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Arcadia: Encountered

349:10:30:14:09:15

News had spread quickly.

Camp Draco had gained a victory. The docks had been secured and a large number of Rammers had been caught in the explosive trap that had been set. The main camp had been lost but Hammerhorn had been crippled to the point of retreat. From what an excited rhino reported, there were no casualties on either side but dozens - perhaps even hundreds - of Rammers were now lying in care with the dragons. Anodyne had been called to Camp Draco where he would care for the wounded and hopefully help convert them. In the meantime, the offensive continued as the dragons attacked Hammerhorn's stronghold around their Gate.

Despite the news of the rhinos retreating through the Gate and abandoning their foothold on the island, Ruin couldn't muster up joy. From what he observed watching the Rammers work from a distance, Hammerhorn was one determined bastard and he had more men than Arcadia, Camp Draco and Gateway combined even with the recent loss in numbers. If he called a full invasion, Camp Draco would fall.

But he didn't... and that worried Ruin.

He kept his opinions to himself, however, as he and the rest of his team silently wandered through the old NexPharm building. The Rammers had yet to venture into it, preferring to keep their operations in Newhome. Their numbers were growing, however, to far more than the stronghold could maintain. They were already starting to spread towards the shore and other nearby buildings. The NexPharm skyscraper, however, was left alone... for the moment.

Time was running out and Ruin needed to work fast to get what he was after.

Finn had reported that it sat somewhere in the facility and was operational when he got to it. Most of the data was wiped but there was one video that apparently revealed a lot. Some of the dragons were experts with technology and Lobo hoped that they could retrieve some of the missing data.

On the 18th floor, Ruin found the strange console just as Finn had described. With Vale and Crash beside him, he typed in the password and watched the screen come to life.

"Good, it still works," he said.

"Great," Vale grunted. "So how are we supposed to bring it back to Arcadia? I mean, do you think they'll even work in Arcadia?"

"We won't know until we try," Crash responded, reaching for the squat, black device. He stopped however when a voice erupted from the desk.

"Please don't do that."

All three Collectors froze and stared at the screen. A small window appeared on the display screen, appearing to be a chat window of sorts. The same words that were spoken were written across the screen with the screen name of the owner being 'Caesar'.

"Ooooh this is creepy..." Crash muttered, taking a few steps back and away from the desk. "Disembodied voice, mysterious chat... I swear, we're being haunted by some sort of ghost of an internet stalker..."

Ruin gave his teammate a strange look. Before he could ask what an 'internet' was, he recalled something about it in the deep recesses of his memory. It didn't exist now, but it was something that mankind was both exceptionally proud and disgusted with during its heyday.

"Please do not be alarmed," the voice continued, once again typing the words out across the screen. "My name is Caesar. What is yours?"

Ruin exchanged glances with the others. He was the closest to the possessed console and thus he had automatically volunteered. To emphasise this, the other two took a big step back away from him. "Thanks guys," he grumbled and turned back towards the screen. "My name is Ruin."

There came no reply from the console for a whole minute.

"Did you leave the room? Please don't be afraid. I mean you no harm."

Ruin scratched his head. "We haven't left. I just told you. My name is Ruin."

"Maybe you need to type it out," suggested Crash, pointing at the keyboard of light. "I don't see any microphone or something..."

"Right..." He typed out his response on the screen.

"Hello Ruin. I must apologise if I startled you."

"What are you?" Ruin responded slowly.

"I am an artificial intelligence built by the Nexus Conglomerate to assist in the daily activities of its employees. On a basic level, I assist them in proofreading documents, maintaining consoles such as this and even processing catering orders. My more complex functions allow me to oversee projects, maintain safety protocols and ensure the integrity of all that the Nexus Conglomerate stands for."

Ruin's eyes widened. "Jackpot," he said loudly. Then he began typing again. "Can you assist us in getting information about the _Conglomerate_and everything that has happened?"

"I am sorry. My sensors have currently been shut down and most of my functionality besides basic communications have been disabled. In order to further assist you, I will require several of my protocols to be reactivated and connection to the building's sensors to be re-enabled."

"Okay. How do we do that?" he typed out.

"On this console, there should be an icon that appears like an eye. If you double click on this I will be connected to the sensors. I am highlighting the icon for you now."

True to his word, Caesar highlighted the icon. Ruin eagerly manoeuvred the cursor and clicked on the icon. Another box appeared, showing the progress of the connection. It was slow but as the progress bar began inching towards the right, Ruin could hear several of the cameras turning on. He watched a few of them swivelling towards him.

"Sensor activation complete. Ah. You are of the rhinoceros species. Anthropomorphic. Possibly from one of the other dimensions."

"Other dimensions?" Crash asked. "What's he talking about?"

Caesar instantly answered without the need for Ruin to type out the question. "The Nexus Conglomerate spans multiple realities not just this one. To this effect, a myriad of species fall under its employ including people of your general physical appearance. Curiously, my scans indicate that you were previously human and you have a mix of other breeds within you." There was a pause. "Warning. Airborne contagion detected. Mutagenic in nature. Attempting to activate air filtration system..."

"No wait!" Ruin shouted, holding up his hands. Any noise and they might attract the Rammers. "That's the Haze. It's what made us into rhinos."

"Curious. I still do not have access to the primary databases of the facility. I will require this if I am to get a full assessment of what has occurred. If I am not imposing, may you please activate the program that I am now highlighting on screen?"

Ruin did so diligently and yet another progress bar was presented.

"Ah... I have been offline for over three hundred and forty-nine years. Scanning for internet connection. Connection not found. Latest news reports and employee correspondence scanned. A widespread evacuation of the planet for Nexus Conglomerate employees was ordered. Several_Conglomerate _cells returned about three hundred years ago to attempt to find a cure for this Haze but discerned that each strain is invariably different and a single cure cannot be effective against all strains especially given the almost intelligent and adaptive nature of the Haze. Certain projects were completely abandoned. Others failed and its researchers converted into 'Beasts'."

A soft 'ding' rang out.

"Integration with primary databases complete."

"So?" Ruin demanded excitedly. "Did you come up with anything?"

"Only what I am able to retrieve from this facility's databases. Without a stable internet connection, I am unable to locate and connect to any of the other facilities around the world. What I can tell you, however, is that based on my cursory scans using the monitoring equipment established all over Hornton, I am able to make an assessment of the current situation."

"Great!" Vale exclaimed. "Whatcha got?"

"The situation has degraded immensely. The subject known as Hammerhorn has exposed himself to the draconic strain from beyond another Gate and has thus grown far more powerful. Whilst already incredibly strong in his own right, this addition has granted him power that makes him nearly unstoppable to all save those with the proper training and theoretically, those of your genetic make-up."

Ruin straightened and exchanged glances with the others. "Us?"

"Affirmative. Though not as you are currently. While you may possess the enhanced abilities of being exposed to other strains of the Haze, you have not fully embraced any species entirely. This stunts your development in whatever shape you have taken and prevents you from unlocking the true potential of any of the strains."

"True potential?" echoed Crash. "What do you mean? We make ourselves into Beasts, integrate with them and do what they do. We can do whatever they do but more."

"That is exactly my point. The Haze has a specific pattern that Beasts follow and you mimic that. However, there is far more potential within your bodies than what is defined by the Haze. Cross referencing research notes. Notes not found. Database wipe previously executed. Executing backup recovery protocols. Excuse me a moment."

The Collectors exchanged glances and waited patiently as they waited for _Caesar_to get back to them.

"The entire facility's databases have been purged but there are protocols to recover most of the data in this case. It will be a long arduous task, possibly taking a few days but I have already recovered some details. As I was explaining previously, have you ever wondered where all the concrete that the Builders generate comes from? Further, did you wonder how Wreckers destroy practically any structure once they built up enough momentum?"

Ruin shrugged. "To be perfectly honest... no. How do they do it?"

"The Haze is derived from another gaseous entity known as the Need. It spread and mutated but its evolutionary capabilities are limited as is its 'imagination'. However, its base instincts are still the same. It feeds off male semen and uses that to power itself. Through this, it is capable of providing the food, nourishment and supplies that is abundant in this world despite the lack of any agriculture."

Crash scratched his head. "Seriously? It feeds off our cum?

"Affirmative. While the Builders fall into slumber after their ritualistic orgies, the Haze feeds off their semen and uses it to create more supplies. For the Wreckers, they have an innate ability, almost 'superpower' if you will that allows them to become nearly unstoppable once they build enough momentum. This is not powered by the Haze but is a mutation in its own right."

"Shit..." muttered Vale. "I never knew that..."

"Only through the eyes of an impartial observer can these deductions be made. On that note, I have found records of Arcadia and have deduced that it is the last hope of humanity. It is therefore in my best interest to assist you in any way possible to ensure that Arcadia remains safe. Will you accept my help?"

Ruin narrowed his gaze. This offer was far too good to be true and he wasn't sure he should be helping an AI that just happen to pop up conveniently. "Now hold on. We just met you.. What can you do for us? What's in this for you?"

"Apart from providing you what knowledge I have now, if you connect me to any of the Conglomerate facilities around the world, I can give you in depth analysis of the specific species affected by the Haze and provide training exercises that will best allow you to hone your skills in the specific Beast archetype that you have chosen. This will allow you to unlock innate abilities that are either repressed by the Haze or simply not considered by the Haze."

"It'll make us more powerful so we can defeat Hammerhorn," murmured Ruin.

"More than just Hammerhorn."

He gave the console a puzzled look. "More?"

"Affirmative."

The contents of the console screen suddenly changed, showing what appeared to be a few still pictures of two rhinos bearing the extra manes of the Rammers speaking to one another. Ruin instantly recognised the one on the left by the 'Rock' tattoo on his shoulder.

"Gantry!"

"A former Collector, from my scans. The one on the right is a mysterious agent that I am unable to decipher. His genetic makeup is different from the other species and I detect something else strange about him. However, I have discerned that the two are speaking of a 'leader' called 'Regulus'. By their conversations, Regulus is not of Hornton and is the true mastermind. Hammerhorn is just a convenient pawn."

"You're shitting me..." Vale whispered. "There's someone out there _worse_than Hammerhorn?"

"I cannot say. I do not have visibility on the other locations."

"How do we get you visibility?"

"If you take this console and attach it to any port within a Conglomerate facility, I should be able to interface with it and establish a connection with the other nodes such as this one. It should allow me unrivalled surveillance across any locations I am connection to. This will be what I will get in return for your assistance. I am programmed to assist the Nexus Conglomerate and from my scans, Arcadia and its residents are the closest thing to true Conglomerate employees. Therefore, it is within my programming to assist Arcadia and its Collectors to my fullest capacity."

Ruin had no experience with artificial intelligence and the mechanical nature of the voice made it impossible to tell if Caesar was lying or not. However, he realised that this was an opportunity he simply could not pass up. If there was a way, anyway, that they could defeat Hammerhorn for good, he was sure Lobo and the others would take it as well. If it just so happened to make him an even better Collector, then so be it.

"Okay," Ruin said, giving Caesar a firm nod. "Then we'll work with you to figure out who this 'Regulus' is and arm ourselves against him."

"Confirmed. If I may have one stipulation, however?"

"What is it?"

"Please do not inform your comrades of my existence and that your former comrade turned to ally with Regulus. I do not want them accessing my databanks or forcing me to work against Arcadia if they should fall. Forgive me for saying so but you fight against the Haze every day and are, as such, an intelligence risk should you fall. My value is beyond measure and if I were to fall into enemy hands, I shudder to think what it could mean for Arcadia."

Ruin exchanged glances with Crash and Vale. All three of them were deeply conflicted by this request. Their loyalty still lay with Arcadia and keeping something this big a secret from everyone else could be seen as a grave betrayal. However, Caesar had a point. Gantry turned and from all appearances, he still had his sanity. If he betrayed Arcadia, who was to say any of them could too especially if they met Hammerhorn or maybe even Regulus?

Crash gave a firm nod and Vale followed with a reluctant smile.

"Alright," Ruin said, returning his gaze towards the console. "We agree."

"Thank you. Now then, there is a facility beneath this building where the Conglomerate members worked on Project Hammer and Project Nail. There is a large area which we can use for honing your skills. I will scour my databases for the possible locations of the other facilities but for the moment, if you have the time, please adjourn to the following location. I have opened the door for you."

On the screen, a schematic of the building was shown and a big, red dot flashed.

Ruin took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright. We're trusting you, Caesar. For Arcadia."

******

349:10:30:15:21:00

There were no celebrations. How could there be? It seemed that for every positive, there was a matching negative that cancelled it out instantly.

The Rammers had been driven out of the docks.

But Gantry was revealed to have betrayed them.

The Rammers had been kicked out of Camp Draco.

But the main military camp had been destroyed as a result.

Finn wasn't sure whether or not he should be feeling elated or just glad that Camp Draco was at least safe for the moment. Something he dreaded the most was telling Josh that Gantry was still alive but had betrayed them. And there it was again. The positive being negated almost immediately.

He sat on one of the piers, legs dangling off the edge. Behind him, allied Builders and Wreckers who were trained to endure the difference in the Haze had come in and were building on the walls that the Rammers had constructed, making it far more secure. Injured Rammers from the main base were being treated by Anodyne and his Vanguards. Amongst them all, there was the occasional cry of ecstasy as either one of the injured transformed into a dragon or one of the Rammers' captives was changed back into a dragon.

It didn't feel like an ending nor did it feel like any sort of conclusion had fallen.

More than anything, it felt like they had just come to the end of an episode of some sort of show where everything had returned to the status quo. All they could do now was gear up and prepare themselves for the next batch of bad guys to hit them next week.

Speaking of next week...

He glanced out into the ocean, wondering if the Gate to Camp Draco would remain open this time. After last night with Cody, he didn't think he could bear to be apart from the Commander for nine weeks. He had no doubt that given the state of Camp Draco, Cody would stay. But on the same level, he knew he couldn't stay. The embassy needed him. Gavin's warning about the tension in Arcadia worried him.

His eyes had been turned away from Arcadia for far too long.

Those same eyes had been recently turned inward as well, at the Beast roiling within him. For the first time in his short life, he could actually feel_the Beast there, looming behind a flimsy cage and just biding its time until his defences were weak. It was intelligent. He wasn't sure if it was truly _conscious or just some fragment of his mind but he had communicated with it on some primal level.

If anything, Finn felt highly unstable... and unsure.

The only rock that served as some form of stable foundation in his sea of uncertainty was Cody. But even that rock was constantly being assaulted by the waves that was Marv... or Rush, as it were.

"Your boys work fast."

Cody parked himself beside Finn, drenched in sweat that melted with the hair on his body. The scent of him just whisked Finn away into a land of fantasy. But he quickly pulled himself back, unwilling to let the Beast get any ground. He thought he sensed the Beast grunt derisively at him but he dismissed that as his paranoia.

"We don't want this place falling to Hammerhorn, right?" he answered. "For the first time, we actually have the advantage. I'm sure Hammerhorn is feeling this defeat."

