Gaining Lost Time- Chapter Seventeen

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#18 of Gaining Lost Time


Chapter Seventeen

"When Legends Fade Away"

By

Furry Sith Lord

Justin slithered in as fast as he could as he held his face upward so that his glasses did not slide off his face. He was covered in sweat from nervousness about his friend slowly dying in front of him. He heard the two deers talking about something but he felt his report could not wait so he bravely interrupted.

"Is everything alright?" Oziah asked calmly.

"Eastwood has stabilized but he's not gonna last for much longer. It took an incredible amount of energy before it took hold on him. I think it's a given fact that he can't be recharged again. The next episode will be his last." Justin said as his eyes began to tear up.

"So the machine you've been trying to build, why isn't it working?" Lou asked Justin.

"It's technical but basically there are sensors in the center of the amplifiers. The sensors are supposed to shoot out tiny bolts of electricity and bounce off the other sensors and create a temporal black hole. The gravity of the black hole has a way to both store and amplify the electricity.

The trouble is that the electricity that is being shot out are being shot in random directions instead of hitting the other sensors. This prevents the black holes from forming and makes the amplifiers short circuit." Justin explained.

"Black holes, according to Furry Trek, can act like worm holes and open in two or more multiple ;points. I can see how a device like this could be used in time travel." Lou mused as he spoke mostly to himself.

"You told him?!" Justin exclaimed.

"Nevermind that, nevermind it. So if the electricity is going off in different directions then you would need a way to pull the electricity towards the sensors. Have you thought about turning the sensors into lightning rods? This way the energy will be attracted to them. In enclosed spaces it would basically pull the lightning towards the sensors like strings. Thereby created the black holes you want.

Think in terms like those glass balls in the adult stores. They randomly shoot out lightning inside the glass ball. when you put your fingers to the glass the electricity is attacked, safely, to your tips." Lou said and Justin let out a huge sigh of relief.

"Adult stores? What do you know about adult stores?" Oziah asked as he frowned at Lou. Lou lowered his ears as he blushed and looked down at his feet.

"My... boyfriend took me to one because I had never been. I didn't know such places existed. The strangest toys you've ever seen." Lou said, unable to look his father in the eyes.

"Find anything interesting?" Oziah asked after he sighed. The disappointment slowly vanished and he made himself smile as he saw the look on Lou's face. He looked as if he had swallowed an apple whole.

"They... have a wide variety of... mounting toys. I never realized how big that industry is. They have these things called 'dongs' that look like toy species penises. Species use those to pleasure themselves." Lou said, obviously embarrassed to be talking to his father about this.

"They're also called 'dildos' and you can ger them in different sizes." Justin remarked and looked startled as they stared at him. "What?!" he asked.

"We are just wondering how you know about things like those?" Oziah said as he tried to hide a smirk.

"I kinda have sisters and learned about them from them. Also about the time of the moon cycle that some females go through." Justin said.

"I thought you were an only child?" Lou asked.

"Well my sisters are a lot older than me. On the rare occasions we get together they like to tease me because I'm a nerd."

"I bought my boyfriend a t-shirt he wanted. I think it's hideous but he loved it. It was gray and had a wolf sitting with a t-shirt pulled up covering his snout. I also bought some... underwear for myself." Lou said as he blushed again.

"Something special for the two of you to enjoy?" Oziah asked. He was supportive yet indifferent as he wanted Lou to feel more relaxed with him.

"No, just regular boxer shorts. I got me to try them... and I find them very comfortable. I only have the pair Eastwood gave me and I fear I may wear them out because thanks to them... I met my boyfriend."

"I look forward to meeting him." Oziah said and Lou jumped and hugged his father. Oziah seemed startled at first then he hugged back and they both enjoyed it. Justin watched with curiosity because they looked as if they had never been that familiar with each other before.

"Oh! Eastwood! We gotta hurry and finish the machine! I hope I have time." Justin said as he quickly slithered away.

"Thank you," Lou said and Oziah looked at him with curiosity.

"What for?"

"For understanding. For not disowning me."

