Keep Moving Forward
Dark RIders of Marblecliff05 Keep Moving ForwardBy Assilsasta??????????? August 19, 2013 ?????????????????????? Stepping up the Game ???????????Susan walked into the house after her long day at the elementary school. It started off easy enough, She showed up way too early for her interview. The reptilian headmaster did the usual interview, and tour of the school. All the show made her feel good about getting the office position, only to be turned down and sent away by the man with what felt like a half-hearted attempt to make her feel better. Her train of thought was interrupted by the roar and sound of smashing wood that came from the kitchen area. She dropped her bag, kicked off the fancy shoes and ran down the hall only to find Lilliana standing over the remains of half the cabinetry with a heavy sledge hammer hefted high over her head. The liger woman roared again as every muscle in her body pulled the hammer down on the remnants of what was the breakfast bar, sending wood fragments and splinters flying throughout the now fully open area of the kitchen and greatroom.She stopped and smiled as she watched one of her best friends and mentors huff for breath. "So I take it that you had an interesting first day of school."Lilliana stood up, letting the hammer fall into the rubble. "You could say that," she replied as she walked into the great room and collapsed on one of the futons that was being used as a primary couch. "Well, I am sure whatever you did got me a job," Susan said as she sat in a camp chair across from the liger. "And how exactly does choking the life out of the wrong student get anyone a job as an office worker?"The chinchilla raised an eyebrow as she said, "That sounds like an
interesting story, but we'll get to that I'm sure." She shifted her weight and crossed her legs as she continued, "I was hired as the new Mythic Schools security Chief. Apparently some teacher at the high school got in some situation with a few students. And when I was walking out of my interview, the school CEO recognized me and thought I might be a good fit for his plans to let the security contractor go at the end of the school year."From across the room a male voice called out, "How exactly do you guys manage to run into the most powerful people in the city at just the right time to get stuff done?" Both women twisted to see Hank standing over the pile of debris with a wheelbarrow and a wide mouthed shovel."Just luck I guess,"Susan said with a smirk. "And it looks like you got the kitchen dismantled faster than you originally thought.""He spend most of the day putting the Camaro back together," Lilliana answered for the otter, "I just needed to blow off some steam. It looks like I might have jumped the gun on one kid, and completely missed an actual problem." She turned to look at Susan again. "Also, give Cupcake back her clothes and nix whatever you had planned for her for a while. She pulled through for Sisy big time today.""What exactly happened?" Susan asked as she relaxed into the seat."Mouse Bait came through with having her car ready on a moment's notice so that Squeaker could use it for Driver's Ed. Apparently the fucks can't afford the equipment needed for her to take the full class, but Mr. Burke did allow for the Charger to be used. So there was no wig splitting on that front.""So... where did choking out a student come in?""Apparently Sisy got panicked by another student during her free block," Lilliana said as she draped one arm over her face. "When I managed to get to her the wrong guy was between her and I." She peeked out from under her arm at the chinchilla. "Remember that kid I told you about? The one that Larry said had some sort of love triangle going until he knocked one of them up?" Susan nodded in acknowledgment. "Well, it was him, and I did what you think I did and nearly choked the life out of him when he was just there
trying to help. Apparently, Sisy made friends with him, said that even Wendy, Larry's daughter, was still his friend before she left.""And where does that leave Daisy?" Susan asked."Right where she was supposed to be," the liger said. "If I hadn't gotten half the school running to see what I was doing she would have been the one strangling the boy. I really need to step it down at the school and let her handle that stuff. She's shown that she will do it regardless of the consequences.""Where are they now?" Susan asked."Mouse Bait just took cocoa and marshmallows up to their room," Lilliana rolled to sit up and look at Susan. "This was bad, We need to step up Sisy's self-defense. There's going to be a time that neither Daisy or I will get there in time. And she needs to be able to fight back... or at least look like she can.""What about the cast?" the chinchilla asked."Work around it," the liger explained. "Core strength, basic hand-to-hand defense and escape. And be sure she remembers that there's no such thing as a fair fight. I'm going to trust you and Hank to that one. Get her ready for martial arts and Alex. I want her to step up when that cast comes off.""You got it, Lilly."??????????? Security Blanket ???????????Cecily stretched out on the wooden floor of her sitting room, Sexpot beneath her like a pillow, sketchbook, photos and pencils strewn to one side, textbooks to the other. She rested her chin on her good paw while she looked down at the math book she had tried to study earlier before her day had gotten turned upside down. She flipped through the pages of confusing graphs and equations. She dropped her face into the head of the stuffed moose as she groaned in frustration. Daisy walked into the room, a bag of marshmallows in one paw and two mugs of steaming cocoa in the other. She looked over at her girlfriend surrounded by books