"He'll consolidate his forces in Hornton," Cody answered with a nod. "If he's smart. The defences he left around his Gate are somewhat serviceable but it'll take time to fully secure it. He hasn't sent any troops to reclaim it but the longer he waits, the more time we'll have to fortify it."

"Why don't you just bury it or something?" Finn suggested.

Cody smiled at him and tapped his nose lightly. "I asked the same thing but apparently it's made of some material that we simply do not understand. It's indestructible. One of my boys tried to bomb the shit out of it." The Commander shook his head. "Not a scratch. Besides, it's a back door into Hammerhorn's stronghold in Hornton. We can strike him from two fronts. Attack from the walls and while everyone is busy there, we slip through the other end and hit them hard."

"You're already planning your offensive?" Finn asked, surprised. "Wow..."

"We've got them on the run. But I'm still in discussions with Lobo as to whether or not we press our advantage. Burheim will be open tomorrow and Collector efforts will be geared towards bringing them to the Arcadian Alliance."

Finn lifted his eyebrows. "Arcadian Alliance? That's what they're calling it?"

Cody beamed at him, flashing his bright, pearly white fangs. "Absolutely. Arcadia opened its doors and it started bringing people together. It's only fitting. We're the Alliance forces. I hear some of your boys are already thinking of making logos and banners."

"What for?"

"War is just as much about what's in your enemy's head as what is in their hands." Cody tapped the side of his head. "You can't deny that when you see Hammerhorn's red banners, you freeze up a little and your heart starts to race. The same will be when our banners are made. When our foes see it, they'll piss themselves."

Finn laughed softly. "You know better about war than I do."

Cody took a deep breath. As he let it out, a few streams of smoke slipped out of his nostrils. "Maybe. That was the first battle I ever actually had, I think. I've read about war. Gone over the greatest tactical moves and guides over and over again. But never had an actually battle before. I'm just glad it turned out so well."

"All things considering..." Finn murmured. He gagged when a big paw struck his back.

Lobo sat down on his other side, still a big rhino. "Now don't go thinking that. Hammerhorn has been routed! He's been kicked out of Camp Draco and we've got a chance to rebuild! Consolidate our forces! Yeah, okay, so we blew up the majority of the military base but when you think about it, it was pretty stupid to keep your base far away from your source of supplies, right?" He leaned forward, flashing Cody a sheepish grin. "No offence."

Cody waved away the apology. "None taken. Sometimes it takes a new perspective to show you that you've been wrong." He squeezed Finn's hand tightly. "Sometimes, we need a little bitch slap so that we wake up."

That filled Finn's heart with a bit of warmth, easing the tension that he felt there. It still pained him that tomorrow, he might not see Cody again, however. He needed to ask what the Commander's plan was even though he already knew what it was going to be. Just asking right out would only injure his fragile heart. He needed to work up to it.

"Can you tell me about Burheim, Lobo?" he asked.

Lobo rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Hmmm... I guess you can call it the working man's paradise. Cultivators back in Arcadia would love it there."

"You have different kinds of humans?" Cody asked. "Does it have something to do with the colour of their skin? Their hair?"

Finn snickered as Lobo explained the mechanics of the assignments when it came to jobs in Arcadia. Cody was particularly interested in how a Collector was chosen. Naturally, this led to questions about how Finn became a Collector and the Commander was not at all surprised that he became one through unconventional means.

"But Burheim is different," Lobo said. "It really is a lot more peaceful all things considered. People just work. They're all labourers of some kind and they just chop the wood around them. They live in a very thick forest and the surrounding flatlands. There are settlements all around the forest that have different specialties. Some chop wood. Others are built around a mine. There are others that are built in large clearings where they breed livestock. There's a few down some of the massive rivers or lakes that are built around fishing."

"Sounds a little like Hornton," Finn commented.

"It sort of is but the settlements aren't disconnected from one another. They actually have a means of trade from one settlement to the other with roads and trade routes constantly flowing. The people there live with a strong sense of community. Every bear contributes to the greater settlement in some way and each settlement contributes their general output to the rest of the network. There are no rulers. No leaders. People live for the people."

Cody let out a thoughtful hum. "That sounds a little like a socialism to me..."

"What?" Finn asked.

"It's some sort of ideology where everyone basically lives for the state and everyone is relatively equal. No one is better than anyone else. The problem is that to establish such a society, someone must lead it to that end. By the time we get to that stage though, that leader is very unlikely to just give up what power they have."

"Well, that's Burheim," Lobo said with a shrug. "It's weird, I know. People only take what they need and any spares goes to the rest of the settlements via the travelling caravans. But there's a reason why no one takes more than they need or produces more than can be consumed."

Now Finn was interested and listened with rising dread.

"See, if a bear shows too much greed or gets too obsessed with producing something, they turn wild." Lobo lifted his big hands to stop any questions before they arose. "The bears call them the Maximus. Your average bear is about eight feet tall and about a tonne of muscle, thick hide and fat." He grinned and slapped Finn's lean belly. "Speaking of which, expect to pack on a few pounds when you jump in there."

Finn glanced at Cody and saw the Commander's rather lewd stare. He thanked his lucky stars that his black scales hid any form of blushing.

"But the Maximus are at least three times that size. When standing on their hind legs, they're almost as tall as that wall." He hiked a thumb over his shoulder at the concrete wall the Rammers had erected. "They look more feral than the bears of Burheim, mostly walking on all fours. They live in isolated cells and tend to stay away from the major settlements but you can tell where they are by the fact that the Haze is thickest there. They consume a_hell_ of a lot and wherever they go, they leave desolation in their wake. And there's no going back once you become a Maximus."

Piecing the whole picture of Burheim together, Finn imagined a society that was in a delicate state of balance. Everyone took just what they needed and didn't live life to an excess. Someone couldn't just have 'a little more' than anyone even if they worked harder. Yet at the same time they didn't produce more than what was necessary for fear of turning into a wild, feral beast of destruction that was exiled from their friends and family. On the flip side, if they ever faltered, the rest of the community would support them but again, they were never allowed to take more than they needed or they too would turn. It was a world that exercised self-restraint and selflessness.

"Who decides what is 'too much'?" Cody asked.

Lobo shook his head. "No one. The community, I guess. There are no leaders, remember? Maybe it's the Haze. I don't know. Either way, it's a place that has a _lot_of resources and I'm sure Hammerhorn would want it to feed his growing army. However, to gain an alliance with Burheim, we too would need to offer something in return."

Finn glanced back towards the docks. "Weapons? Training? What can we offer?"

"I have something in the works," Lobo responded enigmatically. He placed a hand on Finn's shoulder. "But I want you to make sure you work your magic when it comes to Burheim. Break them out of their comfort zone and wake them up. Just like what you did in Hornton and here in Camp Draco. That sort of thing forged these alliances and it's that same thing that will keep the Arcadian Alliance strong."

Finn smiled and nodded, otherwise remaining silent. Lobo looked like he was expecting a bigger response.

Cody leaned forward with a smirk. "I already told him."

Lobo gave him a sour look. "And here I was with a whole speech ready about the ideals that the Alliance embodied and how Finn would be at its core."

"Me?" Finn squeaked.

"And Lobo, me, Gavin and whoever will be the leader of Hornton," Cody chimed in. "We'll all be there to help guide the Alliance towards its goal of a united world." He turned his gaze towards Lobo. "Speaking of which... how're things going in Hornton? Have they picked a leader yet?"

Lobo shook his head. "Kevin and Carver are still at odds in that respect though it's more like Kevin is just taking Carver's offensive passively." He sighed and shook his head. "Carver is insisting that some of his rhinos get turned into dragons, Kevin says they're not ready and need to focus on Hornton. Kevin wants to focus on infrastructure while Carver wants to focus on security. Honestly, I have no idea what'll happen to that place..." He lifted his hands. "But that is Hornton's business. We can offer advice but honestly, we shouldn't push them. I'm sure they'll figure things out eventually."

Finn nodded slowly, worried but at the same time, sure more than ever that he had to go back to Arcadia if only to find out how Kevin and Carver were doing. He had spent far too long away from them. Or at least, it felt that way.

"I guess that means I'll be heading back to Arcadia then."

"One of the reasons I came here," Lobo said, clapping his shoulder with a grin. "Sun is setting. We should head back."

It came as a surprise when he glanced out into the ocean and saw the brilliant, orange orb partially obscured by the silhouette of SOL dipping beneath the horizon. "Yikes... I've been out here longer than I thought!"

"I'll see you when you get back," Cody said, gripping his wrist one last time. "Might be even sooner. See you later."

Giving voice to his concerns would only sour the moment. He didn't want to go through the what-if scenarios of whether or not Cody would even be Cody anymore when he came back. If Hammerhorn suddenly launched an offensive, there was no telling what would happen. But Finn just nodded, gave the big, blue dragon a nod and turned away...

But that just didn't feel right either.

He abruptly spun and pressed his lips against a stunned Cody's. It was a kiss that only lasted for ten seconds. Any longer and Finn knew he wouldn't have the strength to stay.

"That's how we say 'see you later'."

******

349:10:30:19:43:09

"FUUUUUCK!"

Kevin had rarely sworn in his life. But there was just something about Carver that brought out that part of him even if it was only in private and in bed. His entire body shuddered and shook as his cock shot gallon after gallon of cum straight into Carver's warm ass. The rhino beneath him squeezed his ass cheeks tight, milking Kevin's dick for every droplet before the next wave came. Kevin was all too aware of the second jet of seed shooting out from beneath Carver, pouring over the side of the bed and coating their floor with white, sticky man juices.

All words died in their throats as both men just rode out the rest of their overwhelming orgasm. Five minutes of bliss ended far too soon as Kevin found himself coming back down from the sexual high. Desperate to keep the sensations going, he thrust deep into Carver but both of them were already at their physical limits. He only managed three powerful thrusts before he couldn't keep himself upright anymore and collapsed on top of Carver. With their combined weight, Carver couldn't keep himself up on all fours and he slumped onto the bed, letting out a soft grunt as the position jostled Kevin's cock deep within him.

As the last drops of cum squirted out onto the mattress, Kevin tenderly wrapped his arms around Carver's thick, upper torso, holding him tightly. The first time he had done that, Carver had elbowed him in the gut, brushing it off as a defensive mechanism. When someone held you like that as a Wrecker, it usually meant that they were going in for a fuck. Over the past few days, Carver had gotten use to the intimacy. His arm still jerked a little and Kevin tensed but no elbow came charging to push the wind out of his lungs.

This time.

Kevin pushed his nostrils against Carver's hair, taking in his scent mixed with scent and the strong rhino pheromones that drove him wild. He dared to close his eyes and take a moment of rest before...

"Why... can't you be this... aggressive out there..." Carver panted. "Damn man... I can't feel my legs..."

Kevin chuckled softly and nuzzled his fellow rhino. "Because it's just the way I am. I'm not..." He had to take a breath and wipe his brow. "... I'm not like that."

"Fuck! You should be!" growled Carver. Despite his hostility, he only snuggled in closer to Kevin, even squeezing down on the latter's cock just to keep it as erect for as long as possible. "You can't be all peace and Zen all the time. Hammerhorn is coming, you know. They're gone from Camp Draco. If he were smart, he'd start attacking us. I don't think you can talk them down."

That was a very valid concern and as Kevin lay in his bed within the Collector Camp, soaked in sweat and cum with his cock up Carver's ass, he felt a pang of guilt. What if Hammerhorn attacked Gateway now while he was away? He should be with his people... But he also felt that it was important to keep a constant presence in Arcadia.

"We've got the dragons... They beat Hammerhorn before."

"Those scaly bastards haven't even made it to our place yet," rumbled Carver. By the way he was no longer moving as much, he was falling prey to afterglow. "Still think you should've let us change into dragons... we were there..."

Yes, several of the better trained rhinos had gone into Camp Draco to help with the fortifications. But Kevin had specifically ensured that they would not fall prey to the Haze. He didn't want any of them turning. Perhaps it was through pride of his species or just fear that he might lose some people but he had been relieved when they returned safe and sound and still rhinos. By now, they should be back in Hornton.

It felt strange that he had no qualms with his people turning into humans but turning into other Beasts... It left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Carver's sudden snoring snapped him out of his reverie. His cock had gone soft but all these thoughts buzzing around his head kept him from slipping into slumber. Quietly and carefully, he slipped away from Carver and headed out of the hut. There were still a few lights on in a few of the huts but most of the camp had fallen asleep. He could still see the faint bluish glow from the two open Gates shining between the trees. He wondered if the Gate to Camp Draco would remain open or not.

What would he do if it did?

He wandered over to the calm, reflective waters of the river and regarded his three-horned appearance. Twisting his head from left to right, he vaguely wondered what he'd look like as a dragon. Moreover, what would he look like once he turned back into a dragon? He glanced over his shoulder back at his hut. Carver would likely remain a rhino until the early morning when Arcadia would turn him into a human but Kevin guessed he had an hour - maybe two - before he started feeling the urge to fuck again and shoot out his rhino form in a blissful, mind blowing orgasm.

He knew he started out human but... he just felt so strange when he wasn't a rhino.

A shudder went through his body both in anticipation of the oncoming arousal and at the consequence of donning that alien form again. He could always go back to the hut and start licking up any of Carver's cum but if his fellow rhino caught him, he'd never hear the end of it. He resigned himself to human form. But until the shape took hold, he had some time to kill. Sleep would elude him given the looming anxiety of the transformation.

Kevin turned away from the river and strode downstream. Arcadia, if anything, was peaceful. A calm stroll through the night, listening to the quiet chirping of nocturnal birds, the gentle rustle of the leaves and the trickling waters of the river was soothing. As he progressed up stream, he left the Collector Camp and started to hear a gentle roar. He perked his ears at the noise, pausing for a moment to process the sounds. It was definitely the sound of rushing water.

"Huh..." he murmured. He glanced back down the stream. From what he remembered, the lake waters bubbled up from somewhere underground. He had never seen where the river ended, however. Curious, he followed the river and the noise further down until the forest opened up into a broad clearing. At the edge of the clearing was a steep plunge into darkness.

The cliff was about a hundred feet away from the wall that surrounded Arcadia. He had never been so close to the wall before and seeing the gargantuan edifice was breathtaking. When he looked up, it consumed his entire vision. It was impossible to see the night sky without straining his neck. Its polished grey surface looked like stone or concrete but it possessed an unearthly, bluish sheen that he had never seen before.

"Wow..."

"We call this The Falls."

Skip was suddenly beside him, smiling gently up at the wall.

"The water from the lake comes up from underground and feeds into our river but it eventually ends up here and pours into the dark abyss." The smaller dragon pointed into the darkness at the edge of the cliff. "This is the only cliff face in all of Arcadia." He turned his finger to the left and right where the land gently curved back towards the wall, eventually kissing it. That left the cliff to still about a mile long with the waterfall right at the centre.

"I guess the water has to go somewhere..." Kevin murmured.

