Can You See Me Now? (Pt. 4 of 5)
#4 of Can you see me now?
~Stupid disclaimer thingy~ Ya adult content blah blah blah. Although there's no adult content in this story, There is definately M/M contact here. Just warning you, k? Enjoy Everyone!
***
The next morning, Coda woke with a smile, a deep breath, and a heavy sigh. "Did you
ever," He thought as he rolled out of bed, finding his old pair of pajamas that lay there
wrinkled on the floor. "That life is just teasing you...? That it sucks to live, but you just
can't get enough...?" He looked in the mirror and combed his frayed headfur and nodded,
smiling.
This moment of acceptance of oneself was ruined, however, by that obtrusive
14-ring-bell that clanged every time someone half-hazardly pushed the button located on
the front door.
"It's that Adam again," Jack's voice pierced through the silence, making Coda buzz
with excitement.
"Can you," Coda started to ask, turning around to see Jack hanging half in, half out of
the wall. "like... See through walls or something?"
"No," Jack replied with a grin, floating over. "I can read minds, though." He wiggled his
eyebrows and threw a look that screamed "Just tell me your secret".
Coda froze. "THAT'S NOT FAIR?!" He shouted in his head as he started backing up from
the approaching specter. "How come YOU get special mind reading powers and I
DON'T!?"
"Cause I'm dead," He giggled morbidly, answering him as he reaching his paw out
towards Coda's crotch. A cool wave rushed over it, like nothing he had ever felt before,
which made him try to back up even further. In the way, though, was his dresser, which,
upon a closer look, had carvings of cartoonish wolf heads giggling at him.
"Whoa Jack!" Coda tried to stop this sudden burst of lust that had the red wolf going
for him, but nothing could help. He just kept sending waves of frigid pleasure that
echoed from his loins, to his heels, then to his chest, then to his head. Everything was
vibrating at once until he could feel himself being lifted off the ground.
"Kiss me Coda," Jack said longingly, staring, trying to take his attention away from the
doorbell that was now going crazy.
"I," Coda could only muster before he closed his eyes and moved, locking lips with the
spirit. What was different, though, was he could actually feel it. The cool waves stopped
and were replaced by swift bursts of agony, making Coda grimace as he felt Jack's
tongue slide in, forcefully gaping his muzzle open.
Moments passed before a cackle rang as he pulled away. Coda ripped open his eyes
just in time to see a blade fall, cutting into his chest, just below the collarbone. His
room had faded into darkness now as a silhouette blinked its illuminated green eyes as
it laughed manically, sawing the blade back and forth with it's fingertips. Snapping
echoed through his neck as crimson dots dripped.
"You will make a nice addition, you will," He said, teeth glimmering from some unseen
light.
"NO!" Coda screamed, flying up from the pillow he was holding. He was breathing
heavily as sweat matted the fur on his forehead. And for some unknown reason, he
began to cry. What else could he do? Nothing but sit there and sob, that's what.
Minutes passed painfully slow as he stared at his dresser, which had replaced the
giggling wolf heads with some traditional Celtic designs.
"It was just..." He whispered after his breaths had become less patchy. He looked at
the giant alarm clock that sat beside his bed before he continued. "...a nightmare...
That's all it was..." He caught a glance of the time, which was around 5:00, before he lay
back down, grasping the pillow he had been holding before he woke up and squeezed,
shivering a little. He opened his eyes again and gave a heavy sigh.
"Why do I have to drool on everything a sleep on...?"
The next couple hours chopped between fast and slow motion as Coda dozed and
woke again, each segment complete with its own dream and nightmare.
Finally, grunting at the aggravation his imagination was causing him, he rampaged out
of bed and slammed his bathroom door.
Turning on his shower, he sighed, looking at the clock mounted in his wall which read
7:45. "I..." He groaned as he removed his pants, fluffing his tail in the mirror. "...should
still be asleep. I shouldn't even be thinking about waking up yet..."
"Yeah," Came a voice from behind him, making his heart skip a beat as adrenaline
filled his veins. "What exactly are you doing up?"
He turned around, wide-eyed, to see Jack hanging upside-down from the ceiling. He
was speechless as the dreams from only a couple hours ago started screaming, making
his ears ring.
"Well?" Jack asked after a moment or so. "What's up with you?" He floated down,
slowly rounding his way as he checked for what was the matter. "You look like you've
seen a ghost or something?"
"Ha!" He managed to squeak out before hiding behind the shower curtain. "That's certainly a good one... a good joke..." All he could thing about was kissing him just before
he stabbed. Then his thoughts reverted back to when he considered seeing a therapist,
which seemed like the best thing for him to do. That's when he decided to dedicate
today to seeking help.
