FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Episode Martha

On an ordinary day, Martha Halladay would get up to the aroma of breakfast, she would stretch, sit in bed with her tablet and read the latest headlines before heading out to eat, shower and get ready for work. But today, was different. Today, she was getting up in a bed that was not her own. There was no smell of breakfast, she felt sweaty, slimy and her surroundings were very different from her luxury apartment. It took her a moment to realize and remember that she had spent the night in Teresa Yale's house and that she was sleeping in the athletic mouse's bed. In fact, Teresa's second bedroom wasn't actually a bedroom. Apparently, the second bedroom was her recording studio where she recorded home fitness videos and posted them on the internet. She had a bedroll that she could use - and she insisted on using - while Surf got the small couch in the kitchen.

Quietly, she roused from the bed, noting how she was still dressed in the expensive and tattered suit that she had worn during the fight against the Custodes Libertatis and Raven.

Hard to think that after just a few hours, her entire world had turned upside down. The phone sitting on the bedside table brought out feelings of disgust and revulsion and she was half-tempted never to go into the Overworld again; to boycott it entirely. With little to no family apart from Surf, it would be easy to move to another state and start anew.

But then she had to think about Zoom.

And Surf.

And the mess that was Horizon. Her beloved production team and what would happen if Raven was allowed to continue unchecked. Raven might just promote another hapless, ambitious go-getter to take her place and then kill them at a later date, barely stalling his plans.

No.

Raven had to be stopped.

This renewed her determination and she slipped out of bed. Out of courtesy and thanks for her hospitality, Martha made the bed, making sure that it was all tidy before turning and heading towards the door. Staying as quietly as possible, she emerged out into the common area and stopped in surprise when she found the area empty. The door to the second bedroom was partially ajar and she could hear huffing and puffing coming from beyond. She padded over, curious.

"That's it!" she heard Teresa exclaim. "Wow, for a big guy, you're pretty flexible!"

"Please..." Surf huffed. "Make it stop...."

That could easily be taken out of context but Martha knew better than to jump to conclusions. She gently knocked on the door and pushed it open. There was Surf completely shirtless and only in his briefs huffing and puffing, trying to keep up with Tess as they were going through some form of workout. In the entire time she had known Surf, she had never seen him work out. He kept a very strong physique - likely due to his status as an IP - but he never once actually exercised.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

Teresa looked over her shoulder and flashed her a grin. "Just doing my morning workout. Surf heard me this morning and I invited him to join."

Surf threw her a desperate plea, almost like he was asking her to make some form of excuse so that he could stop jumping in space and punching some imaginary foe. Martha threw him a knowing smile and leaned against the door frame indicating that Surf had made his bed now he had to sleep in it.

"So you like to workout?" Martha asked.

"Of course!" answered the athletic mouse. "I'm trying to get into fitness. I love kick boxing."

"Is that what you hope to do in the future? Be a personal trainer?"

"That's the plan!" Tess answered, suddenly shifting to an exercise where she was lifting her knees very high, almost reaching up to her abdomen as she jogged in place. Surf audibly groaned and tried to do the same but his massive bulk prevented him from kicking very far up - his stomach getting in the way. "Ryker works at a gym and he actually invited me to work with him. I might take him up on the offer. God knows, he gets free lodging at the place so it'll save on my rent."

Rent. Such an alien concept to her. Even though she rented her apartment high above the Manhattan skyline, she never had to worry about such things because of her immense salary.

"That's an admirable goal."

"What about you? Did you always want to be an executive in a big-shot TV station that also doubles as a front for slavery, brainwashing and megalomania?"

Martha grimaced. "I deserve that."

Teresa threw one powerful punch in an arbitrary direction, so fierce that Surf visibly bucked at the sight of it. "Just got to level with you there, Ms. Halladay." She wiped her brow with the back of her paw. "Ryker is like a little brother to me. I recently learned that he's a strong, independent wolf that doesn't need me constantly worrying about him. But that doesn't mean I won't step in and protect him if I see any danger." She turned to face Martha. "So are you going to be a problem, Ms. Halladay?"

Surf lifted a hand. "Hey now..."

Martha lifted her own paw, waving him down. "No," she reassured her. "I honestly think I'm done with the corporate business."

This came as a surprise to both Teresa and Surf. It had surprised her as well but it was a conclusion she had come to the previous night just before she went to bed. As with every major decision, she had opted to sleep on it, to approach the problem with a clear head. Unsurprisingly, she still felt the same way now that she was waking up. Perhaps with some coffee she would have _more_clarity on the idea but there was little to sway her.

"I've got enough in savings to make sure Zoom, Surf and I are comfortable for the rest of our days. I think I'd like to take an early retirement or something. Maybe go down to Florida or California. Somewhere sunny. Just live a quiet life and avoid any of all this backstabbing, intrigue and corporate espionage."

"You know the Libertatis won't just leave us in peace, right?" Surf panted. "They'll probably spy on us to make sure we won't be any trouble." Tess gently slapped his shoulder and ordered him to get back to the workout which she was still doing while listening. The big whale shark groaned and went back to doing jumping-jacks.

"All the better. Perhaps they can offer protection." Martha sighed heavily and brushed a stray lock of hair away from her face. "Honestly, this whole experience has severely disillusioned me to working for anyone as big as Horizon or even anyone that would consider themselves a corporation." She wrapped her arms around his arms. "And I don't trust myself not to become just like Raven down the line. If I can't discern the truth about Horizon and make a mistake that got Ethan killed, how can I make the proper judgment call if I become a CEO myself?"

Teresa fully turned to her, once again punching the air. "Hey, what happened to all that talk about 'experience' and 'talent' not getting in the way of learning?"

"This is_me learning," Martha responded grimly. "There's proof that there is a _lot of temptation out there and I clearly don't have the strength or experience to fully make good judgment calls. There's too much I don't know. I _want_to know them eventually but I won't do it in the shadow of a corporation."

"Well, that's fine. So you should start your own business."

She laughed softly. "As I said, I can't be trusted to -"

"Don't think on the level of a corporation," Tess said, brushing away her words. "Just start out simple. Keep it small. Like me! Start up a YouTube_channel or something! The advice you gave Ryker last night was _gold! You've got that experience behind you. Use it! I mean, seriously girl! You've got decades of knowledge in the corporate world and you've got something those assholes like Sanders and Raven don't have - integrity. You could seriously start an AMA or something."

"AMA?"

"Ask-Me-Anything. Get people to submit questions and then you can answer them online. Kind of like a one-way radio talk show."

Martha frowned a little. That actually wasn't a bad idea. Going out there and offering her advice to people - sort of like an anonymous consultant - would not only keep her name out there and hone her skills but maybe even make herself some income to support their life. It would also make sure that she wasn't directly tied to any corporations making sure she was - in some way - independent.

Plus, she worked in TV so she knew how to maintain a good production value.

"Uh-oh," Surf laughed softly, almost wheezing. "She's thinking about it."

"And _you_need to start doing burpies!" Tess chastised, dropping down to the floor. "Come on now. Don't fall behind."

"Just fillet me and cook me on the goddamn grill already!" Surf cried. "I'm fat! Fat is delicious! Don't make me work that off!"

She chuckled softly at their interaction before asking if Teresa had some coffee. She was guided to a cupboard and a simple coffee machine in the kitchen. Thankfully, Martha wasn't so detached from reality that she didn't know how to make herself a simple cup of coffee. Part of her wondered if Simon or the others were so used to luxury that they had to have some Corpsman make them a cup every morning. Having her eyes opened to such a reality was both soul-crushing and enlightening at the same time.

The idea of starting her own independent YouTube channel was certainly tempting.

"Stand out there as an Independent," she mumbled to herself as she waited for the water to boil. "Lord there'd be so many legal issues tied with it... Any advice I give will have consequences and if something bad happens or someone misinterprets my words..."

The coffee was decent. Not fantastic but it woke her up and allowed her mind to fire at all neurons as she considered her future. There were even some ideas of going into politics and trying to bring the corruption to light. Maybe even forming some sort of policing force to go after would-be Overlords and corporate corruption. But there was currently a tenuous peace between the corporate world and the governments of the world. Whether out of purposeful ignorance or dumb luck, no government had been involved with the Overworld. Some would consider it incredibly tempting - one could use the Overworld to sway voters very easily - but this was not something anyone did, not even in those countries bordering totalitarianism.

It hearkened back to the stories she had heard about how modern researchers from during the Cold War had investigated the psychic phenomenon and supposedly stumbled onto the Overworld. Raven had given her the briefing about how the Russians had first spearheaded the first attempt to truly utilize the Overworld but it had all gone pear-shaped. Governing bodies and politicians wielding the power of the Overworld just was not wise. Having the power to command the mind while also wielding nuclear weapons was a dangerous combination. That and from what she had learned just last night, the control offered by the Overworld was not absolute. The best a Corpsman could do was plant an idea but that idea - that seed - could blossom and grow into something entirely if left unattended. It brought her back to her hesitations about starting her own channel based on her business experience and advice. Any idea she gave could go in a totally different way and could ruin lives as much as help.