and papers as she asked, "Did they actually give you homework on the first day, Trail Mix?"Face still buried in the stuffed moose, her muffled voice responded, "No, I'm just too stupid to understand this math stuff. Numbers, letters, funny symbols."Raising an eyebrow at the mouse Daisy replied, "You're gonna make me slap your muzzle off, aren't you? You're not stupid Sisy, but the year at least that you dropped off the radar didn't help any. Skipped out the entire year of school probably, too, huh?"She rolled onto her back, cast thumping lightly against the floor as she looked up at the Moose, "Would you have gone to school if you were thirteen, everyone picked on you, and there was no one to make you go?""Probably not," she replied with a shrug, "but that's not the point. That year put you behind everyone else your age. So the short of it is this, you can keep giving up so easy and say, 'fuck it,' or we can work together to get you caught up, if not ahead of the rest, and go from there. Choice is yours, I'm not gonna make you do a damn thing, I may be a damn security blanket, but I'm not your mother."Cecily sat up and turned to face Daisy. "I'm not going to give up. It just looked like everyone already knew the stuff when the teacher gave them the practice sheet. I don't remember how to find the length of the side of a triangle. Sometimes I feel like I barely remember how to add." Looking up at the moose meekly she asked, "Is that hot chocolate?""They should know the material, it's what they did last year," Daisy replied as she carefully sat down beside her girlfriend placing one of the mugs in front of her. "Hell yes it's hot chocolate, why the hell else would I tote around a bag of marshmallows? Besides, best thing for study time is hot chocolate, or was that peanut butter?"Cecily giggled a little as she crawled into Daisy's lap. "I guess that's something else I missed from school, I really have no idea what's good for studying." She leaned back against the thick fur of Daisy's chest and sighed. "I don't know about you, but this was the second hardest day I've had in... two months?""Yea, I'd rank this one about a nine point eight on the weird shit o' meter for damn sure. Yea I expected some crap being in a fancy private school, and even some shit from this bunch. But really? They hide all my pants and make me wear a skirt the first damn day? For fucks sake like just being the first day wasn't stressful enough." Daisy wrapped her arms around the small mouse, hugging her tightly as she lay her head on the smaller girls shoulder, "Add in the rest of the craziness, and someones little unexpected surprize in my notebook... I can't believe I made it through the day without completely embarrassing myself to death."Cecily snuggled into the warm embrace of her lover as she whispered, "I didn't even get to show you why I like you in skirts." She giggled softly for a moment before she turned to look Daisy in the eyes. "I'm sorry about what happened today. The car thing, my panic attack. It... it just all seemed to go sideways. Even at lunch someone had to say something about me. The only time I didn't have to worry was during class, but I'm sure there will be more time to pick on the pipsqueak once the year gets rolling.""Without a doubt girlfriend," Daisy said as she kissed the mouse on the tip of her nose. "The important thing is what you do about it when it starts. The thing is, you're dealing with a bunch of spoiled rich kids for the most part now kiddo. They're used to getting their way about everything and not giving a shit about who doesn't like it. If you start crawling into a corner then your only gonna make yourself a bigger target. I'm not saying you have to try to be a bitch, or a smart ass like a certain moose I know of. But you have to stand up for yourself some, as much as we want to be Lilly and I can't always be there to run interference. After the last couple of months I see a much stronger girl then the one I met on a cruise ship. I know some of that is because of being with Lilly and the rest of the Dark Riders, and I think maybe part of it is because of me, though I can't for the life of me figure out why," Daisy said as she shook her head."Yeah, I've changed some," the mouse said softly. "And it got me cornered today. And this damned thing." She lifted her left arm angrily, unintentionally hitting Daisy's snout before dropping it back against her chest with a wince. "Does nothing but get in the way.""Whether or not you think so the change is good girl. What got