"Come, we should see Eastwood. You have some apologizing to do... while there is still time." Oziah chuckled as he put his arm around his son's shoulder. It seemed funny to him that his son would be embarrassed over such a trifle thing. He realized that maybe he had been too strick all along with him and make him feel inferior. It had never been true but he had thought he had to push his son to be better now he wondered if he had pushed too hard.

They entered the room where Eastwood was resting. Lou approached the bed with his ears lowered but Oziah just pushed him onward to give him the courage to face what he was scared of. Oziah knew his son had to set things right or live with the shame of his actions for the rest of his life. Sure it was difficult now but in the long run it would be better to do this.

Leggo sat on his bed admiring the new gray shirt Lou had bought him. He wished it had a deer on it to make him think of Lou but the wolf was enough to know how Lou felt about him. He looked at the playful nature of the wolf as it had his shirt pulled up to cover his snout.

He realized he had spent so much of his life being introverted and he nearly missed meeting the love of his life! He had been afraid of letting anyone know the real him but he finally realized he was tired of hiding. He was going to be himself no matter what and if that meant acting like a puppy then so be it.

Instead of hiding from life he was going to live it to the fullest. He was no longer going to dream it, instead he was gonna be it! He would no longer be the Leggo that hides in the shadows. Instead he was gonna stand out above the crowd, even if he had to shout out loud. Until his is the only face you'll see. He would stand out until you're forced to notice him!

He remembered suddenly that Eastwood was saying something about security. He wondered what it would take to be able to get a job like that. He still was not sure if he and Lou would be a couple forever but even if they did not he still wanted to be able to protect Lou. Security might not be as glamorous as being a bodyguard or a police officer but at least it might let him stay close to Lou to be ready to save him if the need ever arose.

"Hey buddy," Jon said as he softly knocked and entered Leggo's room. Leggo grunted at him and Jon lowered his ears.

"Something you need?" Leggo asked coldly. Jon looked down at his feet as he tried to work up the courage to start a conversation.

"Listen about before,"

"Forget it. However, if you'll excuse me I have a date with my boyfriend to get to." Leggo lied.

"If you mean the rich deer, his parent picked him up and took him home. The rumor is that the white tiger slave they own is sick."

"How could that be? I saw him a few hours ago! He was fine." Leggo replied skeptically.

"They rushed him out on a stretcher. Something must have happened." Jon replied.

"I bet that asshole Roni is behind it." Leggo remarked sourly.

"Since... your date is canceled, how about if we hang out?" Jon said shyly. He looked at his friend and his tail was wagging slightly.

"I'm not in the mood." Leggo said as he laid on his bed and turned his back towards Jon. Jon's face looked as if Leggo had just slapped him. He quietly slipped away without making a sound. Before he closed the door he looked back once and tried to think of something to say. When no words came to mind he closed the door behind him.

Leggo lay on his bed silently crying though the causes were too numerous. He was sad his date was canceled. He was sad his friend Eaatwood was ill. That he had just lost his best friend! IF he could ever really call him that. IF Jon were truly his friend he would not be treating him like he was because Leggo liked other boys instead of girls.

As his best friend he should have supported him instead of insulting him. The words he remembered Jon saying, cut him deeply.

Lou followed Oziah as they entered the room Eastwood was in. He was propped up in bed with the wires of the machine attached to his arm. Although he was being fed energy, he was still translucent in places as his body continued to break apart.

He strained his eyes and managed to see Lou then smiled. He reached out a faded paw and tapped the side of his bed. Lou obediently went over and sat next to him.

"I'll leave you two alone, I'm needed to help that little snake complete the device. Maybe with my help we can complete it on time." Oziah said then he leaned in close and whispered to Tyger. "I love you." He said then hurried off. Lou began to fidget with his tie as he tried thinking of something to say.

"I guess I owe you a big apology. Though I don't quite think that covers it. I've been terrible and don't deserve the kindness you've shown me." Lou said. Eastwood smiled at him and put his paw on his hoof.

"I don't remember you... ever being mean to me." he lied and Lou smiled as his eyes began to fill with tears.

"Honestly I've been jealous of you because my father spent more time with you than he ever did with me." Lou confessed.

"There is a reason for that," Eastwood said, then began to cough a few times. "But honestly you are all he ever talked about. He would brag about how great you are! I'm sure you realize by now that I was in an accident that sent me back in time."