Surf suddenly came bursting out of the nearby door, panting, covered in sweat and clutching onto the doorframe like he could barely stand. "Holy Mother of Fuck," he gasped. "This bitch is the devil!"

That was a surprise as Martha had seldom heard Surf swear.

There was a loud smack and the big whale shark yelped, leaping nearly a foot into the air as he jumped forward, seizing his rear.

"Come on, big guy," laughed Teresa. "Get showered and I'll cook us something with lots of recovery potential."

With a whimper and clearly dragging his feet, Surf shuffled over to the sole bathroom of the apartment, making Martha smile at this new side of her IP.

"You must go easy on him," she warned. "If we are attacked in the Overworld, he's the only one that can protect us right now."

"Yeah but he's the one that insisted I help him get into shape," Tess answered, reaching into her fridge to rummage through the available meals. "Said that he didn't feel strong enough to protect you back there."

Martha sighed softly and swirled her half-empty cup of coffee pensively. "It wasn't his fault. None of us were prepared for the onslaught and betrayal. I honestly didn't expect I'd be siding with Ryker and his friends. I was half-expecting to convince Ethan back to our side."

"Things happen and a lot of the time, we can never be fully prepared for what's to come," Teresa said, fishing out half a dozen eggs. "Let's just be glad we're here to make a difference tomorrow."

She smiled at Teresa. "That's quite inspirational. Did you come up with that?"

The mouse beamed at her. "It's my tag line videos for my channel." Martha grimaced and Teresa's enthusiasm ebbed. "Why? No good?"

"Too wordy for a tag line. You need something catchy and memorable that can be said in half a breath. Anything longer and it'll easily be forgotten." She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "How about, 'Do today, Difference Tomorrow'?"

Tess' eyes widened. "Oh damn! That's a really good one! You mind if I use it?"

Martha gave a little wave. "Of course. There's a reason I was the Chief Production Officer for a network, after all. In fact, if you want me to look over how you do your shows, I might be able to offer some advice to get your viewership up."

"That'd be fantastic!" Tess' big round ears folded back slightly. "Oh... but I doubt I can offer to pay you."

She laughed and waved away the comment. "My dear, it's the least I could do. You're risking your life for us, getting Surf into shape and offering us a place to stay. I'd be happy to help. How many viewers do you have now?"

Tess' channel had a respectable ten thousand subscribers so it was moderate, nothing too spectacular but still fairly decent. She mainly focused on running routines and offering advice based on what she learned in her classes. No sponsors quite yet but she was getting there. Her biggest pull was her 'PB Challenges' or 'Personal Best Challenges'. Every week, she'd choose an exercise and try to beat her previously logged personal best. People were genuinely interested to see her progress, apparently.

"It started off as a way for me to keep track of my form and keep a sort of video diary of my workouts," Teresa confessed as she began beating some eggs together. "But then a classmate suggested I should try putting it online. People might be interested in my development and transformation over time. I said 'why not' and gave it a try."

"How long have you been doing this?"

"About a year and a half."

A year and a half with only ten thousand subscribers? Again, that was _fairly_decent but nothing too spectacular. What Teresa needed was a hook. Something to set her above the others that were providing the same product as her.

"Have you thought about having 'guests' come in and work out with you?" she asked.

"You mean like Surf? Aren't you afraid someone might pick him up, identify him and track us down? That's how Maydoor found me the first time. Someone posted a video of Ryker and Bryce on the streets and they tracked me down."

That was a good question. How do maintain some degree of anonymity especially if corporations were out hunting for them? For some reason, her mind went to the metallic masks the Custodes Libertatis wore and inspiration struck.

"Why don't we call it 'The Masked Trainer'?" she suggested, a grin crossing her features. "You can hide your 'guests' faces behind masks, maybe even some of their bodies beneath some costumes that aren't too restrictive and then work out with them. We can even mask your features too if you're worried."

Tess lifted her eyebrows and let out a laugh. "You serious?" Then her features grew a little grave. "You're actually serious."

"Think about it," Martha pressed, "there are hundreds, if not thousands of people out there who do videos just like you. You need something to set you apart from them. Have volunteers like Surf or maybe even me come in with masks on, hiding their identities and then doing workouts with you. Have them develop alongside you and all the while have this air of mystery on their identities." She let out a little laugh. "And you know, your guests can totally throw different personalities. Be the 'macho guy' or 'kawaii anime girl' if they want because no one will know their identities! Maybe, even if they're willing, at the end of their time with you, you can reveal their bodies or identities to show their transformation." Martha rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "We'll have to find a voice modulator or something to mask their voices."

"Okay, okay," Teresa said, holding up both her paws. "Slow down there, girl. I'm just running this YouTube channel as a side job. I'm still trying to be a personal trainer and working a job at a French-Japanese fusion restaurant not too far away. Slow down! I mean, don't get me wrong, I love the idea and the idea of being a YouTube star but let's pull back here." Teresa pointed at Martha. "You're a high-end television producer. Used to big budgets and the like." Then she pointed at herself. "I'm just a poor college kid trying to pay for tuition." Then she beamed brightly. "I love your idea though. How about we start small? Just see if Surf and some others are willing to join in?"

The comment shocked her. She had been used to being surrounded by 'Yes Men' and condescending members of the patriarch like Simon Sanders that would either wholly agree with everything she said or just completely shoot her down that having a compromise thrown at her was like being physically slapped. It took her a few good seconds to regain her composure.

"Sure. That sounds like a plan."

Lifting her mug to her lips, she took a sip of the coffee and wondered if the giddiness she felt in her chest was because of pure excitement or the coffee itself.

Nevertheless, she felt something that she hadn't felt in a very long time - the call of a challenge.

And she was excited.

Chapter 11

It might've been the three days of restless nights or just the fact that he was mentally exhausted after everything that had happened but when Ryker woke up the next morning, he was shocked that he had fallen asleep at all. He knew full well there was a dead body sitting in the common room of the apartment complex and a grieving IP and somehow, he had been knocked out completely. Admittedly, this body rested in the Overworld but he still couldn't believe he had somehow gotten some rest. He was, however, surprised to find that Bryce was already up and quietly doing some stretches in front of him. Near naked and wearing only a pair of blue and white striped boxers that Ryker had ordered, Bryce was bending over touching his toes, tail in the air.

All at once, all of the blood went rushing from Ryker's half-awake brain straight to his very erect cock. The combination of morning wood and lack of any sexual activity for the past few days got the better of him and before he could fully awaken to stop himself, he was slipping out of bed as quiet as a jungle cat. He crawled over to Bryce and before the fire-red wolf could react, he had seized the wolf's taut ass, pressed them together and pushed his muzzle right between the crack, his nose pressing up against Bryce's low-hanging balls.

"Yipe!" Bryce exclaimed, immediately straightening.

Ryker's eyes fluttered as he took a long, deep breath of Bryce's strange sweet scent mixed with a musky sort of charcoal and let out a shudder. That was when his brain restarted and he realized what he had just done.

Releasing Bryce's ass and scrambling back, he immediately lifted his paws in apology. "Sorry! I'm sorry! I just woke up and your ass was..." He waved frantically at where Bryce was standing. "... just there!" He groaned and ran a hand through his messy hair. "We _really_need to get you your own room..."

Bryce, the creamy fur around his cheeks going bright red, gave him a sheepish grin. "Honestly Boss, you caught me more off-guard than anything else. I didn't even hear you get up."

Blushing himself, Ryker groggily got up to his feet. "I guess I can be pretty sneaky when I'm horny."

"So... a stalker?"

He groaned and collapsed back into his bed, grabbing his pillow and burying his head beneath it. The laughter from Bryce was barely muffled by the cotton but he couldn't protect himself for Bryce's warm paws gently wrapping around his waist and the tall, hunky wolf wrapping his slightly sweaty, mostly-naked body around him.

That boner was not going away.

"Sorry Boss. Just don't want you turning into a creepy guy watching hot dudes from your dark van through high-powered binoculars you bought on Amazon."

Ryker peeked slightly out from underneath the pillow. "That's oddly specific..."

Bryce thrust a thumb at his chest. "Kicked out of corporate America because of porn, remember? That is one of the tamest things that I was exposed to."

Slowly emerging from beneath his pillow, he shuffled closer to Bryce, allowing the bigger wolf to spoon him. "Were you the stalker or stalkee?"

"Little bit of both. Maybe about 40% stalkee and 60% stalker." The crimson wolf gently rested his muzzle in the crook of Ryker's neck, his warm breath sending shivers of electricity throughout Ryker's body. "There's some weird, horny stuff out there, Boss." Then Bryce straightened a little and regarded him curiously. "Honestly, I'm surprised you haven't seen any of it."

Ryker flicked his ears at his lupine IP. "What do you mean?"

"Well... To be honest, I thought after you heard that I lost my position as a corporate IP because of internet porn, you'd start looking it up..."

He tilted his head slightly at Bryce. "What? Why would I do that?"