you cornered was being a target. That's not all because of your size either babe," the moose said seriously. "Yea that's part of it, but it's more about the way you carry yourself girlfriend. What, you think because I wasn't shorter than the other kids my age I wasn't a target?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. "Guess again sweet stuff, I was. I grew up early in New York, with the same kind of antiherm bull shit that there is here, only a lot worse. To the other kids I was a freak, something less than a person to them. Hell I figured it out in first grade that the other kids didn't like me and picked on me because I let them. I walked around just looking like I was expecting it and I got it, every time anyone got a chance. I know there are some people that look for someone to torment.""Daisy," Cecily said softly, "I can deal with the wanna be bullies and simple verbal stuff. that's easy. I made some new friends today. Ethan, Claire and Shyshy. Even A couple of girls in Driver's ed. Overall I think I did well. Sure, I didn't handle Mister Burke telling me that I wouldn't be able to do everything in his class well, but I didn't freak out too badly." She paused as she snuggled into the moose's arms. "It wasn't until... You didn't see the hungry look in her eyes, or hear the way she talked. She... she wasn't there to pick on me, she wanted... She uses people. Stay away from her, please.""Sisy... I kind of had a clue about her when I met her at lunch. But I guess I didn't think she would be a problem for you because of the age difference. I didn't think your paths would cross, which was stupid on my part. I'm not gonna lie to you, I still think she needs her ass kicked. But I'll stay away from her, as long as she stays away from you, your spoken for, as long as you want it that way, and she needs to move the fuck on and look elsewhere," Daisy said with a very serious look on her face."I don't know if I will see her again or not. It was during my study period, so I'll just stay in the library next time." Cecily rubbed her face against Daisy's arm leaving some tears in her lovers thick fur. "I should have known better than to leave in the first place. Never get caught alone in a hallway, or anywhere. I've had so many of you around me so much... There have only been a few times I've really been alone. And every time I do something to screw up. I even punched Vivy in the gut, and she was actually trying to help. I'm just glad her, Megan and Jack still let me listen to them practice. But today was just stupid. I didn't have any way to defend myself, and I didn't even pay enough attention to realize she was
following me. I... I really don't know what I would have done if Ethan wasn't there.""Yea, miss I'm all about helping others, you might wanna have a chat with your buddy Megan. If the bitch bag ferret is to be believed your new friend got some news she wasn't expecting that caused her and her newest girlfriend to break up. With what little I heard of about it, she may need someone disconnected from the shit with a kind heart and an ear to bend," the moose herm said rocking gently with the small mouse wrapped in her arms.Cecily's eyes went wide as Daisy mentioned Megan and Ross's break up."Maybe that's what was bothering Ross. She seemed to be trying hard to look like nothing was wrong.""As far as the shit with Kristin...okay so you slipped up. But you're full of shit about not being able to defend yourself squeaker, and that's partly your families fault. I mean hell they're all military trained in self defense and unarmed combat, they know better than most people that size of your opponent doesn't mean much. But the smallest one of the bunch doesn't know shit about it?" Daisy gave her lover a gentle squeeze and nuzzled her neck softly. "I mean I understand the stun gun thing with your panic attacks, keep some distance between you and them and all. But the thing with Vivy... and now this mess? I think it more than proves you need more options than the striker moose snack.""They... They are teaching me," Cecily said softly. "It's just hard to remember that all the time. I mean, I've been running away for so long." She looked down at her cast as she sat it on Daisy's arm as she added, "and this thing... I just..." she trailed off as if she was thinking about something. "It's hard to think of myself as strong enough to do anything. You said you were small, but were you ever half the size of everyone around you? I even look up to the cubs that are picked on. If I wasn't in a home, I was in a dorm and was always the lowest on the totem pole. You learn quickly to just be quiet and try and stay unnoticed. It's hard to do that in a place like Chimera. Maybe one day..." She trailed off as she lay against Daisy, pulling the moose's arms around her like a blanket."Not saying you have to take the world by storm Sisy, and no I was never that little and you knew that before you asked. But I get your point girlfriend," the moose replied as the small mouse got more comfortable in her lap. "My