"These dreams can't just be from nothing..." He thought.
"Hey!" Jack, who was floating out of view thank to the curtain, snapped his ghostly
fingers which brought Coda, daydreaming, back to reality. "You're acting really weird
today...? Is everything alright, Coda?"
"Everything's fine," He murmured, lying through his teeth which only added to the
guilt. He added quickly, "I'm heading out today, though."
"How?" Jack asked. "You don't have a car, do you?" He crossed his ghostly paws, which
could still be seen through his transparent forearms. He threw out an aura of curiosity
mixed with annoyance which only helped the awkward part of the situation.
"I'm gonna call my brother to take me," Coda said nervously. His skin was beginning to
swell with water as he just stood in the shower with the water running over. All the
while, he shouted in his head "Crap... I could have been done by now if Jack wasn't
playing twenty-million questions on the other side of the curtain..."
"Well..." Jack said after a shade of silence covered the room. "I guess I'll just see you
later then?" He sounded hurt, almost.
"He couldn't be upset could he?" Coda asked himself as he looked from behind the
curtain, watching the ghost fade through the floor. "Well he DID stab me..." He scoffed
before his paw shot up, covering his muzzle.
"Who stabbed you?" Jack looked concerned as his head, the only thing left sticking
inside the bathroom, turned as if on a pivot chair. He followed up with the cocking of it,
while Coda quickly shook his head, giving him a face that said "Oh my god just leave!"
which proved ineffective seeing as his paws were covering pretty much half of it.
"...kay?" Jack said, raising a red, bushy eyebrow. "Well... I'll see you tonight. There's
something I want to talk to you about."
"You got it!" The waterlogged wolf shot out quickly, trying desperately to avoid the
situation. He paused and shouted "Wait!" which caught Jack's attention just before he
left. "You can't read minds can you?"
"What?" Jack asked, bewildered. "No? What gave you that idea?"
"Nothing..."
Jack just shrugged as he stuck his paw up as he sunk, waving goodbye slowly as he
fell through until there was nothing left but the awkward shade, which still loomed as
Coda soaked alone.
***
"So...?" Adam said, sitting with his shades. "Why did I have to rush over here in fifteen
seconds, only to wait for you for about fifteen minutes?"
"Heh..." Coda said, doing up his seatbelt. He sat for a second after doing so, thinking if
he should spill it. "I... need to go see a therapist, Adam. I have some things I need to
get out into the open."
Adam turned off the engine to his new minivan, which still had that new car smell
floating around everywhere. "And why can't you talk to me about it?" He looked over the
rim of his glasses as if to say "What the hell... I'm your brother. You should tell me
everything..."
"It's a..." Coda quickly scanned his mind, looking for anything that would slightly cover
him. "...It's a writing problem. Yeah! I have writers block and it's recommended that you
go see a therapist."
The wolf in the driver's seat raised an eyebrow. "Are you telling the truth, Coda...? I
AM a detective. I can find out things about stuff like this, ya know."
"I... know," Coda stammered, suddenly feeling nervous. He hated lying to his brother
but it wasn't like he had a choice. If he really DID tell him what was going on, Adam
would send him to psycho-bin, where he would have to see a bunch of therapists. This
was obviously a better option. "Can we just go?"
Adam just shook his head, tossing him a pair of sunglasses. "The sun's bright today.
Put those on." He started the van and took off down Fangelo.
The whole ride was as awkward as the episode Coda had with Jack in his bathroom. No
words were passed and the sun was the only thing that seemed bright about that whole
situation, and that was only because it was an abnormally clear day.
Coda just watched the lines on the roads pass, trying to count them but failing
because they were flying by too fast. Adam, on the other side, was listening to a new
CD his wife burnt him, complete with hits from The Tiger-Wolves, Clawson, and Flying
Fur Fighters from Mars.
"At least his wife has a good taste in music," Coda thought as he gave up on line
counting and watched the trees/telephone poles fly by.
Finally, after what seemed like a hundred years in that minivan, they made it to a red
bricked building marked "The Dragon-Horse Practice". Adam pulled hard into the parking
lot, where he slid into the closest parking spot available. Coda stepped out and headed
over to Adam's side.
"Do I have to wait for you..." He demanded as he rolled down the window. He kept his
view on the dashboard and waited for a reply before hightailing it out of there.
"I can call you," Coda said with a sincere smile, putting his paw on Adam's forearm,
causing him to jump a little. "But don't take it personally. If it bothers you that much,
I'll tell you someday soon, okay?"