"Yes, my father was just discussing that with me." Lou replied.

"I know how things are gonna turn out and what you will accomplish. Who you marry. And a few other things." Eastwood said.

"So my father has been trying to learn about what is to come?" Lou asked skeptically.

"Not exactly. He's been trying to test me to see if... I really am from future. He wanted to see if some of what I told him... was beyond outrageous." Lou saw that Eastwood was having difficulty talking which worried him even more.

"That's how you knew I was going to start dating other boys?" Lou asked.

"Yes... I won't give away the surprise, but you end up marrying... another male. You told me... that you first started dating... other boys in school your... senior year." Eastwood struggled to speak as he kept having bouts of coughing fits.

"A day... may come when... you have... a family... of your own. You should... never do... something stupid... like running into... a ... dangerous situation... alone."

"True but if it is to protect the ones I love, I'll do it in a heartbeat. I learned from Leggo what it means to really love someone." Lou said and Eastwood thought things over. He finally gave up trying to change the future. It seemed to him the future was written no matter how you tried to change it.

Oziah walked into the warehouse when he was storing the machine. Justin was busy yelling at the workers to hurry and explaining how to get everything working correctly. Oziah casually walked up to the frantic little snake.

"How are we doing?" Oziazh asked him calmly.

"Almost! We're almost finished!" he replied, breathing heavily.

"Good. What can I do to help?" He asked and Justin looked around for something simple that the owner of the company could do to feel apart of the project yet not enough to hinder them in any way.

"Help me make sure these guys aren't slacking off. You know time is precious!" Justin said and then Oziah went about observing the workers and he would have a private discussion if he thought someone was not hurrying in their tasks. The talk left the worker looking white in color as they realized the consequences for not building the machine in a speedy manner.

"I think we have the first amplifiers ready to activate." Justin said as he used his tail to readjust his glasses. He was sweating so much that they were constantly sliding down his face.

"Hurry, let's see if it works!" Oziah said for the first time trying to speed up the process. The amplification unit was held up on a stand and a wire was set up to drain the power out of a battery. The battery was connected and the energy drained from it into the unit. It took a few seconds then the mini-lightning rods shot out beams of electricity and the spider web shape created opened a tiny hole in the center. The longer the unit ran the more power it created except to generate more energy it seemed to take a long time.

"It works! I can't believe it works!" Justin said.

"Amazing! This has limitless possibilities!"

"The energy will generate faster the more of these amplifiers we create." Justin exclaimed.

"How many are we going to create?"

"Eastwood told me he saw about..."

"Can you tell me who I'm going to marry?" Lou asked and I tried to smile although my body hurt all over. I noticed that I had lost all feeling below my waist and both myself and Lou looked as we saw the blanket covering my legs suddenly lay flat as if my legs did not exist.

I didn't need to look to know that half of my body had vanished. I was still drinking the energy from the wires but it seemed to have no effect. It was just making my final moments more agonizing.

"Looks... like... Time is... almost up." I struggled to say.

"HELP!!!! Can I get some help here?!!!!" LOu said as he ran to the door and shouted out into the hallway. He looked around frantically but saw no one responding to his request.

"Lou..." I tried to calm him. He turned and I saw tears streaming down his face. My heart went out to him and I wished there was a way I could make him feel better.

I was noticing that my eyes were fading. As I looked around the edges seemed to be closing in like I was in a cave and the only opening was closing.

"Please... one... last request. I'll... never.... see... father... gain. Please... tell... me... you... love... me..... in ....his place." I had to fight to get the last of my words out.

"I love you... son." Lou said and I smiled as the last of my vision ended. I was seeing nothing but blackness. I heard my father wailing but I could not say anything. Soon his cries vanished and I began to think about what I remembered was going to happen.

I thought about Lou and Leggo graduating and how that night Leggo got into an argument with his grandparents. How he stormed out and went to Lou's mansion. Lou used some money, he saved up, to get a place for the two of them. He paid to have some movers go to the grandparent's house and collect his boyfriends belongings.

He did not want to make it seem like he was forcing his boyfriend to live in the mansion taking advantage of all his family had. Though that would be short lived as events unfolded themselves.