point really is that you need to know other ways to deal with stuff and defend yourself, but it sounds like Lilly and the rest have at least part of that covered already. I just don't want you crawling back into a hole in the ground on me fuzzy butt, we've both been doing pretty well so far, even with all the craziness this family puts me through."Cecily smiled as she was engulfed by the warm embrace of her lover. "Well, you get a two week reprieve from the torment. And thank you for letting me use the Charger for driver's Ed.""Yea, we'll see about that two weeks bullshit, but whatever happens happens. As for the car thing... bull shit if we're gonna let something like they don't have a car you can use stop you trail mix. For fucks sake, my idiot dad paid for those extensions out of his own pocket for a friend of mines sister because of shit like that. I let her use my car and she was just a friend, not my girlfriend," the moose said, kissing the small mouse on the top of the head when she finished."I think I am going to need a lot of help to get caught up on math," the small mouse said softly, nearly sounding as if she was dozing off in her girlfriend's arms. "I guess that's what I get for not going to school.""We'll get ya there SIsy, don't you worry about that. So what now? Shower, bed, or what? I think we've both had about enough for one day," Daisy said as she rose to her hooves holding her lover in the same fashion a mother would hold a small child."I can't wait till Hank finishes the tub," Cecily said with a yawn. "I would really go for a bubble bath. But I think snuggling to a movie on the laptop would be fun.""You and me both short shit, a shower is great if you're in a hurry and all, but nothing beats a hot bath," Daisy said as she walked over to their bed setting Ceily on her foot paws on the mattress. "why don't you find us a movie, I'll run down and get some popcorn and sodas real quick so I can get out of these damn clothes and call it a day, and damn am I glad this one is over."??????????? FÁFNIR ???????????Hank leaned under the new hood of the
Camaro as he finished polishing the chrome of the engine. His latest masterpiece finally complete for the speed demon liger. Four weeks had passed since he started working on the monstrosity with no clear budget and nothing beyond simple clean up around the property to stand in his way. He had spent more hours than he could count drafting and researching the latest in street legal automotive modifications. The frame and body was more solid than it had ever been with his opportunity to dismantle the entire vehicle to retouch every point on the frame's reinforcement.The new engine and high end programmable ECU worked well with the true flex-fuel system that he had put together. The system would run on anything from pure ethanol to straight gasoline, though he had it primarily tuned for best performance on the most common Gas/ethanol mix found at the local fuel stations. He had spent several days just working on the exhaust and emissions systems to be sure they would pass the inspection for the state."So what are you calling her now?" the liger's voice echoed in the garage bay as he heard her lean against the car. "Fafnir," he muttered, "He was a dwarf that transformed into a dragon. And this in now as close to a dragon as you will be able to drive on the street. She has nearly nine hundred horses under the hood, and the frame should be more than enough to handle the torque." He stood up and stepped back to admire the work. "Four disk breaks, and more power than anyone would ever need behind the wheel. I think we have what you've been looking for. Most of the bolt-ons, turbochargers and such can be cut off with individual toggles on the dash. The ECU now has a heads up display with day disable projection on the lower left of the windshield, complete with fuel efficiency, current errors and profile name. There are four quickset profiles, only one is set for now. I moved the extra gages for your classic look to the lower center console. The Blower sticking through the hood is all show, it didn't really add any power or performance, but it does give the seventies rally car look.""And the other stuff?""Folding pedal extenders on the replacements. They lift and lock into place. A quick release pull-pin lets you lay them back against the arm when not in use. I think that covers it. You want to take it down to the emissions test before they close?"Lilliana smiled as she looked over the nice shiny chrome and touched-up paint job Hank had managed to put together over the four weeks. "Twist my arm why don't you? I'm sure Daisy will be ecstatic about not having to wait for me at the end of the day."