Adam just scoffed before throwing it in reverse. He floored the peddle and was gone in
a flash, leaving his brother to walk in alone. He just sighed as he opened the glass door,
air-conditioning welcoming him as he looked around. The room gave off a vibe of
welcoming, while all the while keeping a sort of sinister look. Upon a closer look, he
noticed the black symbols decorating the walls.
"Cool aren't they?"
Coda turned to see a wolf in dark shaded coat with a collar around his neck. He held
his paws behind his back and smiled warmly.
"Yeah," He replied, looking further around the room. They were everywhere.
"Do you know what any of them mean?" The wolf asked, interested.
"Ummm.." Coda said as he looked around more closely. "I know this one means love,"
He pointed to the famous Chinese symbol with his paw as the wolf took a closer look.
"Ah," He laughed. "That is correct! Do you know any others?"
Coda just shook his head with a slight grin. He took a second look before the wolf
started to speak again.
"I'm Doctor Liode," He said, holding out a paw. "And I welcome you to Dragon-Horse."
"Thanks," Coda said, rubbing the back of his head while he shook. "I... uh... need to
make an appointment for today sometime."
Dr. Liode took out a pen and pad of paper, opening it while adjusting his fancy-framed
glasses. "Ah," He said, tapping the air in front of the pad with his pen. "I seem to have
an opening this afternoon," He looked up with a heartwarming smile. "In about four
hours. Does that work for you?"
"Four hours..." Coda sighed as he made eye contact. "Yeah that sounds fine."
"Okay," Dr. Liode said, putting away his notes. "But my first appointment is here so I
shall see you at 4."
Coda nodded his head with a smile. "Thanks." He moved over to the array of cushioned
chairs in the waiting room and sat down. The chair let air escape as the pad compressed,
making an interesting sound Coda cocked his head to. Then he began twiddling his
thumbs as he watched the clock slowly tick away the four hours he was to wait there.
***
Adam, who was still on the road by this time, jumped slightly as his cell phone rang in
his pocket.
"Damnit..." He said as he leaned side to side, trying to wrench the vibrating device
from it's confined home, all the while still keeping his eyes on the road. "Hello!" He
answered in his annoyingly aggravated tone.
"Mr. Mugsly," Came the voice of his "inside man", a Mole named Max. "We have
disturbing news."
"I.M.," Adam greeted him gladly. "I've been on the edge of my seat since we've last
talked." He pulled over down a side street and pulled out his laptop, which had been
integrated with the dashboard of his new minivan. "What've you got for me?"
"They've caught wind of you," I.M. said swiftly. "They've sent Superior Cell and his
drone on your trail."
Adam typed quickly on his computer, pulling up the info on this Superior Cell. A picture
loaded on the screen as information streamed down the page. "Jamie Centre..." He read
off the page. "Wanted for various murders across B.C. Known as the Superior Cell from
his first killing on a wolf name... Jack Folley?"
"Killed with a knife." I.M. cut in. "But he hasn't used once since. His tool of destruction
is his paw-made pistol he usually carries in his coat."
"It doesn't say where he can be found." Adam sighed, looking through page upon page
of information on the fox.
"How could it?" I.M. scoffed. "He moves after every killing and he doesn't have a
known hideout or lair. He hasn't been seen on the streets and he doesn't have any
hangouts. No close friends, seeing as he's killed them all... no nothing."
"That must cost him a lot of cake," Adam replied, furiously typing.
"It is said that he's connected with the Five Feathers Organization," I.M. told him.
"And I've heard that he's their best man."
"Well," Adam rubbed his paws together as he put away his laptop, closing the
compartment where it was held. "Bring them on, I say."
"Be careful, Mugsly," I.M. said before he hung up. Adam then started his van, taking a
minute to let the reality of everything set in before throwing it in gear to begin the drive
home. Where, no doubt, his clueless wife was waiting for him with tea in her paws, not
knowing what was to happen to him in just a few days time.
***
Four hours later, Coda was found curled on the floor of The Dragon-Horse's waiting
room, where the secretary, a feline whose nametag introduced herself as Mrs. Orangbu,
tapped him on the shoulder till he was awake. The wolf opened his eyes and wiped the
drool off the side of his cheek, groaning as he sat up.
Mrs. Orangbu gave him a heartfelt smile before pointing to her watch, which made him
realize what she was bothering him for.
"Right!" He said as he shot up to his feet in an instant. "Sorry about... ya know...
Drooling on your floor."
The feline moved her paws, saying thank you with her smile. It then occurred to him
that the secretary was deaf, which confused him. He didn't even know how to say hello
in sign language, so he just waved before he walked quickly out of the room, following
the signs that lined the walls.