"To 'know' me more? Explore your sexuality? Find some excuse so we can fuck?"

Ryker laughed softly even if he was blushing. "I don't know, Bryce. That'd almost be like invading your privacy and looking up your personal info. I'd rather you tell me than me trying to scour the internet for you. Besides, I never got into that stuff. Always too focused on work and my studies. I don't even have a Twitter."

"Damn, Boss. You're so vanilla." Bryce snickered. "Man, imagine how you'd react to Rumbler."

He turned his head slightly so he was looking over his shoulder at Bryce. "Rumbler?"

Bryce grinned devilishly at him. "It's kind of like this fusion of a hook-up app and a way to express yourself. Think people having micro-blogs but through the blogs you can also hook up with people."

Ryker was having trouble trying to mix those genres together. "Uhm... What?"

"Here, Hand me your phone."

He did and Bryce quickly found the Rumbler app which he subsequently installed. The bigger wolf did this with his arms around Ryker, the latter resting his head on Bryce's bicep as they lay on their side. Bryce tapped away at the screen with Ryker resting his head on the wolf's chest, watching what he was doing.

"Okay... We'll need a handle," Bryce said. "Do you use any online profiles or nicknames?"

Ryker thought hard on that question. Tess and even Takoshi had started calling him 'Rai'. His pseudonym with the _Libertatis_was 'Wild Card' but that was far too generic. "Uhm... I guess I have my old gamer name."

"Oh yeah? What is it?"

Ryker blushed a little, looking away as he recalled he had made that stupid name back when he was a silly little preteen getting into gaming. "Wall_Buster. Kind of a play on -"

"Ball buster but your surname instead?" snickered Bryce. "I like it. Wall_Buster it is." He tapped in the name on the application and they were brought to what appeared to be a quick survey. "Okay, got some questions to see what kind of blogs you want to see. Any major interests you like? Things that describe you. Keywords."

Ryker shrugged. "Video games. College, I guess." A deep blush touched his cheek. "Guys..."

"That comes in the 'personal preferences', section," snickered Bryce. "Let's just put 'Gay' for now." After tapping the keywords into the app, he was brought into a section asking if he'd like to be a publisher of a blog. Ryker mentioned he would not so Bryce complied. Then came the question of whether or not he'd like to see explicit subjects.

"I'm going to say 'yes' to that," Bryce rumbled and then he was brought to another question. "So boss, would you like to hook up with guys?"

"Just browsing, thanks," Ryker said bluntly, pointing at the third option.

"Gotcha." The response was met with a lewd smile from Bryce as he was brought to what was effectively a dating questionnaire. "So, Boss, what kind of guy are you into."

Ryker sighed and took the phone. He quickly answered that he was a guy looking for other guys and that he liked big, muscular men that also could be sweet and treat him right. There were no preferences to eye color, hair color, species or even age and just breezed through the profile while Bryce watched him intently. When asked whether or not he'd like to be notified if other people were interested in him, he hit 'no' and was advised that he could always switch this back to 'yes' at any time.

Lastly, he was asked if he could confirm if he was over eighteen years old and that he accepted the terms and conditions.

Bryce gave him a puzzled noise as he began reading the ToS. "Boss... are you actually reading that thing?"

"Uhm... Yeah? Why wouldn't I?" He flicked at ear back. "I'm basically signing a contract."

"No one _reads_that thing," Bryce said, reaching over and tapping the 'accept' button. "Geez... you really never hit an adult site, have you?"

He cheeks burning with embarrassment and ears folded down, Ryker buried his nose into his phone. "I just never really had a need..."

"Come on, Boss. You're a healthy, young dude. You must have had urges. Or even nightly emissions."

He grimaced at those words. "Please don't euphemisms. For some reason, that's so_much worse than if you actually just said 'masturbated' or 'jacked off'." The _Rumbler app began asking him to set up his profile and he began tapping a quick description about himself and surfing his phone for a profile picture. "And yeah. I did have morning wood, wet dreams and the occasional unwanted boner but I always rationalized it as normal biological functions. Morning wood or wet dreams are just your subconscious body testing to make sure your genitals are still working. Erections can be caused by various stimuli. If I ever had a wandering fantasy, I'd always just refocus on whatever it was I was doing."

Bryce snickered. "Wow, Boss. You are either really sheltered or purposefully repressed."

Embarrassed and eager to prove that he isn't some innocent choir boy oblivious to the facts of life, Ryker confirmed his profile and said, "Just show me where all the hot guys I can fuck are."

The bigger wolf wrapped his arms around him, reaching past him and taking his phone once more, explaining how Rumbler worked. On the surface, it was a quick feed for different micro-blogs out there in the internet. Unlike Twitter that was limited to a certain number of characters, these micro-blogs could fit entire essays, embed pictures, animations, videos and so much more. On the surface, it was just another medium where people could share opinions and ideas but it also served as a sort of 'virtual art gallery'. People could post their creations on the platform ranging from stories, videos, drawings, paintings and even comics.

Creators could subsequently set up 'meet-ups' where they could meet in person with people who are genuinely interested in their works. This included virtual talks if the distance was too far, live feeds of them making their creations and - if so inclined - 'personal' meet-ups.

"They fuck," Bryce provided. "Sometimes, people use this medium to meet others and fuck."

Ryker groaned as he scrolled through the feed currently picked for him. "I guess even artists need some relief every now and then."

"Just be careful who you talk to. Some people purposefully steal art from others to make it look like their own so they can get some tail. That's why Rumbler doesn't have any sort of 'repost' function. They use their own algorithm to show you what you may be interested it." He pointed at the little dashboard at the bottom of the application. "There's a 'Discover' queue there. You can hit that and you'll be given ten unique blogs that aren't related to anything that's part of your preferences so you can find and discover new artists. The 'Key' button there lets you look for blogs that use the keywords you set."

"Huh..." Ryker said, scrolling through his feed. With most of his feed restricted to his three keywords, he was surprised to find quite a few indie game developers posting work-in-progress shots and posts about their games. Many had encouraging comments and some even had feedback on the open alpha/beta releases. Interest piqued, he hit the 'favorite' button on certain blogs he was interested in following. Of course, with the combination of his keywords, he eventually led to what appeared to be homosexual visual novels about guys in college.

"Ooooh!" exclaimed Bryce, pointing at one blog. "That one looks fun."

Ryker rolled his eyes. "You mean 'Full American College Experience Panic!'_with three exclamation points?" He shook his head. "Sorry, not my type. The guys are _way too skinny for me."

"Really now?" Bryce replied, a Cheshire smile crossing his features. "So you don't like twinks, huh?"

"Is that what they're called?" answered Ryker, trying to brush off the obvious poke at his interests. He decided to try to deflect the comment. "You know the guys I like. You're one of them."

"So... Big, buff guys? Lots of muscles showing? What about body hair? Species? Age?"

Ryker snorted. "I'm pretty sure you guys are way older than me. Old enough to be my dad. Except maybe Decanter. I think Aileen was only in AllAle for twenty-or-so years so he might actually be younger than me."

"And yet he has the white hair," laughed Bryce. "And I guess Takoshi is pretty damn hairy and way bigger than I am so you definitely like that type." Bryce took the phone again and tapped in the keywords, 'Muscles', 'Bodybuilder','Hairy' and 'Swole'.

Suddenly Ryker's feed was inundated with muscular furs of all shapes, sizes and species. His jaw dropped open, saliva gathering as he was assaulted by a parade of muscled figured. There were some female bodybuilders as well which he found himself deflating. Bryce saw and excluded the female bodybuilders in his feed so that he was given an uninterrupted view of various men in posers and gym attire working out.

Then came the lewd sections.

"Oh... Oh wow..." he gasped.

His eyes were fixated on a big, clouded jaguar wearing a baseball cape in reverse, completely naked and stroking his sizeable meat with one paw and doing bicep curls with the other.

"All in the name of 'art'," chuckled Bryce. "Not bad."

Ryker temporarily forgot Bryce was there as he scrolled further, traversing a gauntlet of big, muscular men in various positions. The deeper he went, the more explicit the feed became. He began to visibly drool when he saw two big, powerfully built elephants worshiping one another's muscles, their trunks exploring each other's mountainous muscles. They had a little bit of a belly like Surf but it didn't take away from their sheer size and masculinity. When they started using said trunks to stroke one another's immense members, he let out an loud whimper.

"You okay there, Boss?" Bryce asked cheekily.

"Uh-huh..." he mumbled and quickly scrolled past the scene.

What met him was not much better - it was a rather raunchy comic, beautifully drawn, about a stag meeting a wolf and the two of them having some rather steamy sex. The dialog was a little cringe but the art style and detail to anatomy was spectacular. He was just about to scroll past it when he noticed the name... 'Liam_Haart_Official_Comic'. His mind went back to that frat party he had attended when Cliff had duped him into spying on Horizon. He immediately clicked on the profile.

"Oh?" Bryce teased. "Something about him call to you, Boss?"

"Sssh," he hissed as he reviewed the profile.