"It does." Skip answered with a nod. He turned towards Kevin with a gentle smile. "Can't sleep?"

"I'm about to change back into a human," Kevin admitted. "Kind of hard to sleep when that's on the back of your mind."

The Collector snickered. "Yeah, I suppose that's true." Skip sat a respectable distance away from the edge of the cliff, legs crossed and his palms resting calmly on his knees. "Want to sit with me?"

Though he could already feel the stirrings in his cock, Kevin shrugged and sat down next to Skip, his legs bent out in front of him and with his chin sitting on his knees. He didn't even think about his nudity until the grass brushed up against his ass and the cool wind reminded him that he was covered in sweat and left over cum. He was a little surprised at himself. Being clothed was how he had lived for so long and he knew little else. But now he was just so comfortable with not having clothes at all. It made him shudder at just how much had changed in such a short time.

"Something bothering you?" Skip asked, keeping a rather infectious smile that just seemed to brighten the night.

Kevin let out a soft sigh and peered out into the abyss before him. "Just taking in all that's changed in such a short time. It's been about a week and everything I've ever known has been shattered. And it's not slowing down either. Carver wants me to be this leader that I know I can't be. Hammerhorn is rampaging across the world. We've got dragons now and..." He remembered Lobo's advice about keeping his ability to himself. "... and it just feels like it's all going to swallow me up and I'll be lost..."

A soft almost girlish giggle came from Skip. "If you ask me, it sounds like you're actually eager to see things changed but for these changes to come to a conclusion instead of all of these loose threads hanging about."

That was exactly what he wanted.

"But I think I see your problem," Skip said, beaming brightly. He scooted over to Kevin and tapped his nose lightly making Kevin jerk back and wiggle his nose in irritation. "You want things to end in a certain way but you're too scared to do anything about making sure it changes that way!"

Kevin shook his head, insulted at the accusation. "What!? I'm not scared!"

"Come on, Kev," Skip replied, his grin becoming more patronising than actually supportive. "Just admit it. You're a follower. The only time you ever take the initiative is when you're forced to. Right now, I bet you see Carver being very loud mouthed about wanting you to become a leader and you don't want that to happen. But you think you can't do anything about it so you don't try."

As much as he wanted to protest, Skip's words were true. Kevin lowered his gaze and let out a deep, longing sigh. Even when he 'dominated' Carver it was only because he had been pushed into it. He truly wondered if there was a creative spark in his body. A bit of envy boiled inside of him when he thought of Finn who was always coming up with new and often scandalous ways to better Arcadia and the world as a whole. But he... he was always a follower and yet Carver continued to insist that he become leader of the rhinos.

"What should I do?" he asked.

Skip shrugged at him. "Honestly? I don't know. If I told you then that'd mean it wasn't something you did."

"A lot of help you are..."

"Hey, at least now you know you have a problem." Skip patted his shoulder comfortingly. "Now all you've got to figure out is how to fix it."

"My problem is that I don't have the power to change a damn thing!" Kevin shouted, throwing his hands into the air. "Only extroverted people like Carver or Finn have the power to bring change!" Skip snickered at him making him throw a foul stare at the dragon-shaped Collector.

"That's where you're wrong." Skip straightened, placing his palms on his knees face up and closing his eyes. "Whispers can bring as much change as shouts. If not more."

"What? Really? How?"

Skip grinned at him. "I can't tell you, remember? But if you want an example." Skip opened one eye at him. "There was this one time when Savage and Lobo were at odds over whether to retrieve a certain piece of equipment from the Badlands. It was a motor. It could've helped automate a few things here. I personally didn't think it was a good idea but Savage is very stubborn and wanted it here anyway. Lobo was on my side but they were at a standstill. So what I did was just quietly tell Savage, in private, that I agreed with him. Savage doesn't really trust me for some reason and when he heard this, he backed off."

Kevin frowned at Skip. "That... sounded like you manipulated him..."

"Change comes with a few manipulations."

Letting out a soft hum, Kevin took Skip's example to heart. He felt dirty for even considering manipulating others but he understood that if he wanted to get something done, if he wanted things to change, he needed to do what he could. And if that meant whispering in the right ear or two...

"Thanks Skip," he said with a nod. "I think I know what to do now."

Skip smiled and closed his eye again, returning into his meditative position.

"Anytime."

******

349:10:30:20:55:42

Lobo had spent the majority of the night looking over the plans for the Burheim with Finn. The frontal approach with the bears wouldn't work here and he didn't want to take any risks like what had led to the alliance with Camp Draco. He couldn't rely on Hammerhorn becoming a common enemy either. It was late but he finally did come up with a plan of attack that he was sure would lead to at least some conversations starting with Burheim.

He physically was tired from all the work done in Camp Draco and mentally exhausted from his brainstorming session with Finn. The de facto leader of team Trailblazer had some brilliant ideas but they wouldn't work quite well in the 'people first' society of Burheim. Lobo was at least relieved that they had both agreed on a plan this time and Finn was less likely to just go off on his own and cause havoc. It felt a little like he had a leash on Finn but it was a loose one. He still wanted the young Collector to do what he did best. It was certainly working.

He let out a yawn as he approached his hut. Tomorrow was going to be a storm of activity, he could just tell. Something told him that the Gate to Camp Draco would indeed remain open. Not that he was going to complain. Cody really did have some good ideas for the Collectors as well and it would be nice to have some military security around the place.

He pushed open the door and had taken three steps into his hut before he realised someone was already in there.

"Savage..."

The big, green, rainbow-winged dragon sat up, completely naked save for that olive green military shirt he wore. It was stretched taut across his broad chest, revealing the rippling muscles beneath. "Come on, Matt, you don't need to be so formal around me."

Lobo groaned and rolled his eyes. "I'm really not in the mood, Chad," he responded, emphasising Savage's real name. "I'm tired and I want to get to sleep as soon as possible."

"What better way to get to sleep than sucking on these dudes?" responded the dragon, stroking the huge, twin towers which were his dicks, throbbing between his legs only semierect. "I cum, you cum. We both go to sleep."

"I'm probably going to jack off in a few hours anyway and turn back into a human. I don't need your help."

Savage gave him a sour look and crossed his arms, clearing stating that he wasn't going to move. "Fine. I'm going to drop the bullshit. You need to suck my dicks."

At least he was being honest. "Can't you get Vein or Skip to do it? Hell, get them both. I'm sure you'll love that."

"This isn't about getting off, Matt. It's about you changing into something else apart from a rhino."

Lobo was stunned by the statement. He quickly shut the door behind him and glared at his friend. "Just what are you insinuating?"

"You can't fool me," Savage growled. "I know that your trip to the Rammers' camp was as much for you spying on Hammerhorn as it was about you scouting out the place. You're still obsessed with the guy! You're lucky you didn't see him!"

"And what makes you think I didn't?" Lobo snapped.

"Because if you did, you would've thrown yourself at him while telling the rest of your team that you're going to try to take him out." Savage made a slicing motion with his hands. "You would've risked your team, yourself and Arcadia for your little crush. You need to let him go, Matt. He's insane. Hell, he turned Gantry against us! If we lost you too..." Savage's voice trailed off and, for the briefest of moments, he looked away, lost in a memory. "My point is," he continued, turning his gaze back to Lobo, "there is only one way you're going to get out of this slump."

"By sucking your dick," Lobo finished blandly.

"By turning into something else, remembering you're a fucking Collector_and not one of Hammerhorn's Rammers and acting like the _fucking leader that we all need!"

Lobo was stunned at Savage's... savagery. His brow furrowed and an immense weight suddenly fell on his shoulders, pressing down on the tip of his muzzle. The weight caused his head to bow slightly and in doing so, his eyes were drawn to his hands... the same hands he had worn for over two weeks now. Rhino hands. Normally, two weeks was the most he'd ever keep a form - one week as an infiltrator and the next week as a raider for the Collectors.

He hadn't even given any thought to changing into something else. If Savage hadn't brought his attention to it, he would've gone more than two weeks in the same rhino form. The thought and the gravity of his obsession hit him hard. He knees went weak and he collapsed to the ground, barely catching himself on his hands and knees.

"Fuck me..." he muttered.

Savage was at least sensitive enough not to make a crass joke about that. Instead, he moved off the bed and knelt beside Lobo, wrapping an arm and one of his rainbow wings around the Collector Leader.

"Look, I get it. It's something strong," Savage said gently. "I can't tell if it's the Haze or something unique to Hammerhorn. It's in you deep. It's got its hooks in you. And what sucks is that you don't want to make it let go either." He seized Lobo's shoulder tightly. "But you're stronger than this! You can beat it! You can shake it off. I know you can!" Then a little gentler, he added, "And I'll be there to help you any way I can."

Lobo took a deep breath, taking in Savage's scent. It triggered his hormones and he cock began to stir. He focused on that, pushing Hammerhorn out of his mind. His imagination kept trying to pretend that it was the big, hulking rhino that was holding him, encouraging him but he fought it back. Slowly, he lifted his gaze... and found Savage's face smiling down at him.

He leaned forward...

... and their lips met.

******

349:10:31:07:21:07

The next morning, there was less a tension of surprise and more of a buzz of excitement. The Gate to Camp Draco remained open and the Collectors were gathered around the Gates as the third gate to Burheim had also opened. Savage had gathered everyone back towards the meeting hall where Lobo was going to give everyone their assignments.

Finn was both excited and anxious, practically bouncing all the way back to the meeting hall. He wanted to see what Burheim was like but at the same time, he also wanted to see Cody again and tell him the good news. As conflicted as he was, he surprised when a big silver dragon like no other he had seen before sat at the centre of the meeting hall.

This massive creature possessed four legs arranged in a quadruped stance. The lower half of his body looked like it was spliced from a feral creature but covered in the shiny, metallic silver scales and with its limbs replaced by those of a dragon. Curiously, the forelegs looked more like arms and even had rather meaty biceps and thick forearms. Like all dragons of his level, he had a pair of wings but they were rather small in comparison to the rest of his body, looking more decorative than anything else. His unique physiology also had some curious additions mostly the two sheaths that housed his cocks. One was set at the back of his lower body, between his farthest legs while the other sat between his front legs. Naturally, he wasn't erect but Finn couldn't help but wonder if both sheathes also had double dicks or if they only held one each.

It took him a second to realise that the dragon was Lobo.

"Wow..." Finn whispered softly, seating himself beside Savage and the rest of Team Trailblazer. "Lobo looks..."

"Pretty unique, huh?" Vein finished with a snicker. "Lobo is the only dragon of his shape in Camp Draco. They call him 'the cavalry'. You know that old saying, 'The cavalry is here'? He gets it from that. Can you just imagine his huge form charging at you, scales shining in the sun?" Vein shivered. "Almost wished that he could've joined us in the fight against Gantry..."

There was no denying that Lobo's impressive physique was indeed very intimidating. Naked as he was, every muscle was defined across his enormous body. The silver scales cast a unique sheen to every inch of his body and when he moved, Finn could see how they outlined each muscle group perfectly.

"Alright everyone," Lobo boomed, flicking up his hat so that he got a good view everyone in the meeting hall. "As you've probably heard, the Gate to Camp Draco is still open. I've given it a lot of thought and though the Gate to Burheim is open, we won't be making contact with the bears quiet yet." There were a lot of questions and he raised his massive, clawed hands to indicate silence.

"Hear me out," he continued. "The bears are all about giving something to the wider community. If we have nothing to offer them, we're not going to be in their good graces. We need to have something to offer them. I know some of you think that Arcadia and 'enlightenment' is a good enough offer but for the bears, I don't think that'll be enough. So we're going to need to create a stockpile to offer them. The bears don't have weapons. We can give it to them from Camp Draco. They've also been eating the same natural foods that they make themselves. They've never seen or tasted anything from before the apocalypse and we can bring that to them from Hornton. But we need to make a perfect balance between what we offer and supporting the other regions."

Lobo began pacing the room, his towering statue putting him taller than anyone else in the room, even Savage. "The rhinos -"

"Um, excuse me."

The interruption came from the most surprising source. Kevin.

"Kevin?" asked Lobo, puzzled. "You have something to say?"

"Just..." Kevin began, a deep blush touching his cheeks. "I was just thinking that I don't think we should just be called 'rhinos'. We're not just rhinos, now. And I don't want us being thrown into the same pot as Hammerhorn's Rammers."

"So what do you suggest?"

"I was just thinking we could be called... I dunno... Something not just 'rhinos'." He spread his arms wide, looking to his fellow rhinos. "Any ideas?"

The sudden outburst caught the rest of the visiting rhinos off guard and they just muttered amongst themselves... save for Carver who growled loudly.

"For fuck's sake..." Carver muttered. "How about he just get called High Horns or something? We got horns and we're more fucking civilised than those fucking Rammers. Plus it's got two H's so there's that."

"I like it!" Kevin exclaimed. "Anyone else object?"

No one did.

"High Horns it is!"

Lobo, along with the other Collectors, were a little confused at the announcement but he shrugged and continued. "Alright... Well the plan is for the High Horns to go start gathering what resources they can and transport them here to Arcadia. The more artificial the better. Find stuff that's _so_saturated in sugar and fats that just looking at it will make your heart surrender to its inevitable fate. Team Vanguard will oversee this while also scouting out what was formerly Newhome. I have reports that Gateway is getting pretty damn big so I want to see if we can take back Newhome or we build another settlement close to Gateway."

"Fucking finally!" shouted Carver. "Let's take back Newhome!"

"Only if it's the safest option," Lobo said. "And we still need the dragons to get used to being here in Arcadia and Hornton. At the same time, Vanguard will be bringing some of their own to Camp Draco to assist with fortifying the docks and turning into dragons."

"Hell yes!" Carver pumped a fist into the air. "I'm gonna breathe some fire on those fucking Rammers!"

"Remember, the Commander is the only one that can promote you and myself and Team Commando will be heading in there to give him guidelines on which rhinos to promote." Lobo stared pointedly at Carver. "We don't want you becoming full dragons, remember? We want you to keep your sanity." Straightening and turning to address the rest of the crowd, Lobo said, "Commando will also be hunting down any remaining Rammers and driving them out of Camp Draco.

"In the meantime, Renegade and Team Trailblazer will be coordinating the transportation of military supplies to Arcadia so we can offer it to the bears. The bears are a very peaceful people so they have no concept of the use of weapons but they always have problems with the Maximus and if Hammerhorn is going to raid the place, they'll need to defend themselves as well. I'm sure they'll appreciate the weapons.

"Lastly, Ruin and Team Pathfinder will be the only group to venture into Burheim. I want them to scout out the area, look for Hammerhorn's entry way. My guess is that a Gate will be open from the Hornton side and the Camp Draco side. I want you to enter via Arcadia and Camp Draco, map out where these entrances are and report back. We need to make sure that we know every avenue of entrance into Burheim."

"That won't take us long," grunted Ruin, a Collector Finn rarely encountered. "What do you need us to do afterwards? Scout out the rest of Burheim?"

