crunching as the doe's strained fist collides with your pathetic — now bloody — human nose  \n\\\u003eAnd back you go, a few stumbles  \n\\\u003eAnd yet you remain standing  \n\\\u003eEven with your fists raised like a boxer  \n\\\u003eOh the things you learned from anime  \n\\\u003eBlood gushes from your nose  \n\\\u003e\"That was a solid hit,\" Vanessa cocks a pierced eyebrow. “How are you still standing?\"  \n\\\u003eYou spit some accumulating blood out of your mouth  \n“Because I hate you.\"  \n\\\u003eYou lunge forward and ACTUALLY manage to catch the doe by surprise  \n\\\u003eYou deal her a sucker punch in the gut  \n\\\u003eShe's a lot bonier than you could have imagined  \n\\\u003eShe keels over with a massive \\*huff\\* as you push all the air out of her with your fist  \n\\\u003eFuck, gotchu, you bit-  \n\\\u003eVenssa's arm swings wide at your throat  \n\\\u003eAnd it's only dumb luck that you bend backwards  \n\\\u003eAnd thank fuck that you did  \n\\\u003eBecause you catch the metallic glint of a razor blade flashing in the spotlight  \n\\\u003eJust inches from your neck  \n\\\u003e\"Fuck,\" Vanessa growls low  \n\\\u003eHer eyes meet yours. “Lucky dodge.\"  \n\\\u003eYou came just inches away from having your throat slashed open  \n\\\u003eAnd all you can ask is:  \n\"Who brings a razor to a fist fight?\"  \n\\\u003e\"Yo, Vanessa!\"  \n\\\u003eA voice, faintly familiar-  \n\\\u003eAwww fuck  \n\\\u003eA spotlight lights another goth — Reese, that ghostly pale, black-haired goth boy — with-  \n\\\u003eSHIT  \n\\\u003e-With Sam slung over his shoulder  \n\\\u003eReese is standing by the door to the equipment room, ready to move  \n\\\u003eVanessa grins  \n\\\u003e\"Guess you lose this round, ''Nonny.'\"  \n\\\u003eThe way she says it is most definitely mocking  \n\\\u003eBut you know why she's choosing that name now  \n\\\u003eThe ground shakes  \n\\\u003eGloria roars behind you  \n\\\u003eYou spin and see the gigantic goat glaring down at you, her face red with pain after Sam(urai Outlaw) thwacked the shit out of her leg  \n\\\u003eYou try backing up a bit, but you know your efforts are in vain, as Vanessa is behind you by just a few feet  \n\\\u003eCaught between a rock and a hard place?  \n\\\u003eGuess you could always try… diplomacy?  \n“Gloria…\" you start, not sure where you're going to take this  \n\\\u003eFuck dude, you better think of something, because the only thing between you and certain death is the book that both Vanessa and Gloria want  \n\\\u003eYou hear a lion roar, right as you open your mouth  \n\\\u003eAll three of you look towards the source of the noise, and see Mike up in the air, hoisted above Lydia Penferth's head like a trophy  \n\\\u003eHe swings a stubby arm at her valiantly, but can find no purchase with his free hand  \n\\\u003eJenna, on the other hand, is barricaded behind a few tables as the vampire cheerleaders press in on all sides  \n\\\u003eShe manages to drop one of them with her holy water pistol, but there are still four left  \n\\\u003eAnd she only has so much 'ammunition' in the tank  \n\\\u003eAnd Alex?  \n\\\u003eAbsolutely nowhere to be seen  \n\\\u003eMaybe he's still in the hall with Stella?  \n\\\u003eWho fucking knows anymore  \n\\\u003eEverything is fucked now  \n\\\u003eHonestly, you should just give up the book at this point  \n\\\u003eYou came in with a shit plan and got dunked on  \n\\\u003eBut one thing first  \n\\\u003eYou turn back up to Gloria and try to find the judgmental (yet blindingly innocent) goat behind her angry eyes  \n\\\u003eYou hope she's still in there somewhere, like some good girl piloting an out-of-control meat-mecha  \n“I'm sorry for lying to you on Tuesday and using you as a sacrifice. What happened to you is my fault.\"   \n\\\u003eThe hulking goat looks… wounded? Hurt?  \n\\\u003e\"W-What?\" She stammers  \n“I said I'm sorry. This is all my fault.\"  \n\\\u003eShe shakes her head and takes a hulking step backwards  \n\\\u003e\"'N-Nonny?\" She huffs, conflict as plain on her face as the confusion. “What are you saying?\"  \n\\\u003eAnd then you do something that maybe you should not have done  \n\\\u003eBut it felt right at the time  \n\\\u003eYou unwind your (Gloria's) crucifix from around your neck, piling up the gold chain and massive wooden cross into your palm  \n“This is yours. Remember what you said about people being capable of change? In the gym on Tuesday? You were right — and I'm trying to change. I'm sorry, for everything. I was a coward back then, and maybe I'm still a weak coward, but I'm trying to change. Because of you and all my friends.