??????????? August 20, 2013 ?????????????????????? Joy Ride ???????????Cecily Tossed one leg over her mini-bike as she leaned forward on it, putting her paws on the controls. She smiled as she confirmed her hopes that the cast held her arm at just the right angle to actuate the clutch and hit the other buttons with her thumb. She looked back over her shoulder at Daisy with a smile as she said, "I can still ride it. everything is in just the right place to work with the cast.""Are you sure that thing is street legal?" the moose asked as she looked over the mouse on the half-sizes sport motorcycle. "And what about driver's ed? Don't you need the Charger for that?"The mouse slipped off the bike and moved to get her helmet from the line of gear on a low shelf on the wall. "We don't start the practical portion until next week. The first week is all book work and movies. Besides I want to feel my tail whipping in the wind.""And what did Lilly say when you asked her?" Daisy continued her questioning of the mouses sudden need to go out on the motorcycle with a broken arm. "Don't I need to give her a ride again?""Hank finished putting the Camaro back together last night after we fell asleep," Cecily told her girlfriend, "So she said as long as I can reach all the controls and have a licensed rider with me it's okay."Daisy sighed as she gave into the mouses determination. "I still don't think it's a good idea with a broken arm already, but you seem to have your mind made up to do it anyway short stack," she said as she grabbed her helmet from the shelf on the wall. "Just keep it le3gal will ya? I was looking over your ruled of the road book this morning and this state is hard ass about teen drivers as it is. So lets try to keep our asses out of a
bind okay trail mix?"Cecily visibly rolled her eyes through the open visor as she fastened the chinstrap of the helmet. "I've been reading the books every free chance I get. Besides, I don't want to lose my bike if we get in trouble." She slipped her backpack on as she taped the garage door opener clipped to one shoulder strap. while the door slowly rose Cecily tosser her leg over the bike again and placed one paw on the kickstart lever almost in time with turning the ignition switch on. in one fluid motion she swiped the visor down, dropped into place on the seat and kicked the small engine to life. She gave the throttle a few quick revs as she looked over at the moose climbing onto her classic cruiser before she rocker her own bike off it's center stand. She tapped the small com device on the side of her helmet as she asked, "We want to get breakfast first? We have time."Tapping the com device that Hank had installed on her helmet as she pressed the starter on the road bike Daisy answered, "yea, anything beats the garbage they serve in the lunch hall at Chimera, they do okay the rest of the time but that breakfast ... thing they make tastes like Hanks cooking.""A little diesel fuel never hurt anyone," the mouse returned with a giggle. "Yea, well I didn't see you eating that crap either nibbler, so shut up and lead on girlfriend," the moose said in reply as she rocked the cruiser of the center stand.The pair cruised through the town, rolling at just under the speed limit. Cecily giggled slightly into the intercom as she heard Daisy wince with every turn the mouse took, leaning far in and shifting her body and tail to maintain her center of gravity. She maintained her speed through every turn even when it looked like the bike was about to slip out from under her small body. Daisy soon realized how confident and sure of herself the mouse was at the controls of the motorcycle. Her long tail moving and curling in an almost calculated manner as she maneuvered through the streets. Just as Daisy was beginning to relax with the mouse on the small pocket bike and they approached the MCDonald's for a quick bite before school, her attention was caught by the flashing red and
blue lights in her rear views. She noted that her girlfriend must have seen the same thing as the mouse pulled to the side of the road and cut the engine off.Pulling up behind the smaller motorcycle Daisy softly said, "figures, jackass probably thinks it's an eight year old on the damn thing," as she switched off the bigger bikes engine and started to take off her helmet. "Get your license and the bikes papers ready Sisy, the flat foot will probably give us shit either way," she said before pulling the helmet off and placing it on the fuel tank.Cecily followed suit with what daisy had done, removing her helmet and pulling the collection of papers that were neatly organized in a small folding pouch from her jacket pocket. She turned to see the bobcat step from the squad car and breathed a sigh of relief. She looked over at Daisy and said, "It's Officer Goodman, he's the one that took me to the police station... when I panicked.""Good morning m'am," the bobcat said as he approached Daisy, "Could I see you License, registration, and proof of insurance?"Before Daisy could answer Cecily spoke up, "Did we do something wrong, Officer Goodman?"Daisy held back a snicker as the bobcat looked at the small mouse on the other side of the moose and muttered, "Fuck." He glanced back at the other officer in the car then back to the