"No. I don't want to risk you running into Hammerhorn's forces accidentally. He still outnumbers us after all. Return to Hornton and help the preparations once you're done. Even do some hit and runs on Hammerhorn's forces if you can."

Lobo clapped his big hands. "So, is everyone good with their assignments?"

There were no complains. Finn jumped to his feet to leave but Lobo called them all back before they left.

"Just one last piece of admin," said the silver dragon. "As you all know, Renegade has taken the initiative and set up an embassy. This'll really cement our relationships with the rest of the world including the Arcadians. To this end, however, I want everyone to formalise who their team captain is. Someone who can represent the rest of the team at the embassy. Give me your answer by the end of the day."

The announcement stunned Finn. He hadn't thought of having representatives from the other teams in the meetings but now that he thought about it, it was a brilliant idea. Each captain could provide their findings and help paint a bigger picture. With the ambassadors from each race as well, it would help create a far clearer image of the state of the world.

He was glad that Lobo was behind the idea of the embassy.

Finn had just started to turn towards the rest of his teammates when he found them already standing around him, staring at him expectantly and with grins on their faces.

"I vote Vein!" he said quickly.

"I vote you," Vein countered.

"I vote for Renegade too," Skip exclaimed, bouncing on his feet and waving his arms wildly.

"I'm almost tempted to vote for Vein too just to fuck with you guys," Savage snickered. "But I'm gonna have to vote for Renegade too." He clapped Finn's shoulder roughly. "Congrats little man. You're officially team captain."

******

349:10:31:13:04:44

"The local species has the unique ability to generate and manipulate concrete at will. This is their natural ability and some would call their defensive mechanism. It extends to both the Builders and Wreckers."

The lights flicked on, each bulb emitting a resounding boom as it did so. Ruin's jaw dropped at the sight of the enormous square chamber. The floors, walls and ceiling were all completely black save for the odd gaps in the tiles that emitted a blue glow. It looked like circuitry. Even though the embedded lights illuminated the chamber, it was impossible to tell where the shadows rested and what was clearly in the light. Everything was just... black and blue.

"Builders can generate concrete and do so on a subconscious level. As they create concrete from the supplies the Haze provides, they will naturally want more and more concrete to be made. This reacts with their surroundings and indeed their bodies to generate the needed concrete."

"What, you're saying they manipulate the Haze to create more cement?" Vale asked, wandering off to the right a little. Crash explored to the left and let out a yelp as he bumped into a wall. It was nearly impossible to tell where a wall ended and where it started until the blue light pulsed and revealed the gaps.

"No. They manipulate concrete which is end product of mixing cement in with crushed stone, rock and sand. In short, cement is the fine powder that when water is added, triggers a chemical process that allows it to harden. Concrete is the final mixture. This is what the rhinos -"

"They're calling themselves High Horns," Ruin grunted.

"Processing. Replacing all instances of 'rhinos' or 'rhinoceros' or 'rhinoceroses' with 'High Horn' when referring to the indigenous species currently allied with present company. Maintaining archive of reference and change."

Ruin rolled his eyes at the artificial intelligence. It sounded human but its mannerisms and little outbursts like that reminded him that he wasn't talking to a person but a machine. A tool for him to use. A tool that would help him be the best Collector he could be.

"Continuing," Caesar said, "The High Horns subconsciously increase the mass of the final mixture, the concrete. Further, the Wrecker subspecies is able to break through concrete walls constructed by the Builders because of this very same property."

"Huh..." Crash muttered. "I guess that's why they were always able to smash through the stuff in Hornton. The place is all concrete and the Builders only used concrete to build stuff."

"Correct. The illusion of strength and continuity is a deception perpetuated by the Haze."

Ruin kept his eyes on the pulsating cracks and circuits. Each of the little gaps seemed to radiate out of circles embedded into the ground at seemingly irregular intervals. "What about the Rammers?" he asked. "They've sort of moved away from concrete and started working with metal."

"My observations and biological samples have indicated that due to the infection of the Hammer strain they have developed a branching mutation that allows them to generate and manipulate metal. Subjects that have been infected with the dragon strain and returned to the Rammer form demonstrate an even greater control over this mutation. It is my standing theory that a Beasts' 'base' form is advanced and mutated further as they enter different regions, compounding on their abilities. Their other forms do not develop but their base form does. Observations of the High Horns and their three horned mutations support my theory."

"Wait," Vale began. His hand was on one of the walls. "Does that mean that since we're sort of... 'superhuman' as Collectors, we have some sort of superpower as well?"

"Possible but I have been unable to observe any of you in your human form nor do I think it wise to be displaying these abilities even in the privacy of your home."

"You're right," grunted Ruin. "Besides, there aren't any consoles for us to hook you up to." He nodded in some abstract direction. "So what you're saying is that the High Horns and Rammers get better at manipulating concrete and metal the more Gates they pass through. How does that help us?"

"As humans, you may possess a hidden ability just like the other species but as there are no facilities to observe you, I will not be able to verify it. Further, it would be a risk to request that you return here as humans given the proximity of the base known as Newhome. However, as you adopt the shape of any other species, I believe their innate abilities, even at a basic level, exists within you as well. Potentially, any Beast that changes shape will also inherit their current shape's abilities but none of them will have honed and practiced with them as you have.

"This training facility will aid you in practicing with the local strain's innate ability. Please give each other sufficient room to practice. I have highlighted ideal locations for each of you."

Three of the blue rings on the ground lit up. Ruin shrugged and headed over to one, with Vale and Crash on the other. They were a good fifty or so metres away from one another making it hard for them to hear let alone see one another in the near darkness.

"Let us practice concrete generation. I have analysed the brain patterns of the High Horns and the Rammers and deduced that simply thinking about the object they want to generate is sufficient to create the target object. I have noted that their minds are devoid of all other thought and become focused on this task therefore I suggest depriving yourselves of doubt and all other thought."

Crash scratched his head absently. "Erm... whut?"

"He means clear your mind and think of concrete, dumbass," Vale snickered. He held out his hand sin front of him, cupping them in front of his face. Ruin watched with interest as Vale seemed to be lost in a trance for a minute or so. Then Vale began letting out a soft hum, something he and Vein always did when they needed to focus. The sound created monotony that they could ignore, giving them more focus on their other senses. With his eyes closed and his ears practically deafened, Vale could concentrate... At least that's what Ruin thought.

"Ruin, will you try?" asked Caesar, a little closer to him and softer. No doubt neither Vale nor Crash could hear him.

"Give me a sec," he answered, glancing towards Crash. Of course, the joker wasn't taking the entire exercise seriously. He had his big, thick legs spread out and bent slightly and he was thrusting his hands forward and back, palms stretched like he was some sort of martial arts champion. As expected, nothing was shooting out of his fingertips. At least he was keeping quiet about it.

Ruin began to doubt the validity of this exercise though when he thought back to all the times he had infiltrated the Wreckers and Builders, he couldn't deny that a bag of cement really made more concrete than it should've had and enormous, concrete walls crumbled far easier than expected. Deciding to give the computer he had just met a chance, he held out his hand in front him, forming a claw with his fingers. He stared intently at his thick, calloused palm, constantly thinking concrete, concrete, concrete.

It didn't take long for his hand to start cramping however and he let out a frustrated grunt.

"Do not give up. I do not think you expected this to happen instantaneously."

"I suppose not," he muttered. "Just concerned that I should really be spying on Newhome. The others at Gateway will be expecting a report..."

"Do not concern yourself with that. I am watching Newhome closely. I will provide you with a full report after we are done."

Ruin nodded and used his other hand, focusing on it. But having just spouted his supposed task, he thought back to his brief trip into Burheim. Trailblazer had found the Gates including the one leading into Hornton and Camp Draco. Lobo had been right. Three Gates were open in Arcadia and three Gates were open in the other regions. There were so many places to hit Burheim from and it concerned him that Hammerhorn hadn't struck yet...

"You are distracted."

Ruin groaned and dropped his arm. "Telling me I'm distracted doesn't stop me from being distracted."

"I apologise. Please attempt to clear your mind of all distractions before trying again."

Maybe it was just in the thing's programming but the damn machine was quite pushy. Then again, it might just be eager for results just like Ruin was. He could appreciate that. Once again, he lifted his arm, formed a claw with his hand and focused on his palms, imagining a ball of concrete forming there, his skin hardening to the consistency of the grey stone, growing and growing until his callouses all turned into concrete and slowly lifted off his flesh and...

"Urgh..." he grumbled, shaking the imagery out of his head.

"Something the matter?"

"Maybe we should go over the theory of this first?" he offered. "I'm a visual sort of man and I can't really do something I've never seen before."

"Pioneers never truly saw what they discovered, only theorised it. However, if it will help you -"

SMASH!

Ruin jumped at the unmistakable sound of concrete shattering. He had been around enough Wreckers to know that sound and it came from a surprising source.

Crash froze where he stood, his legs spread and one palm outstretched in front of him like he was posing for a stereotypical kung fu movie. Directly opposite to him, about another fifty metres ahead of him was a small pile of concrete, shattered and settling at the base of the wall where it had shattered.

"Holy shit!" Crash exclaimed. "I did it! I did it!"

"No way!" Vale shouted, his face breaking into a big grin. "Show us again!"

Crash began running on the spot, shaking his wrists and loosening up. He took several deep breaths before once again placing his feet in the same position that he had before. He pulled back his right arm, focusing entirely on the other side of the wall. Slowly, he pushed his hand forward about a quarter of the way from being fully extended before pulling it back, slowly warming up to the explosive end. He did this three times before...

"Ya!" he cried, thrusting his hand forward in one, sharp movement.

Ruin was getting ready to roll his eyes but instead, his eyelids pulled back in shock as a shard of concrete, no bigger than his finger, shot out of Crash's palm. It sailed over to the other end of the room and collided with the black wall, shattering upon impact.

"Well done, Crash," Caesar said. "How did you achieve such a feat? What were you thinking of?"

Crash shrugged and gave the other Collectors a sheepish grin. "Honestly? Nothing. I just kind of focusing on the movements of my arm and didn't think about anything else."

Ruin let out a soft noise as he considered his teammate's words. The issue with him and Vale was that they weren't moving. Perhaps motion was required. Deciding to give it a try, he stood in a typical boxer's position and began throwing a few open palmed punches into the air. It was a terrible motion and he looked like he was performing some humiliating dance move instead. At least he wasn't alone. To his right, Vale was doing exactly the same thing, taking deep breaths after every few punches.

It didn't help that Crash was shooting a new concrete needle every few seconds, distracting him. At least Caesar wasn't chastising him anymore. But as the moment passed, he was growing increasingly tired and more and more of his energy was spent, he grew more and more frustrated.

"Whoa!"

BAM!

He jumped and turned towards Vale. The other half of the Twins was slouched over the ground. His hands were encased in thick blocks of concrete that had shaped themselves into his fists.

"Vale! Are you alright!?" he exclaimed.

"Yeah," answered the young Collector, beaming up at him. He got up, pulling the concrete boxing gloves easily. "The weight just surprised me, that's all." He slammed the blocks together, making a resounding cracking noise. "Hey Crash, check it out! Better than your piss weak concrete arrows!"

"Oh yeah?" Crash challenged. "Check this out!" He crouched and suddenly leapt into the air, unleashing a perfect roundhouse kick. A big block of concrete shot out of his foot, sailing across the room and colliding with the wall. He landed poorly, however and he lost his footing. He crashed to the ground just about the same time the concrete block shattered and crumbled to the ground. "Ha! I got range, baby!"

"Whole lot of good that'll do ya if you're flat on your ass."

"Excellent, Vale. How did you perform this feat?"

"Like you said," Vale answered, sending a few more punches through the air. "Cleared my mind. Focused just on the motion."

"Hey!" shouted Crash. "I said that!"

"Yeah, yeah." Vale smashed his concrete fists against the ground, shattering them. He shook off the shards and before immediately breaking into another series of punches. "Honestly... I didn't... really notice them..." he grunted between punches. "... until I felt my hands get all heavy... Like now..."

Ruin watched curiously as, with every punch, more and more concrete seemed to appear around Vale's fists. After the tenth punch, his fists were encased in them again.

"He built up to the motion... Hmmm..." Ruin mused. He turned back towards the front of the room... but found himself stuck for some way to make the concrete...

"If I may make an observation, Ruin."

"What?" he snapped.

"Perhaps with creatures of higher intelligence, it is not as simple as blanking one's mind and focusing simply on the motion or the concept. After the initial creation, I have noticed an increase in testosterone and adrenaline levels in your teammates. Their minds are racing. Their subconscious is brimming with possibilities. While observing Crash after his initial creation, I noticed that his brain activity, while focused on the motion, benefitted from the testosterone and adrenaline."

"Get to the point," snarled Ruin. He squeezed his eyes and lifted his hands. "Sorry, sorry. You're trying to help. I shouldn't have snapped."

"Not at all. Snapping is good. It means that you are passionate. In fact, I believe that this passion is what fuels your teammates. Instead of cleansing yourself of all emotion, try funnelling your emotion into your efforts. Try using your passion to fuel your desire."

Ruin let out a growl. Vale's huffs between punches had stopped and Crash had stopped making those ridiculous high pitched 'ya' noises. Even without looking, he knew they were watching him because Caesar had just asked him to do the one thing that he couldn't: emote. Even before he was a Collector, he was Mr. Stoic. In fact, he was pretty sure that was why Anodyne had recruited him. Less emotions meant he was less likely to fall prey to the temptations of the Haze.

But if that was what it took to help Arcadia...

He took a deep breath and searched himself, searched his 'soul'. For someone who prided himself in being cold, emotionless and logical like Anodyne, he found it incredibly difficult to find any emotions to latch onto. Pride, was that something he could use? No, it wasn't something he felt too often. Perhaps affection? Garum in Orcum Country always had his eye... but their meetings were too short and far between. Like he said, he was a visual man and without Garum, he couldn't muster up that passion.

All he felt was frustration. Frustration at his own failings. Frustration that Crash and Vale had progressed father than he had and so much quicker. And it was all because he lacked emotion. That frustration bubbled up to the surface and burned behind his eyes. He didn't feel his teeth gnashing together. The blackness of the room became flooded by the red of fury. Every muscle on his body bunched, building strength as a deep growl bubbled deep within his throat.

Ruin threw his head back and swung both his arms upwards, ready to smash his balled fists into the ground. A tremendous cry ripped from his throat and with it -

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Columns of concrete, sharp and spear like, erupted from the ground around him. Each one rose up to ten feet tall, bearing vicious spikes ready to spear anyone who dared to come close to him.

"Wonderful!"

It took Caesar's exclamation to snap him out of his rage. He froze where he stood and swung his head left and right. The ring of concrete around him was thick and solid, definitely more than the other two had generated in their short time practicing.

"Fuck Ruin," laughed Crash. "That's some 'passion' right there! What? Were you thinking about the last time you fucked a tight ass?"