He peered through some of the windows that revealed the insides of each room. The
first had an old looking badger, playing acoustic guitar to a middle-aged stork, who was
bawling his eyes out.
"Musical Therapy," Coda thought, remembering an ad he saw online sometime ago.
The next room showed a beaver with several things hooked to his fingers. To his right
was another badger, this time younger, who was revealing certain cards. He could see
the beaver answer one of his questions before his face twitched and his body jolted.
"Shock Therapy..." He thought as he moved on. "Can I find the Conventional Therapy
room please?"
"So," He heard a familiar voice say from down the hall. He handed a distressed looking
k-9, probably a mutt, an orange bottle that rattled. "Just take one of those once a day
and you're suicidal thoughts will melt away." He gave the mutt a sincere smile before
holding up one of his fingers. "Just remember. 1!"
The response was a wide grin as the mutt mimicked the one finger salute, still holding
the orange bottle in the very same paw. He bounded off before Coda came into view,
which he awkwardly stepped into as he pretended to admire the further symbolic
wallpaper.
"My next patient!" He said, holding out his arms as if waiting to be hugged.
"Heee..." Coda blushed as he slowly moved in, embracing his first real being in what
seemed like an eternity. It was an entirely new feeling to him to hug something that
generated its own heat, and suddenly Dr. Liode's form turned into that of Jack. Normal,
brown fur, devilish grey-blue eyes, and a scent that knocked him off his feet.
"Sorry, kid," Dr. Liode said before he gently pushed Coda away. "I'm happily mated, ya
know." He stuck his tongue out like a teenager and invited him into his office.
Inside was pretty much the same atmosphere as the rest of the place. Two cushioned
chairs took up the middle of the room while the patterns on the wall accented the black
leather and carpet that lay on the floor. At the far wall lay a desk with a computer and a
couple picture frames. So basically, when you think of a therapist's office, this is pretty
much what you get.
"Maybe there's some secret therapy layout that gets people to spill their guts...?" Coda
thought, looking around for some sort of hidden camera or wire that recorded what he
was about to say.
"You can sit," Dr. Liode said as he focused on a clipboard he was holding. "I'm just
filling out some paperwork about this that I'm going to need you to sign, okay?"
"That's fine," Coda replied, sitting on what he could only explain as the most
comfortable chair on the planet. "So THIS is what it must feel like to sit on your own puff
of smoke!" He thought, settling in, feeling the need to fall back asleep again.
"So," The wolf said as he scribbled his pen on paper, trying to keep the silence out of
the room. "What exactly are you here for, anyway?"
"Ummm..." Coda stammered, suddenly racking his brain for a quick excuse that would
sort of answer his questions without telling him everything. "Well I think I'm in love...
with someone who I shouldn't exactly be in love with."
The doctor perked his ears, looking up from the clipboard. "I think I know what your
point is," He said getting up. He moved to Coda's chair and wrapped his arms around
him. "It's okay to be gay nowadays, ya know? You don't exactly need to go see a
therapist about it. That what experimentation is for."
"Kay..." Coda sighed, annoyed at the obvious advice. "That's not what I meant." He
paused and corrected. "Well... That's not EXACLTY what I mean..."
"Oh," Dr. Liode returned to his chair, feeling awkward about the sudden contact. "Well,
go on then? What seems to be the problem?"
"I'm..." Coda giggled nervously. "...sort of..."
Dr. Liode kept the same look that said "..Well?" on his face as he gave up on the
paperwork, setting it aside on the table in between them.
"I'm in love with a ghost..." He quickly spat out before covering his muzzle. His face
began to burn as he blushed until his fur was tinted pink. All the while, Dr. Liode's facial
expression hadn't changed from its original sincerity.
"Lower your paws," He smiled, leaning in. That's when Coda noticed a small scar under
his eye, which hadn't been visible until now. "Let's just say I can understand where
you're coming from."
"Okay?" Coda leaned in as well. "But that doesn't help me in the slightest bit, no
offence."
"It's okay," Dr. Liode replied, still peppering his speech with bits of glee. "What's this
specter's name?"
"Jack Folley," Coda said, proudly. It was strange to talk to someone else living about
this, but it felt good. Great even. "And I can't get him out of my mind..."
"I have a story to tell you," The wolf said, sitting back, getting comfortable. "And it's
one you're not going to believe."
"Try me..." Coda said, also laying back. "It's not like I'm capable of not believing
anyways."
Dr. Liode just nodded his head and began.
***
Later that night, the doors to a certain 4-star restaurant flew open as a disgruntled
wolf ran in holding his crotch.