two teens, "Look it's my first time on patrol with this station. I already called in a minor on a motorcycle. I need to at least go through the motions. I'm still going to have to run the information." As he collected the documents from the two girls, Daisy hear him mutter, "Is she going to be my first incident every time?"As quietly as she could so that hopefully no one but the officer could hear Daisy said, "don't be too hard on yourself officer, everyone that sees her makes the same mistake, and she did have a helmet on this time so you had no way of knowing."He smiled weakly at the moose as he turned and went back to the squad car. While they waited for him to do his job Cecily looked up at Daisy and said, "He's a really nice guy. He let me listen to his music while I waited for Lilly."Several minutes later the bobcat came back, the corners of his mouth turned down. "I have a little bad news ladies" he said in a flat even tone. "I am afraid that Cecily does not have the needed Licensing to ride the motorcycle. In the state of New Hampshire, you need to be sixteen years of age with a valid basic driver's license and a motorcycle learner's permit. Daisy and the bigger bike check out, but without the proper licensing and permit I'm afraid that I can't let you ride alongside her on the smaller one."Daisy watched the office cringe as he looked down at the mouse and saw the sad, almost crushed look in her eyes. "I'm sorry, it's the law. I'm not going to ticket you and I can wait with you until someone comes to get the bike.""But," Cecily started to speak as her voice cracked, "We need to get to school. We already don't have time for breakfast now."He sighed and said, "Okay, can you two safely ride on one bike? If you can do that, just pull the pocket-bike into the lot over there and I will wait with it until someone comes to get it. I'm not going to make you guys late for school for something like this." "Yes sir officer, we can," the moose said quickly, trying her best to keep her girlfriend from breaking down. "She can sit in front of me easy enough without it being a problem." Turning to look at the small mouse she continued, "guess once they knew the bike was no one thought to check on whether or not you were street legal huh trail mix?"Cecily sighed dejectedly as she got off the bike and struggled to push it into the nearby lot with her broken arm. Just as Daisy started to dismount and help the small mouse she saw the officer nearly sprint around her and take the tiny motorcycle from the girl and push it toward the lot himself. He looked back over his shoulder as he said, "I've got this, you two get to school before I have something else to write up."As she lifted the small mouse onto the seat in front of her Daisy whisper to her, "It'll be okay Sisy. I knew something seemed off about this before we left, but it didn't hit me till he mentioned the cycle learners permit. I had to have one to back in Colorado and I should have remembered that shit. It
sucks, but it's not forever and since he's not writing us up for it it won't go against you getting your permit later. We'll need to call Hank and have him come get the bike, but you bet your fuzzy ass when you get that permit we're gonna ride till you can't stand that thing okay?"Daisy could feel the slight sobbing as Cecily pressed herself against the moose's chest and pulled the helmet back on. She tapped the small device on the side of the helmet and said, "Call DR72D." After a short pause she said, "I need my bike picked up at my location. They said I can't ride it yet." A moment later she taped the com unit again and pressed herself harder into the moose as they got ready to finish their trip to school.??????????? What really Happened ???????????There was a knock at the door to the classroom. "Miss Fargo, do you have a minute before class?" Ethan Black asked hesitantly. "I'd like to talk about what happened yesterday.""Come on in Mister Back, I always have time for my students," The liger said as she turned in her chair to face the raccoon boy. "First I have to apologize for throwing the box of paperclips. Apparently, that was uncalled for on my part.""It looked like I wasn't paying attention. I get it," he said. "From where you were sitting, it probably looked like I was just some slacker that was bored and decided to goof off during your class by drawing on himself." He walked closer and held out his arm for Lilliana to inspect. "Usually, I wash it off at the end of the day, but I figured you'd like to see what I was drawing in class yesterday."All up and down his left arm were tribal patterns carefully outlined and filled in black ink, but in the spaces between the lines were neatly-written words. Notes about what his classmates' dreams, calculus equations, names and dates of historical figures and event... He had been jotting down everything being discussed in each of his classes."Have you ever had so many ideas in your head that if you didn't do something to get them out, you thought you would go insane?" he asked."All the time," She answered.