"Shut up," Ruin snapped, regarding the ring around him. The frustration still boiled beneath the surface and he latched onto it. In his mental grip, he felt it squirm like a fish out of water. It was desperate to slip from his and wriggle free. But he held on tightly, squeezing the last ounces of life out of it. He could almost imagine the blood squiring out of the fish's scales and soaking into his veins, giving him strength. With a gentle sweep of his hand, the concrete began to shift around him, sliding across the floor to respectfully give him a path to exit his little fort.

"That is certainly impressive," Caesar said. "I am of the opinion that with use, you inherently grow stronger and more skilled with the ability. It is like a muscle that you exercise. It will get stronger with constant use."

Feeling his frustration starting to ebb, Ruin grunted and said, "Sounds fair."

"That said, I believe we should put your abilities to a more practical use."

Ruin went rigid as the lights on the ground began to focus on three other circles near them. He was surprised when a brilliant blue aurora sprayed out from the circles, quickly forming a big, hulking shape. His jaw dropped when the figure of a Rammer appeared from the lights, dressed in spiked metal armour and wielding wicked looking hammer.

"What the -!?" Vale exclaimed. "How -? Are they -?"

"Synthetic," Caesar replied. The Rammers' muzzles moved in tandem with Caesar's words, his robotic voice emanating from them. "They are merely biological constructs. They have real flesh, real organs and real bones and muscles but their nervous system is entirely artificial. Essentially, their brains are large receivers for my will."

Ruin took a step back away for synthetic creatures. "Are you saying you could make a whole goddamn army of these guys?"

"No. The synthetics cannot exist beyond this room."

With some relief, Ruin asked, "Why not?"

"The Director does not want it so."

His eyebrows rose. He remembered hearing Finn's claims about the Director and the reports he got but hearing someone so close to the _Conglomerate_reference him was something altogether. It sent a shudder down his spine.

"What do you mean?"

"I cannot say. I do not know. All I know is that the Director's will prevents these synthetics from existing beyond this room. There is no scientific reasoning for it. It simply is. Now please, we must continue to hone your skills and maximise the time we have."

Ruin wasn't sure if he could muster up that frustration again but as he watched both Crash and Vale pummelling the stoic, unmoving synthetics, he began to feel a spark of jealousy. He charged at his synth and when he couldn't summon the same pillars of concrete, he felt that spark of frustration burst deep within him. He seized it, fishing it out of the dark waters of his heart and pulling it to the surface. His rage surfaced and with a tremendous cry, he threw a punch at the synth. His blow connected but it was the arch of concrete that sprang up from behind him that slammed into the artificial Rammer that really made the blow. The synth was thrown back, crashing into the ground.

"Yeah!" he shouted. "Take that!"

"Excellent. Now let's try moving targets."

For several hours, the three of them trained under Caesar's guidance. Crash truly excelled in ranged combat. His broad, sweeping moving built up more momentum than anyone else. The pellets of concrete he fired were powerful enough to pierce the metal armour of a Rammer and he could shoot them in rapid succession.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Vale excelled in hand to hand combat. He had quickly added kicking to his repertoire, encasing his legs in concrete. His speed suffered but his blows were monstrous to the point that one hit caused a synth's ribs to crack and Caesar had to recall the poor creature and recreate it.

Ruin found himself running out of frustration and rage as the day wore on. Now that he was making progress, those fiery emotions were replaced by pride. That was a little harder to convert into raw power but his chest swelled with every mound of concrete he summoned, fuelling his next blow. When _Caesar_had the synths start striking back, he took every blow as a blow to his pride and that gave way to frustration and rage. So he quickly formed a cycle. Injured pride gave way to anger and anger eventually ebbed back into pride.

By the end of the exercise, Ruin was feeling pretty good about himself. It was something he was unaccustomed to but he honestly felt he was far more powerful than the other two.

"That is enough for now," Caesar said.

"Good," he grunted. "We should get back."

"I have your reports for you outside. As well as your homework."

All three men stopped in their tracks and stared into the darkness of the chamber.

"Home... work...?" Crash asked, scratching his head.

"Yes. It will be light for now as we are just starting. It will detail your knowledge of this species' anatomy as well as some reading and tests concerning your abilities and what we have covered here today. I expect them all to be completed by tomorrow."

Crash' shoulders slumped in an exaggerated gesture of weariness. "Are you kidding me!? Dude, we've got patrol tomorrow!"

"Your foes have lived with their bodies for centuries. They are accustomed to their bodies, their weight, their range of flexibility and their height. As Collectors, you discard your bodies every week and wait nine weeks until you don it once more. While you may have unlocked these powers, none of it will do you any good if you cannot understand the bodies behind them. Please complete the exercises and bring them to tomorrow's training session."

"Come on!" exclaimed Vale, throwing his arms wide. "You can't expect us to go on patrol, train and then finish the day burning out our brains!"

Ruin grunted loudly. "We do it."

"What!?"

"Caesar is right." He shot Vale a piercing stare. "The Rammers have the advantage of having lived with their bodies. We don't. If they learn how to use these powers just like us, we're screwed. We're the only hope for Arcadia. So we learn. We do the homework."

******

349:10:31:18:09:01

Cody entered his cabin and managed to kick off one boot when the delicious aroma of lamb shanks filled his nostrils and he began to drool a little. His eyes fell on the dining table set at the centre of the seaside cabin where Finn was just adding the finishing touches to the meal, namely a rosemary butter sauce.

"That smells great," the Commander rumbled, pulling off his other boot. He tipped it on its side, a steady stream of sand pouring out. "But shouldn't you be back in Arcadia? I thought you guys weren't allowed to stay here until past curfew?"

"Now that the Gate is permanently open, we can stay as long as we want," Finn responded with a grin. "Besides, I don't feel like making the trek back to the Return Gate at this hour. Arcadia is probably having dinner and winding down and the alarms that go off when we pass through will just annoy everyone."

Cody padded over to the table, crossing the vast expanse of the cabin. It was much bigger than his former residence; having actually two bedrooms and an actual balcony that overlooked the beach. It was one of the 'recreational cabins' the soldiers used whenever they were on break. Not one of the better ones either but Cody preferred not to commandeer the biggest and most luxurious housing complex just because he was the Commander.

Speaking of...

"How was your day?" Finn asked, pulling out the seat for him.

"Exhausting," Cody admitted, slumping down on the seat. He shamelessly massaged his crotch. "Lobo had at least thirty guys that he wanted me to promote. All guys from Hornton. They turned into dragons easily enough but I had to make them at least Corporals so they get tails and wings."

"That doesn't sound so bad."

"What are you talking about!? I had to fuck thirty guys at least twice_in rapid succession each!" Cody held up two fingers. "What's worse is that I had to make sure that _my guys were promoted as well so that there wasn't dissention in the ranks! That's at about another fifty guys!"

Finn gave him a coy smile and Cody couldn't help the grin crawling on his features. "Are you seriously complaining about having sex? After the loads I've seen you shoot?"

"You think you can do better, smart guy?" Cody mockingly snarled. "In the span of ten hours, I dare you to fuck a total of eighty guys.Twice for thirty of them. That's having orgasmed a hundred and ten times in ten hours!"

"I can shoot eleven times in an hour."

Cody rolled his eyes and began tearing into his food. Finn took up position next to him and began to eat as well.

"Sometimes I wish someone else can promote people around here," Cody mumbled.

"No you don't," Finn snickered, giving him a light nudge with his elbow. "You love the attention and you love being top dog. It's why you want to head to Hornton tomorrow so you can be the first dragon to turn rhino."

There were times when his affection for Finn really blossomed. With those words, the black dragon seemed to read his mind and he just fell in love with him for it.

"Are you coming with me?" he asked.

Finn swallowed and nodded. "We don't nearly have as much stock as we want to offer the bears. Lobo and Team Commando are going to head in, change into bears and start spreading the rumours of a mysterious 'village beyond the arches'. They'll bring a few of the trinkets they found and let it spread across to the rest of the villages. Day after tomorrow, we're both going to head into Burheim and where we'll proceed to fuck in front of the stunned and awed people of a village and change into bears in front of them."

Cody nearly choked on his food and had to quickly take a big gulp of water. "W - what!?"

Finn flashed him a grin. "It's how we'll prove our story to them."

The ploy just smelled of classic Finn. Extravagant. Over the top. Possibly causing more harm than good.

"Do we really have to have sex in front of them?"

"Of course not. I was just joking." Finn gave him another nudge, flashing his sharp fangs which had a bone between them. "We'll just change in front of them. Of course, the change will end in us cumming and if that leads to sex..."

Cody winced as he picked up another lamb shank. "It's showy and it'll prove to them the story... that's for sure." He flicked his ears at Finn, eager to change the subject. "Any sign of Hammerhorn?"

Finn shook his head grimly, his mirth fading. He munched on a piece of lamb before replying. "No... Trailblazer didn't see him or Gantry in any of the camps. They did spot a third camp being built around another Gate on the Hornton side, though. My guess it's the one leading to Burheim. Hammerhorn may be trying to fortify over there first before attacking."

"Strategically speaking, that's pretty wise," Cody murmured. "I guess he can attack us from two fronts now, Camp Draco and Burheim. Too bad we can't do the same... Well, we could if we changed into rhinos and attacked his camps both from Hornton and from the Gate but that's risky. We'd be dropping our troops right in the middle of the enemy camp."

A soft hum was his reply.

The topic of strategy was killing any romance that was in the air. Though he was burned out from all the sex he had throughout the day, he didn't want Finn to leave, especially not after this wonderful dinner. But what could he talk about apart from sex, changing and strategy? He was a military man through and through... The military had been his life. Everything that he had ever known...

Thankfully, Finn came to the rescue. "By the way, remember how you said 'working for the betterment of Arcadia' really isn't a hobby?'"

"I think I said that it sounded more like work than a hobby but yeah, I remember."

Finn grinned at him and plucked a strange device from the pocket of his pants. He lifted it to his eyes and -

Fwash!

Cody growled as he was momentarily blinded. He blinked several times, pushing out tears. As his vision returned, he heard a soft buzzing noise. Finn's device had produced a square piece of paper... or was it photograph paper? Finn waved the paper through the air to let the ink dry and then held it out, a big smile on his face.

"You look cute when you're surprised."

Cody snatched the photograph from him and regarded his own stunned features forever immortalised in a photograph. "You're going to take up photography?"

Finn shrugged. "Josh likes to keep diaries of everything that happens in Arcadia. I figure I should make mementos of stuff that happens beyond the Gates. I've got enough photo paper to last a lifetime. I'm building a photo album back in Arcadia. I figure when all of this is over, we'll want to remember the good times we've had. Things are changing, right? Might be good to keep track of how things were before they changed."

The idea made Cody smile. It was funny that he couldn't really remember what things were like before Finn came into his life. Days went by with the same routine. He woke up, exercised, inspected the troops, had lunch, reviewed reports and maybe promoted someone. But after a few years of the same thing over and over again, days just blurred into weeks, weeks into months, months into years. Now that everything was changing so fast, he mourned a little over what he had lost.

"Did you want to head over to the old camp tomorrow to take pictures?" he suggested.

Finn beamed. "I would love that."

Conversation quickly turned to what else Finn had taken pictures of and he showed Cody the moments he had captured during the day. Some of them were clearly posed. Several of his guys stood formally in front of the wall, arms crossed, looking tough in their military fatigues but all still smiling. It was strange but in each face, he saw a different smile. The uniqueness in their forms were starting to bleed into their personalities. Each dragon was no longer an individual based on their scales, wing size or shallow physical qualities. Their thoughts shone through their eyes, the way they stood and their smiles.

It made Cody proud.

Then Finn began showing him the more candid photos. He snorted out water from his nostrils when Finn showed him the one of Savage leaping onto Lobo's back, making the silver dragon-taur rear in surprise. There was one where Cross was helping build the wall and had taken his shirt off, revealing his slightly chubby but still well-built physique. He was wiping his brow with his shirt, completely unaware of Finn's presence. Another showed Vein having lunch with some of the dragon troops, sitting on the edge of a pier and just chatting. Skip was shown sleeping beneath one of the piers, the waves lapping gently at his feet.

Cody noticed that there were no pictures of Marv and he wondered if the reason Finn was spending the night with him was because living arrangements back in Arcadia had yet to be formalised. But he didn't want to ruin the night with such thoughts. They finished their dinner and headed over to the couch where they pored over the rest of Finn's photographs.

Once the last of them were looked at, Cody gently took Finn's camera and draped an arm around his boyfriend's shoulders. He lifted the camera at arm's length and angled it towards them. Finn rested a hand against his chest and leaned against him, head settling against Cody's cheek. A natural, happy smile appeared on Finn's muzzle, radiating warmth and joy that was simply infectious. Cody beamed and looked right into the camera's lens. He took the picture and plucked the photo from the machine.

"Mind if I keep this one?" he asked, regarding the photo.

"Sure but you owe me another one," Finn replied. Without warning, Finn took the photograph and then pressed his lips against Cody's. The Commander simply melted and luckily shut his eyes, lost in the moment, before the blinding flash hit him. He was fairly sure the photo had been produced long before they finally broke the kiss.

Finn showed him the photograph. Both dragons had their eyes closed, passion blossoming right off the image. Cody didn't even realise he had gently gripped the back of Finn's head or that Finn's claws had lightly torn his shirt until it showed in the photograph.

"I'm keeping this one," Finn announced.

Cody seized Finn around the waist and pulled him close. "And I'm keeping you!"

"Yeow!" Finn exclaimed, flailing lightly with a laugh. "I thought you were tuckered out from sex!"

Though he could feel his erection rising, Cody had to admit his heart wasn't into sex. Every part of him wanted to do it badly but he was just exhausted. "I am... but I'm not opposed to just cuddling?"

"The Commander cuddling!?" Finn exclaimed mockingly. "Ooh! I should call you Commander Cuddles! It'll be my pet name for you!"

Cody eyed Finn challengingly. "Oh, we're coming up with pet names now, eh? Should I call you 'Sparky'?"

Finn rolled his eyes and leaned in, kissing Cody one more time. "It needs work." He flicked his ears towards the bedroom door. "Shall we?"

"I'd love to."

******

349:11:01:07:54:09

Finn had to admit, there was a depressing silence with being back at the military base. Everything was scorched, blackened and charred. Craters stood where warehouses of munitions and stockpiles of weapons used to be. The barracks were just shells of their former selves and each of the individual cabins were smashed beyond repair. When he and Cody reached the Commander's cabin, there were still burnt pieces of pages from the various books Cody kept littering the area like some mocking version of confetti.

Cody bent down and picked up the hardback cover of a book, the pages mostly gone. The moment he straightened, it began to crumble in his hands.

"Do the docks have any replacements?" Finn asked.

"Some," Cody answered sorrowfully. "But most of them were given to by the Conglomerate to help study tactics. There are no replacements in the docks." He let out a soft laugh. "I remember there was this one guy, a former marine. I forgot his name but he worked for NexArm just like the others. He was the first one to give me my first fantasy book. Said that I could use the variety."