"Bathroom!" He said as he waved. The waiters each put down their trays to chase him,
but let him go. He tackled the bathroom door to find two souls rough-housing on the
tiled floor of the bathroom.
"You never told me souls can inhabit hosts!" He said, breaking up the fight.
"Coda?" Reggie, the raccoon said, floating off the ground, leaving the husky to lay
there. "What are you doing here?!" He through his arms around him, sending shivers
down his spine.
"Yeah?" Scubble chuckled, throwing in his own hug. "We thought you'd have gone
insane by now."
"That aside," Coda huffed, finally feeling the effect of his running. "Tell me about
souls inhabiting people!"
"How did you find out about that one?" Scubble replied, lying back on his cream cloud.
"My therapist told me he had a dragon soul lying within him..." Coda said. "He showed
me the scars on his back from when wings ripped out!"
"What's your point?" Reggie cut in. "Isn't it sort of obvious? If people connect with the
dead, then they'll form a bond. Then the soul will stay inside the body. Duh!"
"Wait...?" Coda said in thought. "So if I let you guys in my body... You guys could leave
and be free from here? Could it work like that?"
"Sorry," Scubble giggled. "But as my pudgy friend said. You have to form a bond with
them, and once their in, they're staying there."
"Who's this kook that told you this anyway?" Reggie asked him, raising a green-tinted
eyebrow.
"Heh," Coda laughed. "He's my new therapist, ya know?"
"Sounds like he's the one who needs therapy," Scubble commented. "Especially since
he's with a dragon. If that thing reared all pissed-like, fur would fly."
Coda nodded and smiled. "I'm here with him now, ya know? He's with his mate and
all."
"I gotta see this guy," Reggie said, rubbing his paws together.
Scubble agreed and both followed the wolf into the bar, where Dr. Liode and his mate,
a fox named Sam, sat laughing. They both greeted and welcomed him to sit as the two
phantoms followed with caution.
"Wait," Dr. Liode stiffened as he perked his ears. His voice started to deepen as his
handsome eyes faded to black. "I sense... others among us."
"Shit," Scubble said as he hid with Reggie behind Coda. "He's sensed us now..."
"What's going on?" Coda said as he tried to scoot his chair a step away from Dr. Liode,
who was apparently going super-saiyan.
"That's what happens," Sam said, speaking up finally after a silent car ride to the
restaurant. "When Liode senses souls near. The dragon in him comes to see, ya know?"
"Glad you're so calm about it," Coda replied, on edge that Liode's piercing-dark eyes
were focused on him. Sam just shrugged his shoulders and giggled as he sipped his
drink, which was steaming.
"You guys..." Liode started to say before his voice lightened and his gaze of kindness
returned. "... Are good-hearted..."
"Well," Scubble replied from behind Coda, raising his paw as he spoke. "We don't
really have hearts anymore..."
"Ugh..." Reggie sighed as Coda began to laugh.
"Can I ask you one question, Doc?" He asked.
Dr. Liode looked at him with eyebrows raised. "Yes?"
"Can you not do that again ever?"
"Only if you start calling me Liode, then."
"Deal!"
"Okay," Liode smiled, turning to Sam as he brushed his soft white fur, making him mur
and blush slightly. He whispered something and kissed him on the cheek, which made
Coda's brain fire to thoughts of Jack.
***
Darkness fell before a cell phone rang, stirring fox who slept with his back propped up
against the wall.
"Yeah," He answered after he flipped it open.
"We need you on the move now. Co-ordinates have been set and equipment had been
placed inside your vehicle."
"We still have 2 more days," The fox replied with a yawn as he slit his evergreen eyes.
"He's on to us, Cell. He had an inside mole from day 1. He's better then we thought."
A gunshot fired over the earpiece before the fox could continue. "I'm on it. Expect his
body in the mail by the morning."
The fox sat up, rubbed his eyes and kicked the lynx beside him, who was face-down in
a salad.
"Get up, Trim, we have to move right away."
"Five more minutes..." He yawned as he rolled over.
"We don't HAVE five minutes!" Another swift kick to the side was all he needed before
he flew up towards the ceiling.
"What's got your tail in a knot?" Trim groaned as he sat up, rubbing his sore side.
"We have to move. Now!"
"We got 2 more days!"
"The boss said Mugsly's on to us. It's either now or never." He packed his pistol into
his coats and sheathed a knife under his calf.
"Ya gonna knife him, boss?" Trim said, packing his own pistol in-between his shirt and
his own beating heart.
"Shut up Trim and let's go!"
***
Part 4 Everyone. I decided to leave pretty much EVERYTHING till the end, so let's hope it ends up good for everyone =D.
=Pup