There was no doubt about it. That was the stag that he had seen at the party, standing right there bare chested and teasingly drawing down his underwear with a paintbrush between his teeth and what appeared to be a paint-splattered art-smock hanging from his antlers.

"Oh shit..." he mumbled. "I know this guy! I met him at the frat party I went to with Cliff!"

Bryce suddenly tensed, sending a bit of alarm to Ryker but he became focused on the profile. Liam described himself as a college arts major trying to make a name for himself, part of the KNT fraternity and while he wasn't looking for a relationship, he was seeking out different people to help 'inspire' him.

Also that bulge was very impressive.

Ryker's thumb hovered over the 'contact' button but he immediately reeled away and went back to his feed.

"A guy I know is out there posting his lewd comics," he said.

"Wait..." Bryce said, taking the phone from him again. "Did you say that you met this guy a few nights ago? At a frat party?"

"Yeah? Why?"

The red wolf pointed at the comic that was on his screen. "So... he's a stag... and you're a wolf. A gray wolf. Just like the wolf in the comic that's currently hot-dogging the stag?"

Ryker's cheeks were aflame and before he could snatch it back, Bryce laughed and twisted away. "No! That's just a coincidence!"

"Oh this is awesome!" Bryce exclaimed, holding the phone out of reach. He hit Liam's feed and went to previous posts, following the comic. "Oh! Oh! You'll love this! Liam makes no effort to hide the fact that the stag in the comic is him. Calls the stag 'Miles'. He met the wolf at a rave! Which is basically a party! The wolf was broody and off to the side by himself, Liam 'bumped into him' and the guy introduced himself as 'Waller'!"

"That's not even a real name!" Ryker shouted, scrambling for the phone. "Give it back!"

But Bryce had longer arms and even as they were struggling, he managed to keep it away. "Damn, Boss! You come off as really forward here! Check it out, Liam barely says 'hi' and then you go off and kiss him! 'Waller' is really gruff and says," - dropping his voice to sound deeper and more menacing, Bryce read, "'I'm off on my own, clearly either waiting for someone or don't want company. Regardless, you come up to me. You either can't take a hint or you want to fuck. I know what I'd prefer.'"

"Nothing like that happened!" Ryker barked.

"Doesn't matter! In Liam's mind, you two kiss, grind against each other to the music and then go off to his place and start going at it like wild rabbits!"

Finally, Ryker managed to snatch his phone away from Bryce, looking at the comic with his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "God... did Liam want to get it on with me? Did I totally miss the signals?"

"Better question," Bryce snickered. "Did you want to sleep with him?"

Shutting off the application, he glared at Bryce, trying to look furious but failing as he was very much still humiliated. "Look, you guys are hot and sexy and I would love to get naked with all of you but you have no right to tease me about that when you're the one being a prude and not dropping your pants even though you were doing yoga six feet away from my bed!"

There, Bryce ducked his head a little and sighed. "Sorry, Boss. I like you. I really do."

Ryker braced himself for the eventual, searing blow that would be the following 'but'.

"But..."

He shut his eyes.

"... I just don't want to rush into things and ruin something really good."

Popping open an eye, he said, "Huh?"

"It's kind of like what happened to me when I was first created," Bryce said, ears folded down. "It happened really fast. I was on the top of the world and then... it got pulled from under me by... well... by sex. I'm just afraid that after we do it, you'll see everything there is about me and then get bored. Maybe... dump me in favor of another IP like Takoshi who _clearly_has a lot of hang-ups or Decanter who is trying to avenge his former Host." Bryce shrugged and gestured at himself. "I'm just a pretty simple guy, Boss. Yeah, I was a bit of a corporate spy but beyond that...? I'm not much else."

Ryker set down his phone and shuffled closer to Bryce. "I get it. I'm... kind of the same. You saw me. I'm really 'vanilla'. But you don't have to keep trying to impress me or dangling the possibility of sex over me to make me interested in you. You're my IP. So is Takoshi and Decanter. Unlike other Hosts out there, you're not just an idea that I'll throw out when I'm done with you. You're a living, breathing person and we have a relationship. You don't have to keep pleasing me. I should be doing stuff for you too."

It occurred to him that beyond ordering the furniture for Bryce and giving him a place to live, he hadn't actually done anything personal for his IP.

"So let's start here, okay?" he said, smiling gently. "What can I do for you?"

Bryce returned a soft smile. "Honestly, Boss, I'm content with what you've done so far. You've done more for me than Horizon or even my original company did so I'm -"

"No," he said firmly. "None of that. Just because you're content, doesn't mean you're happy. There must be something you want."

The red wolf shrugged. "A bed. Room of my own?"

"We're getting that. Delivery is meant to occur in a few days. Anything else?"

Bryce looked down at Ryker phone. "Uhm... You know it was kind of nice when we were surfing Rumbler together. We don't have to go to work for another hour or so. You want to maybe...?"

Ryker smiled and lay back down on the bigger wolf, setting his head right between Bryce's pectorals and holding up his phone. He avoided Liam's comic - though he did follow Liam and flag it for follow up later - and began scrolling through his quickly evolving feed. Within a few minutes, they were adding further keywords such as 'Jocks', 'Gym', 'Cosplay', 'Fantasy', 'Science Fiction' and others. That started to have so many other permutations of his different keywords. They saw hot, muscled cosplayers - particularly those dressed as Spartans - Rule34 art of videogame characters which Bryce honestly didn't mind and of course clips from porn videos of guys doing it in the gym or during a workout. It piqued his curiosity if it would be possible to have sex on the bench press or on the smith machine based on what he watched.

During it all, Ryker was starting to sport a rather prominent erection that was getting very hard to ignore.

... Until he felt another erection pressing against his back.

"Getting a little excited there, Bryce?" he teased, purposefully zooming in on a large, muscled boar powerlifter who was flexing his back and showing off his traps.

The bigger wolf answered with his usual blase tone. "Can't help it, Boss. You're scrolling hot guys in front of me. I'm going to get hard."

Flicking his ears back, Ryker said, "You know... we talked about my preferences but you never told me yours." He turned around, resting belly-to-belly against Bryce - or more accurately, cock-to-cock as their very erect members were pressed against each other with only a thin layer of clothing separating them. "What turns you on?"

Bryce looked away bashfully. "Well... Honestly, I don't really have a type - physically."

"Oh come on, that can't be true."

"No, really Boss! I was drawn, written and fantasized about in so many different ways that it kind of all got mashed together. Nothing in particular really gets me hard."

Feeling bold, Ryker reached between them and squeezed Bryce's erect dick. "Then what's this?"

The blush on the bigger wolf's cheeks grew more intense. "You."

That caused his eyebrows rise. "Huh?"

"Boss," Bryce confessed, "I'm not attracted to anyone because of their physical looks. People projected all their kinks on me and I sort of got numb to things like appearance. What really turns me on is..." He blushed even deeper. "... well... personality."

It took Ryker a second to process those words. "You... like me because of my personality?" He tilted his head in confusion. "I _have_a personality?"

The bigger wolf laughed without any hint of mockery and gently rested a paw against Ryker's back. "Yeah. You're kind, caring, impulsive, little neurotic but really affectionate as well. You're also_growing_ as a person. I don't know why but that just makes you more_attractive. You're not this static caricature. You're _developing."

Ryker inched forward, crossing his arms in front of him as a pillow and resting his muzzle on it. "Oh yeah?" he asked, tail wagging.

"Yeah," Bryce replied with a smile. "You're like a really, sexy dick that's a grower. Not much to look at from the start but gets pretty damn big and sexy once you get into it."

His tail flopped down in annoyance and he gave Bryce a bitter stare. The bigger, crimson wolf gave him a coy smile before bursting out laughing. Ryker reached over and flicked the wolf's ear.

"Ow!" exclaimed Bryce.

"That's for comparing me to a dick."

Bryce kept laughing, making Ryker blush. That laughter grew a little annoying and he decided to shut up his latest IP in the most 'impulsive' way he could think of.

He kissed Bryce.

For a second, Bryce froze and Ryker did the same. This was a no-tongue kiss, their lips pressing against one another and noses touching. Ryker was already starting to think of witty comebacks when Bryce pulled away and asked him what he was doing. What he didn't quite expect was for the paw resting on his back to slide up, gently grip the back of his neck and tilt his head slightly so that their muzzles could interlock, lips pulling open so their tongues could brush against one another in an intimate but still tentative greeting.

They held that pose for what seemed like an eternity, the heat in their bodies steadily rising...

... until at the same time, they broke the kiss, opening their eyes at the same time and locking gazes.

"Boss..." mumbled Bryce.

"I know, I know," Ryker sighed, holding up a paw. "You want to take it slow." He gave the bigger wolf a gentle smile. "Just letting you know that I really appreciate you, Bryce. Even if you can be a manipulative ass."

"A Beta has to have his Alpha's back, right?"

Ryker's cock twitched excitedly at that and Bryce noticed.

"You like being called an 'Alpha', boss?" teased the crimson lupine.