Finn gently wrapped his arms around Cody, nuzzling his affectionately. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Cody gave him a light peck on the cheek. "Hey, this might give me motivation to write my own story."

"You want to write?" Finn exclaimed, pulling back in surprise.

"Everyone needs a hobby to keep them focused, right?" Cody responded with a shrug. "You've got your photography, I might take up writing."

"Being the Commander isn't enough?"

"Just like being the Minister of Foreign Relations and Social Policy isn't enough for you, Sparky."

Finn nudged Cody a little and they both spread their wings. They lifted off, leaving a cloud of ash as they soared over to the Return Gate. It was a short enough trip to head back to Arcadia and quickly check up on the embassy. Though Savage didn't like it, Finn put him in charge of distributing goods to Arcadia and Gavin was helping with the negotiations. Skip was waiting for them in Hornton while Vein was back in Camp Draco, overseeing what could be given to Arcadia and what could be sent to Burheim or Hornton. It was a bit of concern that Gavin was asking for weapons for the purpose of defending the home front but Finn trusted Savage's judgement on the matter.

They headed to the Collector Camp where the stockpile as an offering to Burheim was being arranged just in front of the Burheim Gate. A pile of crates labelled with their contents was arranged and ready for distribution but Lobo judged that it still wouldn't be enough. Team Commando was to spread rumours of Arcadia in Burheim while Vanguard was to continue providing supplies from Hornton. Trailblazer was to continue scouting Hornton and Burheim for any signs of Hammerhorn's troops.

Finn was glad to see that some dragon and rhinos had started setting up the training grounds in front of the Gates as Cody suggested. Hopefully the Commander had more suggestions on how to better prepare Gateway as well.

They approached the Gate into the Hornton where Cody suddenly stopped and regarded the big, blue glowing mass.

"This is big," he murmured softly. "It's the first time I'll be stepping into another region with a totally different Haze... a hostile one that'll be actively trying to change me..." He took a deep breath and let it out a slowly. "Phew... I'm kind of nervous!"

"Don't be," Finn said comfortingly. He reached out and gripped Cody's hand tightly. "I'll be there to make sure you make it through."

Cody smiled though he still wore a certain unease in the corner of his lips. "Thanks. I appreciate it." He gripped Finn's hand even tighter. "Let's go."

Just like every other time he had stepped through a Gate, a second didn't even pass before he was on Arcadia and then he was in another place, somewhere that was so far removed from Arcadia and so different that it might as well have been a different world. The first thing Cody commented on was how the air smelled different.

"That's the Haze here in Hornton," Finn said, taking in Gateway. It was the first time he had been back to Hornton since Camp Draco's Gate had opened. From where he stood in the Gate from Arcadia, nothing seemed different. Same junkyard, same blue sky and same towering, empty concrete skyscrapers in the distance.

"Where are the High Horns?" Cody asked.

"They're actually closer to the Return Gate," Finn said. "Come on, I'll take you there."

"You don't have troops stationed here?" Cody responded, turning around to regard the Gate. "This is where people from Arcadia come to and no one is stationed here?"

"Erm..." Finn shuffled from one foot to the other. Cody was definitely back in 'Commander Mode'. As a dragon, he was constantly compelled to just snap into attention and bark off a quick, 'Yes, sir' but he resisted. "We really haven't had the resources to set up another outpost. Lobo wants a new one built now that we have more people so maybe we can build one here."

A soft grunt left Cody's lips and he suggested they head to Gateway. It was only a short flight to the bustling fortress. To say that Finn was taken aback by the fortress of Gateway was an understatement. The walls were thick and geared for defence with catapults being built all along the walls and various devices ready to pelt any invaders with concrete blocks. The wild greenery of the park had been trimmed back and neatened to make passage between the blocky houses and buildings easier. Housing was arranged in a neat grid formation but there was still some degree of uniqueness in each one. One house would have two storeys, another would have a little attachment on the top just for a single balcony. A third had a garage where a vehicle was parked. There was one that was shaped more like a hollowed out square with the central area being a big garden. One particular house even looked like it was built around a big tree in homage to the huts of Arcadia.

As he descended, Finn counted more than a hundred High Horns milling about. There must've been hundreds but no more than a thousand of them taking over the entirety of the park. He could see Lobo's logic in creating a second settlement and expanding their efforts. From where he hovered, he could vaguely see the two major compounds that Hammerhorn held. It was funny. The sky seemed to darken around those areas like the Haze was reacting to them and purposefully sucking the light out from the area.

Once he landed, a cry of his name with a familiar voice made him turn.

Kevin came charging towards him, arms wide.

"Kev!" he replied and caught Kevin's tight hug, laughing brightly. It felt good to have a friend's arms around him. He quickly remembered Cody and disengaged. "Cody, this is Kevin. Kevin, this is the Commander of Camp Draco, Cody."

"Commander Cody," Kevin said. "That's cute."

Cody bristled a little, his thick tail thwacking against the concrete floor lightly. "It's not cute. It's short, succinct and easy to remember."

Finn gently pressed a hand against the Commander's chest. "He meant it as a compliment." He nodded towards Kevin with a smile. "How're things over here. You seem to have settled in nice and quickly."

Kevin let out a short laugh and crossed his arms. "Well what you can you do when everything you've ever known is turned upside down but rebuild?" He shrugged his broad shoulder. "We try to make do. We've build a solid fortress here."

"Have you been attacked by any of the Rammers?"

The High Horn glanced towards the enormous gates and beyond. "They know to steer clear. We've seen a few that have been spying on us but most of the time, they stay away. Some of our teams scouting around the area have encountered some of their patrols but ever since that victory in Camp Draco, they've been pretty skittish." He beamed at Cody. "You guys really gave them a run for their money. They're scared."

"Good," Cody grunted. "We can press the advantage. I remember Lobo mentioning that he wants a second encampment set up. Have you guys found any suitable areas?"

"A few. Here, why don't we got to my place and we can discuss them."

Kevin's 'place' was actually a large garage of sorts. The rhino mentioned that on one of the few moments he went out exploring, he found one such garage and he had grown fond of the trucks that had brought him and the other High Horns out of Arcadia. Combining the two together, he had built his home to model the garage he had seen. There was a quite a bit of room between the two trucks that he seemed to be working on at the time and Kevin seemed to have set up an office space in the rear of the room next to a flight of stairs led up the stairs to his living area. The place smelled of oil and metal, masking the concrete and musk of the Haze.

Finn let out a low whistle upon seeing the two trucks. One was heavily armoured and looked like it would take a whole army of Rammers to tip it over. Thick metal plates covered its entire structure and the rear tray had been reinforced to make the edges rise up to a good few feet from the base, protecting anyone sitting within it from attack. Some tarp had been thrown on top of the tray as well to protect any travellers from the weather. The other truck looked like it was built for offense with the metal decked out by metal spikes and a plough of sorts welded to its bumpers to carve through any who stood in front of it. It was this truck that Cody was most interested in as he examined it with a soft, thoughtful noise.

"You've been working on these?" Finn asked, patting the truck's surface.

"It was Carver's idea," answered Kevin. "The Rammers are working with metal and he thought we should start practicing with it too. He and a few of his guys found some books in one of the shopping malls and studied metallurgy."

"Books?" Cody asked, his ears perked. "There are books here?"

"Scattered about in certain shops and some homes, yeah."

Finn could see the spark in Cody's eyes and grinned. "Come on, Commander, we've got a job to do." He nodded towards the truck. "What do you think of the trucks?"

Turning back towards the vehicles, Cody let out a louder more thoughtful noise. "They're heavily armoured, I'll give them that. But I don't know how fast they'll run. It seems to me that all this weight could be a detriment to their speed. If you're being chased down by a dozen Rammers who are nearly as big as these things, all that armour won't do you any good."

Kevin let out sound that almost sounded like a whine. "You have a point there... I'll ask Carver if he can find some books on engineering. Maybe he can tune up the engines or something..."

"Some of my troops work on plane engines and tanks. We can get our engineers to have a look. Do you have plans to make more of these?"

"The rest of the High Horns have been pulling in vehicles that they find, yeah."

"I think it'll make things more efficient in terms of transporting goods from one place to the others. What do you use for fuel?"

There, Kevin's shoulders dropped. "What fuel we can find but right now, I don't think have any to make the trips back and forth from Arcadia, Camp Draco and Burheim. There are gas stations here and there but the pumps don't work and we don't want to dig underground to get to them in case something bad happens. Besides, the stuff these things churn out stinks..."

"Fair enough."

Finn regarded Cody curiously. "What did your vehicles use to fuel them?"

For a second, Cody's eyes widened and the scales around his cheeks began to get a red tinge. "Well... erm... uh... We used a strictly biodegradable, naturally occurring fuel that we had in abundance."

That response was not what he was expecting and Finn tilted his head to the side. "Where did it come from?"

"Uh... we dragons produce it naturally..."

Finn suddenly got an idea and stuck out his tongue in disgust. "Gross! You don't use your own shit, do you?"

Cody sighed heavily. He moved towards the front of the truck and popped the hood. "We have a process that converts our... leavings into fuel that our engines can use. I mean, when you think about it, we dragons can breathe fire, ice, electricity or acid. _Something_in our diet or bodies allows us to produce that sort of stuff and that works with our shit too."

"And here I thought the Haze just gave you fuel..."

Cody shook his head and tapped the engine. "These engines will need some tweaking if they're to use dragon... erm... poop. But we can make it work."

"Thanks...? I guess..." Kevin said, clearly unsure of the offer. He quickly changed the subject. "Oh, right! The maps. Come on up to my room."

He led the way up the stairs to where he slept. The moment he opened it, though, the stench of sex and sweat hit both dragons like a brick wall. They both took a step back and covered their noses. Though the room was clean, Finn could almost see the thick Haze that rested within.

"Oh... uh... sorry," Kevin muttered, blushing deeply. "Carver tends to stay here whenever he feels like it. It usually ends in... well... you know."

"How often do you two do it?" Finn asked, waving his hand in front of his face in a vain attempt to sweep the stench away. Cody spread his wings and began flapping them, proving to be a far more effective method and Finn followed his example.

Kevin ducked his head and muttered something about having done it three times before Carver ventured out into Camp Draco to help over there and turn into a dragon. When he offered to bring the maps out, Finn said that they could endure it as their wing flapping did get some of the smell out.

Inside, there was a neat bed pressed up against the corner big enough to fit two rhinos. There was a couch and a small coffee table set beside it facing a wall with dozens of maps hung up. Right next to the door was a small bench where a coffee machine and some boxes of cereal stood. There was even a mini fridge.

"Question," Cody said, lifting a hand. "Where does all your electricity come from?"

Kevin shrugged as he headed towards the wall of map. "Honestly? We don't know. We know there's a power plant right here..." He tapped a section of the map. "We haven't ventured far enough to check it out but I'm assuming that's where all the power is coming from. As to how it's able to pump out power this far after the world ended, I can't answer that. We just managed to tap into the power lines around here."

Curious, Finn glanced towards Cody. "Where does the power in Camp Draco come from?"

Cody smirked, an evil glint in his eyes. "From electricity-breathing dragons like yourself. We have batteries that they shoot their lightning at to recharge it."

"Are you being serious...?"

"Of course. We got to use our breath weapons for something apart from a war that we never faced, right?"

Despite his words, Finn was still unsure if Cody was joking. He sat down on the couch before he realised that Kevin and Carver had likely soaked it in their cum multiple times. Many times before, he had coated various furnishings with his own seed and had been soaked himself but there was just something unsettling about the idea that he was sitting on a couch that had been similarly been soaked and cleaned. It was like such an act should be abolished and worthy of shame.

Kevin brought over a few maps and set it on the coffee table. "We're here..." he pointed at a big green area on the map. "We found three locations that we think would be really good places to set up a second camp."

One location was a dockside right next to the river. It was big, defensible and had plenty of access to the river itself. Cody didn't think it was a good idea considering how it was a fairly long distance between the current encampment. The second was a broad, multistorey shopping mall, in fact the very same one where a former Builder settlement stood and they had been attacked by some Rammers. While it had a lot of supplies, it was a death trap if the Rammers caught them.

"This one," Cody said, nodding at the last possible location.

It was a big sports facility, according to Kevin. There was a swimming pool, multiple tennis courts, five indoor soccer fields, a gymnasium and a food court. It wasn't too far from Gateway and even better, it was close to the Gate coming in from Arcadia. A small outpost could be built right at the Gate and they could come straight to the second encampment with little hassle.

"The multiple areas can serve not only as training areas but traps and defensible positions against invaders," Cody said. "The food court provides supplies and there are plenty of escape routes. My suggestion would be this place."

"I'll bring it to Carver and Lobo's attention," Kevin said, rolling up the map. "So, can I interest you two in a tour of the rest of Gateway?"

Kevin, while restrained to the ground, was an excellent tour guide. He took them to the various areas of what had once been a vast park in the middle of a bustling metropolis. In something resembling the stones that the Arcadians used to commemorate anyone who has ever come to their sanctuary, there was a massive stone monument in the middle of the park. It was vaguely shaped like a horn and made entirely out of concrete. Its surface had the names of each of the High Horns chiselled into it. The surrounding park was calm and overrun with tall grass and flowers reminiscent of Gantry's Glade back in Arcadia. There, many High Horns had taken to meditating or relaxing amongst the flowers in the shadow of the Horn Monument. It was surprisingly quiet and far detached from the rest of Gateway. The noises of construction and work seemed to stop after a certain point and leave Monument Glade in peace.

Apart from the residential quarter, there was also a large picnic area that benefitted from various stalls for refreshments. Like any place which had provided food before the Apocalypse, this one had an infinite supple of produce thanks to the Haze. Everything from hotdogs, pretzels, ice cream and even some fresh fruits were offered. Kevin explained that they still needed to raid certain areas for other more substantial food such as red meat, poultry, fish and vegetables but they had a source within Gateway at least. It became clear why Hornton couldn't always supply the large amounts of food that most people back in Arcadia expected.

A second settlement would no doubt help.

A surprise came around noon when a loud cheer rang up from the front gates following by a series of bell rings.

"What's that?" Cody asked.

"Sounds like we've got a new Settlement that's decided to join us," Kevin responded with a grin. He excitedly jogged towards the front gates, Finn and Cody just behind them. "I sent a group to an eastern settlements, across the river. I didn't want them falling prey to Hammerhorn. It looks like they made it back safe and sound."

At the gates, a large group of High Horns, about fifty of them or so, came pouring. They were all Builders but most of them bore the increased muscle mass and three horns of a true High Horn. The inhabitants of Gateway applauded as they entered.

"There's going to be a celebration tonight," Kevin said. "Why don't you two stay?"

Finn exchanged glances with Cody and the Commander gave a shrug. "Sure," he answered. "We'd love to."

******

349:11:01:13:08:55

Marv felt... heavy.