Six months after he graduated he would receive a call that his father had been in an automobile accident. He now was in complete control of the mansion, the business, and all the finances. He would finish getting his degrees before he converted the company into an electronic manufacturer and stop making the weapons they were famous for. It would not happen overnight but the new direction tripled profits making The Antler Conglomerate the richest company the world has ever known.

While in college he pushed his boyfriend to attend. A fraternity pulled a hazing incident when they shaved off all of Leggo's fur, Leggo dropped out because he felt humiliated for some reason unknown to Lou. Leggo was mistaken one night for a white fox after he foiled a robbery. Thus the legend of The White Fox was born.

It was during this period that they began to role play during their love making. They soon discovered they had a slight fetish for bondage as they kept experimenting and trying new things. Lou liked taking a more submissive position while they made love and Leggo was the dominant one though they occasionally switched.

Lou could have died the day he and Leggo were looking to buy a slave cub because he saw a little white tiger cub sitting in a cage next to a white lion. He suddenly remembered he had known a white tiger and had been horrible to. He tried to hide the anguish and embarrassment he felt by pretending to be annoyed. He played his hoof at bargaining with the slaver to keep his mind distracted but he watched Leggo practically drool over the chance of getting them. No matter how much he thought about distancing himself from them he couldn't until he finally gave up realizing he loved the two cubs.

Jon and Leggo spent little time socializing and this made Jon focus more on his studies. His teachers commended him and when it was suggested that he become a teacher, he took the opportunity. Remembering how teachers had been in the past towards him, and Leggo, helped him develop better teaching methods. Eventually a certain deer would ask him to tutor his slaves and he would become their uncle.

Oziah saw that his son was in love and gave him as much freedom as possible. He was afraid that any interference on his part would cause their relationship to wither. Since he knew that they would buy and later make Tyger their son, he wanted to make sure that that never changed. He also paid the full scholarship for Justin so that he could become the head scientist of the company. Something that even Lou was fond of and kept his father's plans in motion after his untimely death.

Sadly, he would never see his son tie his hoof to the wolf's paw when his son graduated college. He did write a few letters before he died expressing certain things to set events in motion. To prevent the timeline from being changed. Even though he knew how some things would play out he felt that it would be too dangerous to change the way things would be.

He would never know the fate of what would eventually happen with his son and grandsons. He never met Lyon though Tyger had briefly talked about him. He just knew that in addition to having a white tiger as a grandson he would also have a white lion too.

Lastly, Justin cried louder and harder than he ever had in his entire life. His one real friend was gone and he decided to make it his life's work to make the machine work properly. He took out a chisel and carved a message into the machine that would start a certain white tiger on a quest that would eventually lead to their meeting.

He searched for any reports of white tiger cubs being found so he could keep an eye out for the one that would become Eastwood. He and Oziah knew a little of what was to come but not everything. He would never know that the Bengal Tigers named Reeta and Larri would eventually make up and later tie their paws. One day they would discover they have a white tiger born in their litter.

Reeta, being mentally unstable at times, would fear he was a curse and killing him would curse them further. It took some doing but Larri would convince her to sell their son in order to let him become someone else's problem. Will was told he had a white tiger nephew but they claimed he died. He never knew that I was in fact his nephew. He would in time form a love-hate relationship with my adopted brother Lyon.

My mind struggled to hold on to the memories and I tried thinking about everything I could then it suddenly just stopped. As if I had fallen asleep, everything I was doing and thinking abruptly ended... and so did I...

Lou began to wail as the last of Eastwood vanished, the sheets laid themselves flat where what was left of his body had been. Lou saw him smile briefly before he vanished into nothingness. He was bnot sure how long he had been crying when he finally heard footsteps rushing into the room he uncovered his eyes to see his father and Justin looking around frantically.

"We finished the machine! Where is Eastwood?" Justin asked as his eyes began to fill with tears. He saw the redness in Lou's eyes and knew the answer to his question.

"We did everything we could. It was not meant to be, I'm sad to say." Oziah remarked as he took out his own handkerchief and dabbed at his eyes. Justin and Lou hugged each other as they began to wail again.

To Be Continued...