\"  \n\\\u003eThe goat kneels down and, with delicacy and surgical precision, plucks the crucifix necklace from your palms  \n\\\u003eShe holds it up to the light while Vanessa looks on, astonished  \n\\\u003eAnd then she fumes, “PEOPLE DON'T CHANGE, ANONYMOUS. GLORIA IS STILL MINE!\"  \n\\\u003eThe black book in Vanessa's hands  \n\\\u003eThen a spill of doe blood  \n\\\u003eAnd then Gloria, pained, clutches at her head again  \n\\\u003e\"I'm sorry 'Nonny!\" She cries as she swings her brawny fist at you  \n\\\u003eYou hit the gym floor and cover your head as her first glides right over you  \n\\\u003eWell that was a good dodge, you think to yourself  \n\\\u003eThank fuck she's so sl-  \n\\\u003eYou fail your perception check and are completely blindsided by The Behemoth who is now free to destroy you as it pleases  \n\\\u003eThe Book of Rite goes flying from your pocket onto the gym floor, where Vanessa retrieves it  \n\\\u003eInto her canvas bag it goes  \n\\\u003e\"Good dog.\" She claps her hands like a retarded seal  \n\\\u003e\"Vanessa!\" Reese yells above the chaotic din. “We gotta go!\"  \n\\\u003eThe doe looks between you, on the ground with her little pet above you, and then at Reese  \n\\\u003eShe looks disappointed that she won't get to see you get mauled to death  \n\\\u003eThe Behemoth snarls in your face, as if waiting for Vanessa's signal to eat your neck like jerky  \n\\\u003e\"Have at 'em.\" She flicks her wrist dismissively, turning her back and making for the equipment room with swift strides, tailing behind Reese who is carting an unconscious Sam over his shoulder  \n\\\u003eYou look up into the cold twisted face of The Behemoth, and though you can barely make out its shape, you know that behind the clouding, ephemeral shroud of smoke is a twisted mouth crowded by fangs  \n\\\u003eAnd you know: time is running out  \n\\\u003eWhen midnight rolls around, everything will be fucked  \n\\\u003eAnd isn't everything fucked now?  \n\\\u003eAnd then something happens that you did not expect  \n\\\u003eBoth you and The Behemoth look over as the doors to the gym explode open  \n\\\u003eThe spotlights fly to the door, and everything stops, like all the air was sucked out of the room  \n\\\u003eStella is there, on all fours, frothing at the mouth her wild, psychotic eyes looking in all directions, but never at in the same place the same time  \n\\\u003eShe's stark naked too, except for the heavy crystal earrings that she's wearing  \n\\\u003eAnd astride the feral badger, water pistol drawn…  \n\\\u003eOh god  \n\\\u003e…Is Alex MOTHERFUCKING Mullen  \n\\\u003eGloria and The Behemoth orient themselves to face down the new threat  \n\\\u003eAlex digs his heels into Stella  \n\\\u003eShe screeches with all the ferocity of someone overloaded with conspiracy theories and alternative facts  \n\\\u003eThe mind-broken badger leaps forward, her sharp claws leaving scars against the polished gym floors  \n\\\u003eAlex threads his hands into the shag of her fur, and braces for impact as The Behemoth tears off at them  \n  \n\\\u003eAlex, Stella, and The Behemoth collide in the air, tangling into each other with rabid ferocity, fur flying, claws and maws at each other's throats  \n\\\u003eAlex is quickly ejected from the battle and hurled forward  \n  \n\\\u003eYou gasp as the sudden release of pressure on your chest opens up your lungs  \n\\\u003eYour eyes instantly flick towards the open equipment room doors  \n\\\u003eNow is your chance  \n\\\u003eYou throw yourself onto your feet, making sure you're still armed with your water pistol  \n\\\u003eYou take one last look at Mike, who is still in a pitched battle with Lydia  \n\\\u003eYou two lock eyes for a quick second  \n\\\u003eAnd he sees the open doors to the equipment room  \n\\\u003eAnd then nods at you, as if to say 'go'  \n\\\u003eYou nod back, turn on your heels, and tear off, lungs already burning, body aching all over from being beaten so badly already  \n\\\u003eAnd you check your phone  \n\\\u003eThe time reads 11:30  \n\\\u003eC'mon  \n\\\u003eYou will your body to move faster as you ascend the stairs behind the door in the equipment room  \n\\\u003eJust a little faster","series":{"name":"The Leaves of Fall","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1699521-the-leaves-of-fall-act-3-something-that-matters-part-19.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/1702960-the-leaves-of-fall-act-3-something-that-matters-part-21.json"}}