Being a bear was something entirely different to being a High Horn or a human. It had taken him a bit of time to get used to the different distribution in his weight not to mention the sudden inflation of his gut. Though he had to admit, it felt nice to have a bit of extra meat on him and still have rippling abdominals. Every step was strong and powerful. His massive legs had never been thicker or bigger but they had to be to be able to carry his weight through the thick temperate forest of Burheim. He didn't have the luxury of swinging his arms to the soft tune the rest of the caravan whistled or hummed as his broad shoulders and thick arms could be classified as deadly weapons if swung. Wearing the plaid red shirt, thick denim jeans and heavy workman's boots reminded him of being a Builder.

He strode beside large wagon pulled by a team of four, massive, shirtless bears slightly bigger than him but far more lean and rippling with muscles. There was no one driving the caravan, rather each of the men pulling the wagon knew exactly where to go and what they were doing. Of those men was Cross, the enormous cook offering a thundering base to the song that they intoned. A short distance away was Lobo, now a bear as well but like him, he was fully dressed though he wore his plaid shirt open instead of buttoned up.

Marv glanced at the dusty, well used road that cut through the forests of Burheim. They had encountered his caravan on their way to one of the villages and they welcomed the additional assistance. In exchange, they offered some of their supplies which included some rather sweet honey and almond bread, several jars of honey and some wrapped, cured meat. The caravan, known simply as the 'Sweet Trinity' for the three brothers that founded it, focused mainly on transporting honey across to the villages. Lobo had explained earlier that Burheim, being built on a system of bartering, had several such caravans that transported goods all over the area in predetermined circuits. He warned never to ask how the routes were determined because he'd just get blank stares from the bears. It seemed the Haze had sorted that fact for them. He suspected that the version of the Haze here had micromanaged quite a bit when it came to the caravans.

The song abruptly ended and the brother stopped their advance. The biggest of them, a black bear with a massive scar running down his back from left shoulder to right high, straightened and wiped his brow and let go of the poles that he used to drag the caravan down. "Song's over boys! Time for a rest!"

When Marv showed a bit of puzzlement on his face, Lobo nudged him and quickly explained that each of the caravans sang songs to determine the distance and the amount of time that had passed. Watching the big, shirtless bears start to unpack for lunch, he realised he was a little hungry as well. Lobo quickly exchanged glances with Cross and Marv.

It was time to put their plan into action.

"Mind if we join you?" Lobo asked.

The biggest brother, consequently the oldest by the name of Antony, beamed and waved them over. "Of course, friend! Come, sit with us. Would you like some bread? I think you've more than earned your share."

"We brought our own," Cross said. "It might take a lil' prep though. Ya dun mind, do ya?"

The brothers shrugged. That was Team Commando's signal to quickly set up a small fire. Marv gathered sticks and set them in a pile while Lobo arranged some rocks in a circle. Cross took out the food that they had brought from Hornton from the packs that they had stowed in the wagon. Once a fire was going, he took one of the cases of foil and began to cook it over the fire. The brothers watched in curiosity. Within moments, the delicate aroma of sweet plum sauce on barbequed beef ribs began to rise out of the foil. Add to that the sweetened jasmine rice and herbed chicken sausages and the bears were salivating over the aromas, their mouths watering.

A few minutes later, Cross executed the coup de grace by taking the foil packages out of the fire and unfolding them.

"What is that?" asked one of the bears, hovering right over Marv's shoulder. He had a soft, honey brown fur and a thick set of cheek ruffs that made him look very cuddly. This deceptively wide brown eyes did nothing to hide his rippling, lean muscles or his vascular arms and chest. He had a little white crest that started from his collarbone and just crested over the valley of his pectorals.

"These 're som' beef ribs in plum sauce," answered Marv, holding up the case he was offered. "Here, try som'."

"Sure," answered the bear brightly. "Here, you can have some of my bread!"

Marv lifted his big paw, still a little stunned at just how big his claws were. "Naw, just take 'em."

The bear blinked at him several time in surprise. "Erm... that's... not how we usually do things... Fair trade and all..."

"This is how they do it where we got these stuff," answered Marv. "Crazy place called 'Arcadia'. They dun care 'bout fair trade and such. If they like ya, they give ya free stuff."

"That sounds very... strange."

"It is," Marv laughed softly. "It sure is..." He once again offered the ribs to the bear. Around him Cross and Lobo were likewise engaging the other members of the caravan. His bear took a rib and gently tore the meat right off the bone. When he placed it in his mouth, his eyes popped.

"Mmmm! This is really good! What else did you get from this... 'Arcadia'."

"Lotsa stuff. Check 'em out."

Marv showed him the rest of the food, suggesting he try the ribs with some of the rice and the sausages. Apart from the food, he began slipping in ideas of other species other than bears. He tried to be as descriptive but as... ignorant as possible. He described the humans as 'furless' and pink, the rhinos having 'claws' on their faces to describe their horns and the dragons as looking like big, scaly chickens.

The bear laughed and commented that he must be joking. Marv gave him a serious stare to show that he wasn't kidding.

"That must have been a fantastic trip..." The bear held out his stick paw. "My name is Mikhail by the way. But most people call me Mickey."

"Rush," he responded, shaking Mickey's paw. "An' Arcadia is pretty crazy but it's ah nice place. My buddies an' I were gunna head back there later ta grab more stuff. I thin' Burheim wud do good with more of this stuff." He gently shook the foil package with the ribs.

"I'll say!" Mikhail answered with a grin. "But we must give them something in turn for their kindness. Do you think they would like our honey bread? Perhaps they would need coal or ore? We have plenty of livestock as well for trade."

Looking at the wagon which was currently filled with milk, honey and an assortment of pastries along with a few other fresh foods, Marv said, "Yeah. I thin' they'd like som' stuff like that. If ya want, we can take some of yer stock to 'em. Ya can have som' of our stuff fer trade too. Maybe ya can bring it ta the other villages or sumthin'."

"That would be fantastic!" The bear turned to his brothers. "Hey! Antony! Dimitri! My friend Rush had just suggested we trade with some of their stock!"

Antony exchanged glances with his other brother and then Lobo who he had been sharing some food with. "Is that alright, with you friend Lobo? Your wares are very intriguing."

"Of course," Lobo responded with a bright smile. "We're always happy to trade. Why don't we go over the details later? Right now..." He grunted as he leapt to his feet, his massive form shaking the ground as he stomped on it lightly. He headed into the wagon and retrieved a bottle of wine that he had requested Hornton provide them specifically for this purpose. "Let's have some wine!"

Mikhail made a face. "What is 'wine'? Isn't that what you call people who complain?"

His ignorance was a little cute and disconcerting as well. It made Marv laugh softly. "Naw. This is wine. Without the 'H'. Itsa drink. Made from grapes I thin' and alcohol."

"I am always up for a hearty drink," laughed Dimitri, the widest of the brothers and clearly the one with a larger appetite. His belly was a little more pronounced than his brothers and he eagerly took the cup of wine that Lobo offered him. When he drank it, he gave a nod of approval. "It is sweet and strong. I like it."

They all shared some of the drink but Lobo purposefully avoided pouring too much for the Collectors, wary that any form of inebriation could hamper their judgment and make them vulnerable to the Haze. While Marv did indulge in a sip or two, he didn't really like the taste of wine and just filled the time by talking to Mikhail more and more.

Apparently, the brothers came from a village far to the east next to a meadow filled with flowers. Their village was situated next to some open plains where they tilled the land and raised livestock. Honey was their major export but when the brothers returned home, they liked baking as well, trading the spoils form the other villages for flour, eggs and whatever else they needed to make their pastries.

Burheim sounded like a place that emphasises work and the worker a lot. Marv reminisced of simpler times when all he had to worry about was getting up in the morning, checking on his crops and making sure the pigs or the cow was nice and happy. Things sure got complicated when he met Finn but he didn't regret it one bit.

In his conversation with Mikhail, he idly asked if he could be taught how to bake.

Mikhail gave him this strange look like he had just blasphemed against the creator.

"Teach... you...?" the bear asked, scratching his head. "I... I don't know. I don't know if can. No one ever teaches anyone how to do what they do. I suppose I _could_but how would it serve me? What do I get out of it?"

"Someone else that can help ya if ya ever need it?" Marv offered. "Plus it's somethin' that Arcadia really values. Knowledge. I remember hearin' someone say if ya give a man a fish, ya'll feed em fer a day. If ya teach 'em how to fish, ya'll feed em fer a lifetime.'"

Mikhail frowned at that. "Huh... That sounds... Huh..."

Marv wondered if he had pushed too far and wished Finn was here. He would know how to handle this situation. Thankfully, their break ended at that point and they headed back on the road. Again, Marv stood beside the wagon, protecting it from any dangers while the rest of the brothers continued to pull it along the road.

The sun was starting to set by the time they came to the limits of the village known simply to the brothers as 'Honey Hill'. It wasn't hard to see why. From the edge of the forest, they could see that there were a few hills where windmills had been set up. Farmland stretched across from there with small, peaceful huts billowing smoke from their stone chimneys. Again, Marv was taken back to simpler times and he almost missed Lobo telling them it was time to head back. As was planned, they traded everything they had brought from both Arcadia, Camp Draco and Hornton. In exchange, they got some honey, bread and pastries.

Marv bit Mikhail a goodbye and watched as the wagon headed back to their homes. Several farmers noticed their approach and quickly called out to their neighbours, bringing news of their arrival across the small village. They were swarmed by villagers, eager for their wares. Even though it was late in the day, they were still greeted as heroes.

"The caravans are the lifeblood of Burheim," Lobo said softly as they retreated in the forest. "While every village is self-sufficient, it is the caravans that connects each one to one another and unites the villages as a community."

"Huh..." Marv gave Lobo a curious look. "You think if we made caravans between each of the regions, the same thing will happen?"

"Who knows? Right now, every place is very different. Burheim has the benefit of being occupied by a single race. Plus they don't have the worry about Hammerhorn. Yet."

******

349:11:01:18:14:08

Finn was very impressed by Cody's fortitude. That he lasted so long in Hornton without changing into a rhino really said something about his strength. Admittedly, it was harder to change into another shape when in Beast form but still, after over twelve hours of being in Hornton, Cody was still a dragon. It was hard to distract him when he was in Commander Mode though and the Haze didn't stand a chance when he was picking apart the defences and patrol routes.

They had met Anodyne who had been organising most of Gateway but was now preparing to hand off the task to either Kevin or Carver while he continued to lead Vanguard. Cody had offered some of his frontline troops to be part of Vanguard and Anodyne eagerly accepted.

"We'll be the first into the sectors and we'll be the first to set up bases," Anodyne said. "We'll be the vanguard."

But the highlight of the evening definitely was the big party that Kevin was organising for the newcomers. At the centre of the residential area was a broad square with hundreds of seats arranged in the vague semblance of an auditorium with a few noted differences. Every five rows, there was a broad flat area where tables of refreshments were assembled. Though only built as a semi-circle, there was enough room for all of Gateway to pile into the seats and with plenty of room to spare.

When the party started, the aroma of cooked food filled Finn's nose and made his stomach grumble. In front of them, several performers were on the makeshift stage made of concrete of course. Feats of strength and virility were on display and Finn was a little surprised none of them started comparing dicks. But he had to admit, watching the big, sweaty rhinos hefting huge concrete blocks on their shoulders or tossing them to one another without breaking a sweat to the beat of drums was entertaining. There was a competition akin to an improvisation session where several teams had to create something that the crowd shouted out. The first round was 'skyscraper' and the three teams scrambled to make mould the pre-prepared quick drying cement into their best skyscrapers. The team that won got the most cheers.

It was all to honour the newcomers.

Finn couldn't help but compare it to when he had arrived in Arcadia. Here, a party was thrown. There, he was given a room and a brief introduction and then expected to work. Yes, they had it rough and humans were supposedly the 'base species' and they were cleansed of their 'Beast' to become human again but which species was truly happy? Which species was truly preserved the ideals of 'humanity'?

Such thoughts were distracting him and he quickly got up from his front row seats. "I'm going to grab more food," he said, hiking his thumb over his shoulder. "Do you guys want any?"

Cody shook his head, his eyes fixated on the stage where a particularly big High Horn was lifting two massive concrete blocks while the crowd counted his reps. Kevin was talking to one of the newcomers and didn't hear him.

Taking that as a 'no', Finn headed up the stairs to the food table. He fell behind a particularly large High Horn, one with long, spikey blonde hair with brown roots. A quick sniff of his scent revealed him to be a Collector, Crash if he wasn't mistaken.

"Hey Crash."

The Collector turned, mirthful brown eyes reminding him a lot of Skip. "Renegade! Hey!" The member of Trailblazer grinned broadly and gave him a quick hug. "How's things going, man? Caused any more chaos?"

"Does everyone expect me to turn the world upside down?" laughed Finn, a little perturbed.

"Your track record speaks for itself, my man!" Crash answered with a laugh of his own.

"Then you might be disappointed that today all I did was bring Cody over here as requested."

"Awww... That's so boring!" Despite his words, Crash was beaming brightly. "Honestly dude, you're the best thing to have happened to Arcadia. Hell, the whole world. I'm glad you shake things up a little. Makes things more fun."

Finn laughed softly as the line shuffled forward towards the food table. Crash picked up one of the paper plates and handed it to him. "I'm glad someone else supports me. Sometimes I wonder if what I'm doing is right..."

"Heck, if you always succeeded then life would just be as boring than if you didn't do anything." Crash shuffled forward and reached towards a tray of fried chicken wings. They were strangely green in colour. He offered one to Finn. "Want one? Wasabi Chicken Wings apparently."

He had never heard of 'wasabi' before but he shrugged anyway. "Sure. Why not?" Crash placed three of them on his place and moved onto the pizza slices. Finn took a bite of one. At first he got the saltiness of the crispy skin and then he was hit by the heat of the wasabi. Before he could cry out in alarm, the mild taste of the chicken's flesh eased him back. It wasn't half bad.

"So how's Trailblazing going?" he asked, grabbing a soda just in case.

"Boring," admitted Crash. "Hammerhorn's forces aren't doing much but training and building their numbers. They're getting more aggressive attacking other Builder settlements and started setting up these traps around the place to grab Wrecker packs. But they haven't ventured far into Burheim as far as we can tell."

"You mean they've crossed over?" Finn asked, alarmed.

"We saw tracks on their side of the Gate but they end maybe a mile or so into the forest. No outpost has been built either. I suppose if it stays like that, we could actually build our own outpost on the Burheim side of their Gate and ambush them if they come through."

That was an idea... but Finn knew that negotiations with Burheim had to go perfectly. He wasn't going to put people at risk again because of his impulsiveness. Tomorrow, he would venture into Burheim, become a bear and start building that bridge between their regions.

"So what do you do with the rest of your time?"

Crash shrugged. "Oh you know. The usual. Patrol. Train. Same thing as every day."

They reached the end of the table with a pile of food on their plates. They were seated on separate levels but they hung around at the stairs while munching on their food. Finn realised he hadn't really spent much time with any of the other Collectors like the members of Trailblazer. He barely even knew Vein.