"So, which one of your girls transcribes your arm into usable notes at the end of the day?""I don't need them transcribed," he explained. "I'm good about remembering things after I write them down. As far as my girls, I only have two in my life, and one of them isn't old enough to know how to write. But, that's the second time you brought up my 'collection,' as you called it yesterday. I know from talking to Sisy that you guys were on the cruise with Wendy and Larry. So, I assume you and Mr. O'Donnell met, and he vented about his daughter's relationship with me and the others.""You might say that," the liger replied as she leaned back in the chair and looked up at the boy. "He really didn't say too many bad things. Just a few things that don't sit right with me. Call me old fashioned, but the whole thing sounded a little... off to me. Then, the decision at the end, when cornered by your child's mother, I can't say is something that works well in my book.""You mean when the feelings got real and jealousy started to rear up, and I was forced into picking one person to be with," he said, nodding in understanding. "I can see how it might have looked to an outsider. I love Shyara, and I always will. Same with Wendy, although she and I don't have a baby together. But I am in love with Claire, and I was before she even knew I existed. Don't get me wrong, my daughter is the most wonderful gift anyone has ever given me, but I have seen too many families where the parents aren't in love and are just together for the sake of the children. Shyara deserves better than that, and so does Sienna. All that means is that when Shy finally does meet someone, our daughter will have four wonderful parents that love her, instead of two. Tell me how that's a bad thing.""Look Ethan," she said as she locked her eyes on his. "I can look past all that shit, really none of my business. What is my business is Cecily, and she seems to think you're a nice guy. Even somewhat proved her point yourself with what happened yesterday afternoon. I take it you can guess how protective I am of my girls. With all that said, don't get on my bad side when it comes to Sisy, I'm already having to hold back much more than I want to." "Trust me," the teen raccoon said, "I'd probably do something similar if Sienna ever ends up in a similar situation. But my more wild and adventurous days are behind me. I need to put her needs
ahead of my own, and the last thing I want is any kind of trouble. That's why I wanted to stop in and clear the air between us."Lilliana smiled as she said, "Maybe you do still have a braincell or two rolling around in that skull of yours. Go ahead and take a seat Mr. Black. the rest of the class should be showing up soon." As she dismissed the raccoon boy she flipped open the teacher's edition of the course book and started to read through the same chapter she had written on the board for the students.??????????? Fine Piece of Machinery???????????Colin walked out toward the faculty parking lot, satisfied with how his classes had gone for the day, without interruption from other faculty members and parents. As he approached his Chevelle he saw something that almost brought a tear to his eye. Next to his car was a candy apple red '73 Camaro. A black racing stripe adorned the center of the hood, interrupted only by the chrome blower that extended through an opening. He was drawn to the metal beast that looked like it drove right out of classic car show. the was polished and it's chrome shine with meticulous care. It was the almost perfect mate to his '71 SS convertible. He dropped his stuff into the passenger seat of his car as he started to take a lap around the Camaro. All the windows were down and the interior was as spotless and perfect as the outside. Nothing on the Classic looked out of place. The radio in the dash was an after market cassette deck. all the gages were anglo classic pedal sets, including the additional readouts for the add ons. He leaned over the hood, careful not to touch the pristine beauty, as he tried to get a glimpse of what was under the hood."Stop breathing on my car, you're getting your STUPID all over it," The female voice shouted from a distance behind him, He shot upright as he turned to see the liger walking toward him with the small mouse close behind. "Not only do I have to deal with you telling her she can't drive, then the officer this morning telling her she can't ride her bike, now I have to find you drooling on my other baby." His eyes went wide as he asked, "This is your car?"She turned to the mouse and said, "See this is what happens