With a groan, Ryker rolled off Bryce and jump to his feet. "Might be a bit of size envy or an inferiority complex. I dunno. I've always been a runt. Raised by a ditzy mother and with a tomboy as my only lasting friend. Maybe I've got it in my mind that being big, sexy or dominating bigger guys than me is really hot." He waved a paw over his head. "Maybe it's some primal wolf instincts. I don't know. Just..." He turned back towards Bryce and pointed a finger at him. "Don't go calling me that in public. I've had enough unwanted boners during middle school, thanks."

Bryce lifted two fingers in a sign of trust and as a silent oath. "I swear, Boss."

"Great. Come on. Let's go check on Zoom."

He quickly sent a message to both Takoshi and Decanter that he would be dropping into the Overworld, gave it a few minutes and then triggered the transition from one world to another. There was a churning sensation in his stomach as he suddenly found himself in the drab, gray world of the Overworld again. He wondered if that turmoil in his stomach was actually caused by all the energy being drained from his reserves to make the transition. Breakfast would have to be extra big today in order to accommodate the quick jumps between the realities.

There had been some contention overnight whether or not to post someone to guard Zoom and Ethan's body but out of respect for the grieving IP and the recently deceased, they had all decided to give Zoom his space. Some part of Ryker feared that Zoom might just contact _Horizon_and steal Maydoor away but as he entered the kitchen, he was relieved to see the glass coffin still there.

Then his heart plummeted when he realized it wasn't fully intact.

The crack started about halfway up and Maydoor's body was revealed once more to the elements. Zoom knelt beside the corpse, a huge, sharp glass shard in his hands and leveled directly at his chest.

"Zoom!" Ryker cried.

Bryce, who was right beside him, suddenly surged forward and snatched the shard away from him immediately.

"What the hell, man!?" Bryce roared.

Zoom struggled in Bryce's stronger grip and it was clear the poor, distraught IP hadn't slept the entire night and had been crying. "Just let me be with Ethan!"

For a second, Bryce hesitated but he kept his grip firm. "Dude, no. Do not throw your life away like that! You still have potential! You can still live your life! I was abandoned by my corporation just a few weeks after I was created. But I kept moving! I kept growing! Don't let one_tragedy drive you to _suicide!"

"You're different!" wept Zoom, his broken-hearted cries wailing throughout the building. "You were abandoned. It's my fault that Ethan died! If... if I had just... If I had just been better..." Zoom broke down and Bryce quickly pulled him into a hug, allowing the shark to week against his fur.

A moment later, both Decanter and Takoshi were emerging from their rooms, attracted by the noise. Decanter quickly repaired the coffin while Takoshi stood guard, one arm draped around Ryker's shoulder protectively.

"Just let me die," Zoom sobbed. "I'm... I'm still part of Horizon. I'm owned by Horizon. I'm a danger to you all. Just kill me. You'll be out of danger and I can be with Ethan."

"We don't even know what happens when IPs die," Takoshi growled. "People don't even know. Afterlives. Gods. Paradise. Heaven. There's no telling if it's all real. All them Gods used to just be like us. But where are they now? What happens when _they_die?"

Ryker elbowed Takoshi's firm abs but that barely fazed the burly bear.

"It doesn't matter," Zoom wailed. "I can't live anymore knowing what I've done. I can't live without Ethan." The poor disheveled shark collapsed against Bryce, the crimson wolf having to kneel down as Zoom pulled him down. "I'm dead anyway. Any day now, Raven will just promote someone else to COO and make another IP... I'll be cut off and then that's it. I'll die. Slowly. I'll starve to death. I'd rather it be quick than to slowly fade away."

Crack!

The glass coffin shook from the impact of Decanter's fist.

"You are being absurd," snarled the rhino in a barely even tone. "When I lost Aileen, I was similarly broken. I sought meaning. I thought it was to find Aileen's killer and I made an alliance of convenience with who I thought were my enemies so I could achieve that goal. But you know what?"

Decanter suddenly stormed around the coffin and seized Zoom by the collar of his jacket, lifting up into the air right out of Bryce's grip. "I found something more!" Bryce tried to get him to put Zoom down but the white-haired rhinoceros persisted. "I found friends who understood me. I found a life I could be proud of. I found love and affection from the most unlikely sources! I found something I could never have found with Aileen! It doesn't mean I don't miss her but if I had just ended my life there and then I could never have found _any_of this!"

He threw Zoom to the ground, Bryce pushing him away.

"Don't you dare waste the life given to you by your Host," snarled Decanter, pointing accusingly at Zoom. "Yes, Raven may have planted the idea of you in Maydoor's mind but Ethan was still_the one that manifested you. He _made_you. Breathed _life into you. Don't you dare throw that away!"

Zoom curled up into a ball on the floor. "I'm not like any of you. I was defined_by Ethan. I was his _voice. Without him... I'm nothing."

"If you ask me," rumbled Takoshi, 'you weren't doing a very good job."

The bear got another elbow to the abs but again, he didn't react.

"Ryker," Bryce said gently, "maybe you should call Cliff or maybe Martha. Zoom is clearly not stable. We'll need backup here."

Pulling out his phone, Ryker said, "Good idea." He retrieved his phone and tapped Cliff's number. It rang twice before Cliff responded with a sleepy, 'Hello?'

Just as Ryker was about to say something, he noticed the glass shards on the floor glinting in the faint light offered by the Overworld. The lights glimmered in such a way that they formed a single phrase.

"He's real..." he whispered.

"Huh?" replied Cliff. "Ryker? Is that you? Who's real?"

His eyes widened. "Cliff... You're in the Realworld right now, aren't you?"

"Uhm... yeah. You in the Overworld? Why?"

"Wait... So somehow we can talk to one another even though we're in different dimensions?"

"Yeah...? I thought you knew? It's how we can get feeds from the Watcher App even though they're mostly in the Overworld. It's how we can talk to Ecks and get messages from them even if we're in the Realworld and the Kage operate in the Overworld. No one ever explained to me how it works. I'm guessing it's because it's through the Independent App_."_

"But it _is_possible to communicate between the Overworld and Realworld somehow."

"Yeah...? Why?"

Ryker looked to Zoom quietly rocking on the floor. "Because I just came up with an idea. Thanks Cliff."

"You're -"

He hung up and stormed over to Zoom, kneeling beside the distraught shark. "Zoom," he began, his mind racing at a million miles a minute. "I've been working on an application. A sort of... dating app. I was hoping to find a way for people in the Realworld to connect with abandoned IPs. IPs sustain themselves on public perception, right? Even if your corporation abandons you, if people keep thinking about you, you'll still be sustained." He glanced over to Bryce who bobbed his head in acknowledgment. "I've been stuck recently but I think I finally found out how to get one of my major hurdles. I'd like you to help me."

"What use am I...?" whined Zoom.

"I want you to be the pilot," he answered. "The first test run."

Zoom lifted his gaze, eyes bloodshot and barely able to squeeze out some tears. "Even if that were possible... I'm still bound to Horizon. You can't just steal me from them. Not unless you're planning to storm their HQ."

He could feel Takoshi and the others starting to protest when he held up a paw. "Yeah, no." In that same paw, light burst from his fingertips and transformed into the immense warhammer that was his Function. "My Function is Break. It can literally break anything. It's how I was able to cut through Martha's Function even if it was active and destroy Raven's arm. I've used it before to break people's Contracts. I could use it on you and free you from Horizon."

"Wait," Takoshi warned. "You can't fully control Break. You don't know if you'll break his nose or his heart, literally. I'm not opposed to getting rid of this suicidal crying sack of shit but are you sure you want that, Ryker? You'd be killing an IP if you don't do it right."

Ryker stood, gripping his warhammer in both paws but his gaze never leaving Zoom's. "That's the thing. Zoom wants to die. So either I slip up and accidentally kill him and he gets what he wants or I break his link to Horizon. If I pull this off..." He nodded towards Zoom. "... you need to promise me you'll cut it with this suicidal crap and work with me to get my app off the ground."

"Why not use any of your other IPs?" mumbled Zoom. His gaze downcast.

"Because they are my IPs. I want to use this app on abandoned and orphaned IPs. Those without Hosts. So that they can sustain themselves, meet with people in the Realworld and even potentially find their future Hosts. I don't want anyone to ever have to wander the Overworld alone and suffering, barely scraping by." His eyes went to Takoshi before switching to Decanter. "To be lost and searching for meaning." And finally, he looked straight to Bryce. "Or to sacrifice their integrity to be kept on the hook for all eternity."

Then he looked back towards Zoom.

"Will you help me?"

The Mako shark laughed softly as he struggled to his feet. He spread his arms in a dismissive shrug. "So either you kill me or I be your guinea pig." With a shake of his head and a sad, defeated smile, he said, "Sure. Why not? Not like I have anything to lose anymore."

Ryker nodded and held out his hammer. "Alright then. Here we go."

Zoom froze for a second.

"Wait? Now? Don't I -"

Ryker jabbed his hammer forward. "Nope! Break!"