when your horns start to cave in your brain. You start asking questions that have already been answered." She turned back to the Mouflon and spoke slowly and deliberately, "Yes Mister Burke, this is my car.""Miss Fargo," he replied, "I've apologized once already for yesterday's incident. I was simply doing my job, and an acceptable alternative has been found. Can't we just put that behind us and start fresh?" He took his eyes from the liger woman and looked at the younger kangaroo mouse, "Hello, Cecily, it's nice to see you again.""I'll reserve starting fresh for when I see proof of brain activity," the liger said as she tossed the keys toward the mouse. "Test one, what did you learn in asshat's class today, Squeaker?""Lilly," she small mouse uttered with a little contempt. "Mr. Burke has been really nice and understanding. He even took the time to tell Elena and Midori about using the Charger for the driving range. And you know we haven't started the practical portion of the course. But to be honest some of the videos look like they are more to scare you then teach you anything.""Okay, You get a pass for the day goat boy," the liger then glanced down at the mouse and added, "You go ahead and get it set up for a ride in the country, We're going to make up for this morning. I need to have a chat with knuckle head for a moment."Colin leaned against the door of his car, folded his arms across his chest, and cocked his eyebrow, waiting to hear what other insults she was preparing to hurl his direction. "What seems to be the issue now?""What the fuck?" the liger spouted out of no where. "Don't you have any respect for a piece of automotive history?" She started to move toward the mouflon with purpose and push him away from his own car. "That's a 70 something Chevelle SS." She pulled the soft cotton handkerchief from her pocket and started to buff out the spot he had leaned against as she switched topics with a breath, "Figured you had something to say to me, waiting by my car and all. It seems to be the order of the day for everyone I pissed off yesterday." She looked down at the cloth in her paw as she added, "What ever fucknuget owns this thing needs to give it a bath. What is this?" she asked as she held up the cloth for him to see. "A weeks worth of
dirt?""That'd be pollen. Unless you own a garage, I'd give it just a little time until your car looks about the same," he remarked. "I mean, we only get so many paid sick and vacation days each year. And she's a seventy-one.""I'm not going to do it," the liger said as she stood up and looked the mouflon in the eyes. "I'm not going to ask the same retarded ass question you did." She put her paws on her hips as she continued, "You're telling me that I park next to the second best looking beast in the parking lot, and it just happens to be yours, and you're not just waiting for the new kid after school to put her in her place?""First of all, putting people in their places isn't in my nature. Everyone makes mistakes once in awhile. No," he said as he stood back upright and put his paw on the door handle, "I was about to drive down to the station and start the second half of my day, when I noticed your Camaro. I just wanted a minute to admire her, is all." He opened the door and climbed in, then put on a pair of sunglasses. "But if you'll excuse me, I'm needed elsewhere. Fires don't exactly put themselves out, do they?""Whatever," She muttered as she started to walk to the passenger side of the camaro, "Have fun playing with matches, Goat Boy."As the Mouflon started his car he saw Cecily lean out the window as best she could and say, "You can tell she likes you. I'd be more worried if she called you by your name." Then slipping back down into the seat the small mouse cranked the audibly overpowered beast to life."Goat boy," he said to himself, grinning as he drove off to the firehouse, "I should go out and buy myself a pan flute or something."