The large head of the golden weapon struck Zoom's chest and a series of white cracks immediately spread all over the shark's body, crawling all over his tattered suit, shirt and pants. For a second, Ryker feared he had just used his Function on Zoom's clothes but then those white cracks spread all over Zoom's face and exposed flesh like brilliant alabaster lightning streaking through a stormy, night sky. There was a flash of doubt, a moment of fear. Then he saw some of those cracks form a single word.

Believe.

Ryker gripped his hammer tighter and let out a cry. His shout shattered Zoom...

... or rather the layer of Zoom that was broken by his warhammer.

The Mako shark gasped, staggering back and clutching his chest, his eyes wide. Ryker appraised his work. Nothing seemed to have changed. Zoom still had his clothes and he still bore the face of someone who had been crying all night.

"Well...?" Takoshi asked. "Do you... feel any different."

Zoom regarded the enormous bear with a look of bewilderment on his face. "I... I feel... lighter." He glanced over to Ethan and let out a choking sob. Tearing his gaze away, he held up a hand. "You... You didn't break my remorse... But something..." He held up a finger, asking for a second to recompose himself. "... something is definitely missing."

A door sprang open behind them.

"Dude!" Cliff exclaimed, wearing nothing but a jockstrap. Arthur was right behind him, struggling to put on a pair of boxers. "What did you do!?"

"What do you mean?" Decanter asked.

"Horizon_stocks just _plummeted!"

Everyone stared at the tiger in shock. Cliff waved them to patience as he scrambled to his multi-screen computer. He brought up news feeds from various channels and even a live feed of the stock exchange. The Horizon Channel was plummeting.

"... sudden dead air during morning prime-time..." one newscaster reported.

"... reports that all operations at the Channel have suddenly shut down..."

"... caused an enormous drop in consumer confidence in Horizon, compelling investors to pull their funds..."

Ryker's jaw dropped as Bryce stepped forward.

"No way..." whispered the crimson wolf. "Boss... you did it."

"I..." Ryker breathed. "I did?"

Zoom took a tentative forward. "I represented the entire operational division of The Horizon Channel. Ethan's death in the Overworld would have already sent ripples of doubt throughout the world but since I was still around and Raven had control of me, they could do some damage control. But now that I'm not there anymore... now that I'm not connected... everything just... just..."

"Went to shit," Takoshi finished, a savage grin on his face. "Goddamn. We should change your name from 'Wild Card' to 'Nuke' or 'Breaker' because _goddamn_that's amazing!"

Cliff and Arthur were quickly informed of what had transpired while Ryker turned towards Zoom with a grim expression on his face.

"You promised," he said simply.

Zoom nodded, offering a faint smile. "Yes. Yes I did. And... Thank you."

******

Ryker decided to take a few days off from work at the gym under the pretense of needing the time to work on a school project. Hayden completely understood and bought the lie, allowing him the next few days to lock himself in his room and work on his program. This meant he also managed to skip a few classes but he could catch up easily enough. He wasn't sure if it was because of recent events or what Martha had told him but suddenly, the mental blocks that were keeping him from working on his application no longer seemed so intimidating. The combination of Bryce's advice allowed him to make small leaps and bounds to keep him inspired and fueled.

After getting a very basic GUI going, he jumped onto creating a database for login details and user names. Then he created a registry for IPs and some very basic things for a profile. Having trawled through Rumbler had actually helped with that. Creating the photo-upload functionality was very simple and powered him through various missed meals.

Then there was the most complicated part.

How to establish connection between the Realworld and Overworld.

He tried examining the Watcher App and the Independent App but both offered very little. The Watcher App just piggybacked off the mysterious functionality of the Independent App to establish its otherworldly connection. How the IndependentApp managed to forge that connection in the first place or how it even allowed the transition from one reality to another was kept a mystery to him.

What was even more vexing was that the Watcher App was clearly made with code that he could understand. But the IndependentApp was completely unreadable. Every time he tried to read the executable on anything as simple as a text editor, it would crash his computer and he'd have to start again. All the Watcher App really did was run the Independent App in the background without bringing the user to the Overworld.

As tempting as that was, he wanted his application to be accessible to everyone and not put unnecessary strain on Independents.

Fearing another block, he worked on other aspects of the application while he pondering his conundrum.

A knock came to his door and he let out a growl of annoyance.

"Busy here."

The door opened regardless and he was surprised to find Surf standing there holding what appeared to be some sandwiches. His nostrils flared at the smell of roast beef and his mouth watered.

"You made roast beef?" he asked.

"It's my specialty," Surf answered, setting the sandwich on his desk. "Or so I've been told."

Ryker took a bite out of the heavenly meal and moaned softly. "Who's watching Zoom?"

"Cliff and Arthur." The big whale shark sat down on Ryker's bed, causing the springs to creak. "I have to thank you again for what you did."

He waved down the shark as he took another bite out of the sandwich, unaware just how hungry he was. "You can stop thanking me. I thought it was the best way to save Zoom. Admittedly, I wasn't sure it would work but after what Martha said..."

Surf chuckled softly. "Yeah, Martha has a way of inspiring people. Still. I'm thankful you saved Zoom. Really, I am."

Nodding Ryker munched on the last pieces of the sandwich and turned back to his project. "I'm just glad it all turned out okay. How is he doing anyway?"

"Better. Much better." Surf chuckled softly. "I... I don't know if there was something about Horizon that was making him feel... suicidal but he's a little more stable and... hopeful, even. He still breaks down whenever he sees or we talk about Ethan but he's coming to terms with the loss."

Ryker flicked an ear behind him. "You really think Horizon was making him feel bad?"

"Maybe? It's hard to tell. Raven would have ultimately controlled him and maybe there was some subconscious part of Raven that wanted to kill Zoom so he could be replaced and that was making Zoom... self-destructive. I don't know. The Overworld isn't an exact science."

"Sometimes I wish it was," Ryker growled, regarding his screen. "Have you guys decided what to do with... with Ethan?"

"We have," answered Surf solemnly.

Two days ago, after Zoom had broken free of_Horizon_ and finally had some time to think, it was decided to cremate Ethan Maydoor. Luckily, Cliff and Ecks had contacts in the Overworld that could do just that. Ethan was cremated that very same day. The only time Ryker had in the past few days away from his program.

"Zoom will keep his ashes," Surf explained. "We're looking for places for him to stay. Somewhere secure. Apparently, Ecks has a network of safehouses everywhere that he can use."

For a moment, Ryker stopped typing then turned back towards Surf. "What about you? Have you decided what you want to do?"

Surf shook his head sadly. "Honestly, no. All I want to do is to protect Martha. Martha isn't sure what she wants to do either but she isn't going to just let Raven hunt her down. Someone is going to make the first move eventually. I just don't know when." He gave a short chuckle, looking out the window. "Your stunt with Zoom sent shockwaves throughout Horizon. That'll at least buy us some time."

"I heard they got their systems back online, at least."

"They did. But after six hours of dead air. That's huge. They took a big hit. Without Martha to do damage control as well, it looks pretty bad."

Ryker nodded and turned back towards his computer. "Kind of good to know that we _might_have a weapon against empowering Overlords."

Surf let out a grunt of agreement. "If you use your Function in rapid succession, you could cause enough damage to cause the corporation itself to crumble and fall. Get them into serious debt with operations destroyed, finances lost and security breached and they'll never be able to recover even if their CEO becomes an Overlord."

The sacrifice of the officers was meant to give absolute power of the company and the concept it embodies to the CEO. But if that company was reduced to ashes and was quickly forgotten, that Overlord would have little to no power. That, of course, assumed he could use Break on all the officers in rapid succession. It added credence to the idea of sharing Break with the Kage who could potentially strike at multiple locations rapidly. Despite the benefits, he wasn't sure if he could trust such a powerful Function to anyone.

"That does beg the question," he said, slowing his typing, "do you want me to use _Break_on you and Martha?"

Surf sighed softly. "Not yet."

Ryker turned back to face the shark. "Why not? It makes sense, right? They want you dead. If I use Break on you, they won't have to come after you."

"True but then it'll just be Sanders against Van and Raven. Weakened as they may be, those two could easily take Sanders. We also know that Van is willing to sacrifice himself to Raven." Surf pressed a hand against his broad chest. "We are the only bastions against Raven's ascension. So long as we remain linked to Horizon, we stop him from ascending."

"That's awfully noble of you," Ryker said with a smile. Nodding, he turned back towards his program. "Don't know very many people who would make the same sacrifice."

He heard Surf get up form his bed. "Considering we've basically been culpable to brainwashing, slavery and blood sports, it's the least we could do." Surf bent down to pick up the plate and stopped for a second. "So how is the app going anyway?"

There was that faint flash of annoyance that heralded back to the days when he was procrastinating and his friends were pestering him on the project but he brushed it aside. "Prototype is basically almost done. The only thing that's got me stumped is how the hell I'm supposed to make some sort of tangible link from the Overworld to the Realworld so that IPs can communicate with people here."

"Don't you have apps that already do that?"

"Yes but all they really do is call the Independent App in the background. I don't want to restrict this to Independents or even Corpsmen. I want everyone_to be able to find IPs out there. Independents will have their own IPs to care for and, as we know, most Independents can only be Host to a single IP. I'm hesitant to make it available to Corpsmen especially since we _know linking to other IPs can be fatal for them even if we suspect it's because of Copy and Paste. So the only other resource we have..."

Surf nodded in understanding as he picked up the plate. "Are those not exposed to the Overworld. Those who are unaware of the parallel psychic dimension that manifests thought and imagination as well as allowing others to manipulate their thoughts and imaginations." He shrugged absently. "Too bad you can't just mimic the way that the Independent App is transfered from person to person."

He looked up at Surf curiously. "Actually, that does beg the question. How _did_Martha get exposed to the Overworld? How'd she get the ability to jump from one side to the other and meet you. It clearly isn't just someone grabbing her paw and bringing her in or else Tess would have the app too."

The big whale shark nodded in agreement. "After Raven revealed everything to her and we met, there was a whole procedure where she was given an email that she needed to sign into and then the app just appeared on her phone."

Ryker sighed and regarded his screen again. "Same thing happens to other Independents. Usually another Independent 'invites' them in and they get the email, sign-in and boom they're an Independent. I had hoped you guys do it differently so I could use that instead but..." Then his voice trailed off as he slowly turned to face Surf.

"What is it?" asked the portly IP.

"Except me."

"Come again?"

"I... I didn't_get an email." Ryker regarded his phone. "I just found the _Independent App on my phone one night and pressed it."

Surf gave him a dubious look. "You found a mysterious app on your phone and your first instinct was to press it?"

"I was curious_okay?" he snapped with mild irritation. "The question we should be asking is, _how did that appear on my phone in the first place? Who sent it?"

His thoughts went back to the mysterious messages that he was seeing every now and then and he wondered if, perhaps, he had an enigmatic guardian angel. Then he recalled that lie he had told Cue. That it was his 'imagination' or 'inspiration' running wild.

"What if..." he whispered softly. "When we're in the Overworld, we can actually affect the Realworld. I've seen it before. Our battles can sometimes cause minor disturbances. Nothing as cataclysmic as the actual fight but it's still there." He lifted his gaze towards Surf. "What if... what if we do that with my app?"

Surf gave him a shrug. "I have no idea what you mean."

His eyes drifted back towards his screen at the executable for the Independent App.

"What if... I can't 'read' the code for the Independent App because... because it's not something that can be translated into code...? Because it's made entirely out of a concept... It's part of the collective cognition in the Overworld that is so powerful that it's managed to manifest itself in our world?"

He grabbed his phone. "I've got to test out something. Stay here." Quickly, he texted his IPs that he was dropping into the Overworld. Once he got a confirmation from each of his IPs, he activated the app and rushed out into the lounge room. Zoom was there with Cliff and Arthur, all three of them taking pains to ignore Maydoor's ashes currently sitting on the kitchen counter while watching the multiple screens on Cliff's rig.

"Hey guys," he greeted, holding up his phone. "I need to run an experiment."

Arthur's features brightened. "No way, dude! You got the program finished?"

"Maybe," he answered cautiously. He looked around the lounge and noticed the shadowy figure that represented Martha sitting at the breakfast table, seemingly regarding her phone. Padding over, he examined the shadow closely. "How...?" he whispered to himself.

Then, through the wispy curls of the shadows, he saw a single phrase.

'You can do it.'

Those words dissipated, replaced with another short message.

'Just believe.'

He lifted his gaze. "Believe," he whispered to himself, gripping his phone tightly. Lifting it slightly, he closed his eyes and visualized his program - it's logo, it's functions and everything - appearing on Martha's screen. It was exactly as he had coded it. All the functions but with the added benefit of being able to communicate directly to the Overworld.

Somehow... he felt it worked and he noticed Martha was looking surprised.

Quickly, he gave her a call from his phone.

"Ryker? Hello?" she asked.

"Hey Martha. You didn't happen to have a mysterious application appear on your phone just now, did you?"

"I... I actually did. What is it? Is this...?"

His heart suddenly racing, Ryker rushed over to Zoom. "I think so! Hang on. Open the app. I need to talk to Zoom." Holding up his phone, he took a quick picture of Zoom, the flash momentarily blinding the Mako. Then he tapped out a quick test message on the profile, hit the 'Find' function to find compatible hosts around him and suddenly...

... there was Martha.

He connected with her and it opened a crude text message window.

'Hi Martha,' he greeted via the messenger.

'Ryker?' she replied almost immediately. 'That's a picture of Zoom you're using on the profile. He looks... surprised. And it's in the Overworld! Ryker... did you...?'

'I think I did!'

With a bright grin, he rushed over to Zoom, grabbed the Mako's phone and quickly installed the application on it. Zoom was still utterly confused what was happening as he quickly ran through the instillation. Something he quickly discovered was that he had no way of checking for duplicate or dummy profiles and he would need to find some way to make sure the IPs were using it faithfully.

That and he'd have to find a way to distribute the app to orphaned IPs who don't necessarily have phones.

That would have to come later. For now, he asked Zoom to message Martha.

"Dude..." Cliff breathed, his eyes wide. "Did you just finish your app?"

"It's still a work in progress," Ryker said excitedly, his voice rising and tail wagging. "But... the prototype is there! I just made Rumbler for IPs!"

"Holy shit dude!" Cliff cried, rushing forward and wrapping his arms around Ryker. Arthur came swooping in, grabbing both of them and lifting them happily off the air. "This is amazing!"

"I know!" Ryker laughed. "When I realized that the Independent App was actually a psychic construct built in the Overworld and that little things we do in the Overworld actually impacts the Realworld, installing the app on someone else's phone just seemed so simple! I just needed to believe it was true!"

"I don't get any of that but sure!" Arthur laughed, setting them back down. Then the boar's face turned serious. "Wait a second. Did you just say you know what _Rumbler_is?"

Ryker blushed deeply and then turned to Zoom. "Zoom, do you know what this means?"

Zoom's features lifted and a smile slowly crept onto his face. "It means... you just found a way to help orphaned IPs." He gently pressed a hand against his chest. "But Martha already knows about me and already sustains me with her thoughts. We don't know if this made any difference."

That was true. So long as Martha was thinking about him, he would remain 'nourished'. At the very least there was a way for them to remain in contact and keep that relationship open. But Zoom had a point. They had no proof that _new_connections would work. Of course, there _was_one person he could use as a test.

"Hold that thought," he said and quickly dropped back into the Realworld.

He practically vaulted back to his PC and quickly checked the code for his new application. Surf, befuddled at his sudden appearance watched in fascination as Ryker tried to open his program in the code editor only for his PC to immediately crash. Ryker threw his paws into the air and let out a cry.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Surf said. "Was it too much for your rig? If you need us to get you something more powerful...?"

"No!" Ryker laughed gleefully. "This means that my program was merged with the concept I created in the Overworld and crashed my PC because no computer can understand the full complexity our psyche! The link between the Independent App and Overworld is part based in reality and part based in the Overworld! It needs both to form that link! And I just managed to make a hybridized program! It's like using C++ for building the basic foundation and logic of a program but then referencing a library from... from... I dunno... say Java because it is what the client actually wants to use! I just built an _adapter_between the two! "

The whale shark's eyes glazed over. "Huh?"

Energy pumped through his veins, Ryker jumped back to his feet and bolted past Surf. "Just give me a second. I'll be back!"

Ryker bolted out of his room, gripping his phone tightly. He vaulted down the stairs, taking them two at a time and rushed into the gym floor. He found Hayden working the counter in his stead.

"Hayden!" he cried, rushing over and panting. "I need you to test my program. It's really important."

The gorilla beamed at him. "Sure thing dude. What do you need me to do?"

Grateful for Hayden's amicability, he walked his friend and boss through the instillation process and hit the 'Find' button. Zoom was the only one available at the moment and he quickly let Hayden see Zoom's profile.

"This a friend of yours?" asked the gorilla.

"Another tester," he replied. "Can you quickly text him? Just say hello or something. I need to go back up and check on him."

Hayden gave him the brightest of grins. "Sure."

Ryker was shooting back up the stairs and was already in the Overworld before he even reached the lounge room. Zoom let out a short laugh as he burst in.

"Wow," laughed the shark. "This Hayden guy is kind of... honest. He just invited me to work at the gym for him."

"That's Hayden," answered Ryker, padding over and gently gripping Zoom's arm. "How're you feeling though? Any better? Did Hayden's thoughts somehow strengthen you?"

Zoom glanced off to the side a little. "You know... Maybe it does. It's just a little tingle maybe. Or maybe that's just wishful thinking or hope but..." His words trailed off, a faint smile on his lips. Ryker realized that Zoom was looking at silver urn not too far away. "You know... I think Ethan would have been really happy to be part of something so... revolutionary."

Ryker straightened, pride blossoming in his chest.

"Yeah. I think he would be."

Still riding his high he turned to tell the others only to find Martha regarding him. She was back in the Overworld and looking worried.

"Martha!" he exclaimed, raising his paws into the air in joy. "I did it! I made the prototype of my program! We can keep Zoom alive! We can connect him with other people, not just Independents, and keep him alive through public perception even if he is unconnected to a Host! This is fantastic!"

When her expression didn't change, his mirth began to fade.

"Why aren't you more excited?"

Martha lifted her phone. There was a message on it. Ryker was already prepared to explain that they had managed to communicate with Zoom when he realized the message was not from his program.

It was from Simon.

"He wants to meet," she said gravely.

******

The meeting place was at a very discrete cafe, a neutral ground that also served as a Transistor in the Overworld. The fact that it was run by a former Corpsman and the CFO of AllAle didn't scare Simon Sanders either. They naturally met in the Overworld where it was less likely that anyone from the Realworld could overhear them. Though it was still very busy with passing Independents and orphaned IPs seeking some sustenance from the food offered, Sanders didn't seem at all worried that he would suddenly be attacked. Transistors were neutral ground. Any violence in them - be it from the Libertatis or Corporations - would be treated like a war crime. Everyone would bear down on the cuplrit.

At least there was some modicum of decency in that regard.

The moment Ryker and Cliff entered wearing their Libertatis masks, they were given a wide berth by the occupants. No one pushed them away especially as their IPs hovered over their shoulders. For Ryker, both Bryce and Decanter remained outside, standing guard. They couldn't let anyone else know that Ryker had somehow managed to bond with more than one IP. Ecks and Brooklyn were also watching from a distance.

Sanders was perched in a corner booth alongside his IP, Airwave. The laid-back shark had his feet up on the table, flipflops barely hanging from his toes. Martha straightened and approached the table first. Ryker took up the seat beside her while Cliff remained standing. The moment they sat down, Airwave lowered his feet and waved at Martha lightly.

"Hi Martha," greeted the hammerhead timidly like a child addressing an adult.

"Hello, Airwave," replied Martha with a terse smile. That smile vanished the moment she locked gazes with Sanders. "We are here, Simon. What did you want to talk about?"

Sanders took his time, stirring the tea that he had before lifting it to his lips and taking a silent sip. Ryker wasn't even sure the rabbit had drank anything at all. "The tea here is really very good. I highly recommend it. Not bad for someone who flunked out of a corporation and a one-legged failed CFO."

Ryker's paw curled into a fist but he resisted the urge to turn to violence. Sanders was clearly trying to goad them into a fight.

"I shall have to give it a try after this whole affair," answered Martha dismissively. "To business, Simon. I have very little patience to deal with your ambling."

The rabbit lowered the teacup. "Yes, of course." His gaze locked with Martha. "I understand that everything has been a little... difficult between us and -"

"Cut the crap, Sanders," Surf snarled. "Enough with the honeyed words and euphemisms. You nearly killed us and decided to side with Raven! Hell, you were planning to betray us all and take Raven's place!" He slammed a fist into the table, leaning down towards the CSO. Airwave was halfway out of his seat but Sanders laid a paw on his chest and pushed him back. "So just tell us what you came here to say so we can shoot you down and ruin your career and life." Surf grinned savagely. "Because I know you felt it when we crippled _Horizon's_operations."

Sanders let out a short laugh and folded his paws in front of him. "To be honest, I didn't think that you had it in you to kill Zoom. I always suspected there was some romantic connection between you two. Then again, his death might justify this misplaced anger you have towards me."

There, Surf grinned savagely. "That's where you're wrong, Sanders. Zoom is alive and well. Better than ever before, in fact. The only thing we broke was his Contract with Horizon."

Sander's brow furrowed and his confidence wavered. "Interesting. My focus was entirely on our defenses outside of Horizon that I never suspected we might have moles inside. I don't think anyone else could have gotten to the Server to sever Zoom's Contract unless it's someone in the company. I'll have to tighten security." He shrugged and turned coolly towards Surf. "Then again, I guess that's why the rest of us are bound to the Server, isn't it? We can't cut ties with Horizon unless we want to. Otherwise, Raven holds the leash."

Surf eased back a little. "What are you talking about?"

The rabbit waved a paw absently through the air. "I always wondered why we had to place our original phones into the Server, to join with it. I had always assumed it was some way to filter all our accomplishments and the mere perception of our roles in Horizon into the company itself but now, I begin to wonder." He leaned forward, pressing his fingers into a steeple and gazing off into the distance. "When I became an officer for Raven, it was made clear to me that I could leave of my own volition. But to do so would require me to leave my phone in the Server. In that way, some part of me remains with Horizon. On paper, it seems logical. Under the leadership of officers, the corporation could build foundations that could be used by future officers to make something greater. Anything you develop is ultimately a propriety of the company. You can't copy and paste it to another corporation.

"Now, I think it's more than that." He lifted his gaze towards Martha. "I felt Ethan pass. We all did. After learning of our betrayal, I wondered why Raven didn't just cut us out of the Server and fire us. Now, I think I know why." He straightened, lowering his arms. "The Server acts like a shackle to us but at the same time, we are part of the Server itself. Our Contracts form the Server. When we are severed from the Server or the Overworld like the Libertatis_is wont to do, we cripple the Server and the very foundations of the company. Raven, however, ultimately controls the Server and through that, us. He didn't sever Zoom's contract because there was still too much of _Horizon dependent on him. He hasn't fired me because I still form a core pillar of Horizon. One would think that gives us power but ultimately, he still holds us accountable through the Server."

Simon laughed softly. "Quite contrary when you think about it. Ultimately, he has to kill_us to become an Overlord and yet, if he does so, he risks crippling the company. There must be _some way he plans to dispose of us to complete his ascension that I am not aware of." He shook his head, giving the group a faint smile. "But that is neither here nor there. I came here to propose a simple alliance."

"Why the hell would we ally with a backstabbing asshole like you?" Cliff snarled.

That air of confidence returned to Simon as the well-dressed, white rabbit gave a light shrug. "I represent your best chance at destroying the Server and preventing Raven from becoming a true Overlord. I am the Chief Security Officer, after all, and that means that I can get you access to everything. Even the Server. Raven and Van are still reeling from the recent attack and Raven's... injury." Simon's greedy stare leveled directly at Ryker and the young, gray wolf felt his skin crawl. "If you want as little bloodshed as possible, I suggest we work together to bring down Raven."

"In exchange for what?" Ryker asked menacingly. "Immunity from being targeted?"

Sanders let out a soft chuckle. "Quite."

"Even though we know you'll try and become an Overlord someday?" Martha demanded.

"Someday," Sanders gave a helpless shrug. "I might even pick up the ruins of _Horizon_and build from there. But the immediate threat is Raven. I am sure we all agree on that."

"Why would we work with you when we can take you all down in the end?" Takoshi threatened. "You've seen what we can do. We can bypass all your Functions and that was just with the bunch of us and one Kage. Imagine what we could do if we brought the might of the entire Libertatis down on you. Just like AllAle."

There was a flash of fear in Sanders' otherwise steely composure. Decanter's words about leverage and negotiations came to mind and right now, Sanders had _no_leverage.

"Fair enough," Sanders said. "So as a sign of good faith, how about I offer you this..." He pulled out a simple drive and slid it across the table.

"And 'this' is?" the big bear growled.

"Information about the acquisition of George Samuel Drell's movies by The Horizon Channel as well as the fish-out-of-water TV drama about Arthur Pendragon into modern New York City."

Ryker straightened, his eyes widening. He immediately exchanged glances with Takoshi before turning to Cliff and Arthur. Even with his mask on, Cliff looked visible stunned while Arthur was more confused than surprised.

"You're offering this to us?" the knightly boar asked.

"It's not everything, of course," teased Sanders. "But it is enough to wet one's appetite. The terms of the agreement. The length of the contract. All that. I do have information on where they are now and I have even reached out to them to discuss their former projects. But if you want to make use of _my_contacts to get exclusive access to your creators... well..." Simon leaned back confidently. "Then we will have to talk, won't we?"

Arthur raised a hand. "Hang on. How did you know who I was? All I told you was a rough synopsis of what I was meant to be. I never gave you specifics."

Ryker glanced up at Takoshi who had very clearly and loudly exclaimed who he was during the fight against Raven. That explained how Sanders had found out his identity. But Arthur had never divulged anything incriminating.

There, Sanders' lips turned upwards in a cruel smile. "Well, as it turns out someone_went around snooping at a recent KNT Fraternity party. They used an effective but crude hacking software to search for key terms such as 'Arthur Pendragon' and 'Modern Fantasy' and even the lead writer of the show called _'King in New York'. It left quite a trail. Not enough to identify who did it but enough to pique my curiosity." Sanders' smile grew broader. "In fact, I spent the last few days trying to source out your identities and it just so happens that this particular hack crossed my table. I put two and two together."

Arthur's hands curled into fists and the boar was visible shaking in anger. Ryker felt his heart sink. He had taken part in that heist with Cliff. Now Sanders had something they wanted. There went their only advantage.

"So?" Sanders asked, waggling his eyebrows. "Do we have a deal?"