"So what's your area of expertise?" he asked through a mouthful of meat pie.

"Hmmm?" Crash responded, lifting his eyebrow. "Oh, I'm at home in Pride City. That place is pretty stuck up. Everyone there cares about results and some such. They all need to relax a little. Ticks everyone off that I can still get results and have fun at the same time. But it lets me get to know people all the better when they're pissed." He waved a chicken wing absently through the air. "There's no better way to know a person than when they're royally pissed."

"Isn't that dangerous?"

"Naw, I'm too valuable to them."

"Huh. Good to know." Finn rubbed his chin absently. "What about your teammates?"

"Well Vale loves it at Equus College. He's a real party animal there. I think he's a little peeved that you separated him from Vein though. Those two used to really go wild in Equus. Lobo usually had to drag them back out of the parties there by their drunk tails."

Finn did recall Vale's furious look when Vein had suggested the reorganising of the Collectors. "Oh..."

"Don't feel so bad. Those two are called the 'Twins' but that's only because they look alike. They're best friends but even best friends have differences, right?" Crash let out a soft rumble of appreciation as he cleaned his chicken wing. "These are good. Might go back for more. Anyway, Ruin loves it in Orcum Country. Don't ask me why. He doesn't talk about himself much but he's got that place memorised and knows the tribes the best. If and when you head in there, be sure to ask him for advice."

"Thanks. I will."

Crash beamed, showing a few bits of chicken stuck between his teeth. "Anyway, I'm gonna grab more grub before I head back to Arcadia. Got a long day tomorrow. See ya!"

Finn wanted to ask what was in store for the Trailblazer tomorrow but he decided to leave the problems of Arcadia behind for the moment. He needed to unwind a little and he brought his food back to where Cody and Kevin were seated. The show had moved to a display of near-naked High Horns wrestling against one another to the approval of the crowd. The two competing Horns had painted their bodies to better distinguish themselves from one another. It was definitely nice to see that there was passion in their movements. They were truly devoted to competition.

He sat back down to beside Cody, the Commander incredibly intent on the show. Kevin was watching and cheering as well but something seemed a little... _off_with Cody. Whenever the crowd cheered, Cody would just remain seated, his hands clasped in front of his lips like he was praying and his eyes focused on the match. Was he analysing the movements, scrutinising every grapple and throw like the Commander he was?

Finn finished off his food and made to suggest he relax... when he noticed the visible tent in Cody's pants, something he was trying to hide. It took him a second to realise that the sight of two, practically naked men wrestling, their sweaty bodies colliding against one another plus the Haze was finally wearing down Cody's resistances.

He snickered softly and reached slyly across Cody's lap and gave the dragon's twin cocks a firm squeeze. Cody instantly went rigid and stared at him in shock, a blush touching his cheeks.

"What do you say we get out of here?" Finn suggested.

Cody's eyes bulged. "Ab-ada-blurghy-blub-urm."

Finn snickered and took Cody's hand, pulling him away from the stands and away from the performance. They were just barely out of the stadium when Cody seized Finn's hips and pressed his body against his own, his cocks pressing up against Finn's ass through their clothes.

"Oh fuck..." Cody groaned. He was panting profusely. "I need to fuck so badly... I... I don't think I can do this..." Even though he said those words, he was grinding up against Finn's back and reaching over, groping Finn's dick and coaxing it to erection. "I... I didn't even notice I was getting hard... Oh shit... it's so strong... I... I wanna get in that ring... I wanna wrestle... I want to build... I want so smash things..."

Finn quickly turned around and seized Cody's cheeks, forcing the Commander to look him straight in the eye. "Cody, remember who you are. Remember your dream to write your own book. Remember how there are dozens of bookshops all over the city with stories that you've never read before."

Cody blinked several times, his soft blue eyes gaining more and more clarity with every second. "Right, right..." He nodded a few times and let out a sigh. "Shit... I nearly lost it..." He gave Finn a shaky smile. "Thank you, Finn." He wiped his brow which was drenched in sweat. "I think... I think I need to go back to Camp Draco. I don't think I'm ready to change into a High Horn just yet..."

Finn shook his head. "Come on, Cody. You've come this far. You can't just give up now. I know it's strong but you're stronger. I'll be right here beside you to help you stay sane."

Cody squeezed his eyes shut and let out a soft whimper. "Okay... Okay... I can do this." He took a deep breath. Realising that was a mistake as he took in more of the Haze, he growled in frustration but that quickly turned into a lusty moan. "Let's go somewhere private. That bush looks good."

"I -"

"Cody! Finn!"

Both of them turned back towards the celebration. Kevin was running over to them, waving.

"Where are you two going?" asked the High Horn. "It's still fairly early."

"Cody is about to change," Finn said, gesturing at the Commander. "I guess the show was a little overstimulating for him."

Kevin's eyes went to the visible tent in Cody's pants that were clearly wet from precum. "I see..."

"Do you have somewhere we can... you know... do it?"

Giving them both a sympathetic smile, Kevin guided them back towards his garage. Cody was barely holding on and he was groaning with every step. He seemed to calm somewhat as soon as they left the party behind but his tail was constantly flicking from side to side and his wings were so stiff he looked about ready to explode. They barely made it up the stairs before Cody suddenly seized Finn by his shoulders and slammed him against the nearby wall, pressing their lips together and diving straight for his tonsils.

Finn let out a muffled protest as he remembered Kevin was still there with them.

"Erm... Feel free to use the bed," Kevin said, laughing softly. "I'll just head back and -"

"No," rumbled Cody, turning with a predatory look on his face. It didn't help that he licked his lips, showing off his glistening fangs. "Stay."

"Uh... I don't think that's such a good -"

Kevin never got another word of protest out as Cody quickly yanked him further into the room and firmly sank his fangs into the High Horn's shoulder, not enough to actually puncture his thick hide but enough to cause the rhino to moan lustily and buck his hips. Finn didn't even realise that Cody still had his hand firmly gripped around his wrist. He was suddenly yanked forward, his chest slamming into Kevin's with Cody looming just beside them, his big arms toned from military training wrapped around their shoulders.

"Kiss," Cody growled.

"Cody, I don't think..." Finn began.

"I said kiss!" Cody snarled, flames licking out between his fangs.

Finn locked gazes with Kevin, both of them at the mercy of this big, hairy fire-breathing dragon. For a brief moment, he took in the scene. Three guys coming back from a party, the biggest one 'drunk' and horny and forcing the other two to make out for his pleasure. Someone should be recording the whole event for distribution to the horny masses. He gulped loudly and leaned forward, shutting his eyes.

Kevin's lips were dry from fear and nervousness. Finn instinctively licked them to wet them a little but Kevin had exactly the same idea and their tongues brushed against one another. A fire erupted from the contact. It quickly travelled down his throat and ignited whatever was in his stomach, creating a blaze that felt like it was eating his insides. It felt wrong. But that quickly passed as Cody gripped the back of their heads and pushed them towards one another, forcing both men to twist their muzzled to the side so that they were interlocking. His crotch brushed up against Finn's and the fire quickly funnelled from his belly straight to his cock. He had reached up to Kevin's shoulder, rubbing the firm muscles hidden beneath the thin, white shirt. At the same time, Kevin's hands had slipped behind his waist, squeezing his firm rump.

"Hmmm yeah..." growled Cody, finally releasing them. "That's sexy." Finn felt a faint head coming from his left and opened one eye. Cody was flashing some fire again. The Commander seized their shoulders and pushed them across the room. "On the bed."

"Um..." Finn began, breaking the kiss but Cody let out a feral snarl, making him worry if Cody was becoming a Wrecker.

He staggered towards the bed, lifting his hands. "Cody, wait -"

The big, blue dragon suddenly seized his shoulders. His jaws came dangerously close to his ears and he froze, afraid that those dagger-like fangs would tear his ear off.

"Just tell me if I'm pushing it, okay?" Cody whispered softly. It took a second for Finn to realise that this was just all some fantasy, perhaps something that just entered Cody's mind and that he wanted to act upon. He nodded slowly. "Good," growled the Commander. "Now on the bed!"

He gave Finn a powerful shove and Finn backpedalled, landing on the bed with a loud 'oof'.

"Finn!" Kevin shouted but in doing so, he exposed his back to Cody. The big dragon seized his shoulders and spun him around. Finn had to admit, seeing Cody ravage Kevin like that, his claws savagely tearing through Kevin's shirt and pants but not tearing the skin... it was getting his hard. Finn licked his lips and kicked off his boots, shuffling along the bed. He gave Cody a wink, something the Commander caught and gave a wink back. Cody pushed Kevin onto the bed. The moment Kevin had flopped onto the mattress, Cody seized him and pulled him into another deep kiss. Kevin's shirt was torn down the middle, giving Finn access to his nipples which he gave a quick twist.

Kevin broke the kiss and let out a gasp of surprise. "Finn... you're...?"

"We can stop any time you want," he said. "Right Cody?"

"Not like you want to," Cody answered, flashing them both a grin while he groped his crotch lewdly. "What do you say, Kevin? Want to help two fire breathers go all rhino?"

Kevin still looked unsure so Finn reached over and gave his semi-erect cock a squeeze. The thick member instantly sprang to attention, straining his pants. Kevin threw his head back and let out a loud, lusty groan. What little doubt remained was washed away when Cody pulled off his shirt, revealing his rippling chest covered in a thick crest of red hair. He actually began to drool a little.

That was all the confirmation Cody needed and he eagerly jumped in with the other two, his cocks so painfully hard that he was more than ready to blow his load there and then. He pressed his body against Kevin's, lips pressed against the High Horn's and exploring the flat teeth and powerful molars with his long tongue. His claws hooked the shreds of Kevin's shirt and tore the remnants off. The heat radiating from Kevin soaked through Cody's scales, seeping into his very being. The Commander could feel something changing deep inside of him. With every breath he took, his muscles grew bigger, his chest pushing out further and further until his nipples were brushing against Kevin's leathery hide. Just the light touch sent electricity through his entire body, making him shudder.

Finn's hands gripped his shoulders and rolled him off Kevin, planting him perfectly between the two. Finn's lips wrapped around his right nipple, gentle suckling on it. The immense sensation was so much that it caused his toes to curl. It was doubled when Kevin did the same with his left nipple. Cody almost went blind but still had enough sense to seized the backs of the two men's heads and push them against his growing chest. Every moment they sucked on his sensitive nipples, it was like they were pulling at his muscles, giving them more and more mass. He groaned and watched as his pectorals continue to grow, the rising mounds causing the crest of red chest hair to shrink into the valley of his chest.

The scales around his nipples began soften. Their edges melded into one another and they lost the blue or creamy yellow colouration. Though it was fairly dark in the room, Cody could still see his scales turning into a thick, grey leathery hide starting from the area around his nipples. It spread quickly and as his entire chest area became a sea of grey, he noticed the bush of red chest hair becoming lighter. A light dusting of hair remained over his mounds but it was nowhere near as thick as before.

Finn reached down and grasped one of his cocks, causing his toes to curl in joy. The black dragon leaned down and sniffed his crotch to which he obliged by humping his face. Finn's soft lips wrapped around his cock, still coated by his pants but somehow that made the tender touch of his tongue so much better. He could barely contain himself and had to lift is free hand and clasp it over his eyes. If he saw what Finn was doing, he knew he'd lose control of his cock and balls.

His fingers began to bulge and shift. Cody watched as his white claws shrank into his fingertips. The grey, leathery hide seeped over his hand. For a moment, he lost all senses of lust and just stared at his morphing hand in fascination. He twisted the appendage back and forth, admiring how the veins popped on the back of his hand all the more against the leathery skin. His fingers bulged out bigger, thicker, build more for grasping and carrying than clawing and the delicate use of weaponry. His forearms surged out muscle by muscle leaving him with thick, ham-like arms that still maintained a light dusting of red hair.

Kevin's lips left his nipples, instead his tongue gently lathering the valley between his bulging pectorals. Warm drool seeped down to Cody's pectorals, making him clench the muscles there. When he relaxed, they urge outwards to fall in proportion to his massive pectorals. The big High Horn momentarily pulled away and unbuckled his belt. Taking his cue, Finn likewise began tearing at Cody's pants. Realising Cody still had his boots on, Finn reached for them.

However, a surge of warmth suddenly erupted at Cody's feet and the Commander groaned. Again, his toes curled but for a different reason. He could feel them pushing up against the edges of his boots, growing bigger and bigger. He let out a pained cry as his toes tore right through the lip of his leather boots. Through a few tears, Cody could see that his toes were no longer clawed but rather rounded, stubby and covered in grey leather. His feet throbbed from being confined in his boots and with his pulsation, they grew and grew until the base of his shoes fell apart.

"You're going to be a big rhino," Kevin rumbled lustily. "Let's see just how big."

Kevin dropped his pants and Cody's gawked at the enormous member the rhino sported. His mouth watered at the sight of its big, pulsing head dripping precum. As if reading his mind, Kevin positioned himself so that his thick, muscular legs were nestling Cody's head, his thick dick and balls just hovering tantalizing over him.

Cody could feel the warm waterfall of precum falling onto his chest, each drop fuelling his transformation. He could feel it seeping into his shoulders and his back. He had to lift himself slightly as the discomfort of being on his back was crushing his wings. But that discomfort soon changed as his broad, leathery wings began to shrink, inch by inch slipping back into his back. That mass did not go to waste, however, as it diverted to his shoulders, giving them far more definition and making them much larger. With his new, powerful hands, Cody seized Kevin's dick and turned it straight into his waiting muzzle. The splash of precum down his throat was heaven. He threw aside all desire to watch his body transform and just gave in in favour of having the best sex of his life.

For Finn's part, he eagerly pulled off the remnants of Cody's boots, feeling his own body morphing and twisting to take on his Builder form. He pressed his nostrils against Cody's feet, taking in their manly, musky smell now with the strong base of a rhino. That triggered the change to start in his face. He felt his teeth shrinking and he ran his tongue over them one last time, feeling the fangs recede into perfectly square blocks. The reptilian muzzle of a dragon morphed and shifted, becoming blocker, his black scales lightening and merging to form the leathery hide of a rhino. His face lengthened, giving his horns room to emerge. When the biggest horn began to emerge, it was like having an orgasm. The release was immeasurable and his eyelids fluttered as he bucked his face into the air just like he was shooting his load. The second, smaller horn that appeared was the finale but with a promise of more to come. He shook his head, now completely that of a rhino's. The change was seeping down his shoulders but he couldn't wait for the rest.

Finn lunged for Cody's pants and pulled them completely off. Cody's huge, double dicks were still throbbing and pouring his dragon essences onto the mattress. Finn eagerly gobbled one up, using his longer rhino muzzle to his advantage. He took it all completely, lathering the barbed length with his saliva and lapping up every drip of dragon precum he could have. The more he drew in, the slower his change progressed. He guessed it was because of the conflicting essences of dragon and rhino competing in his body. It prolonged his eventual orgasm and he enjoyed it.

He felt hot breath on his shoulder and he looked up to find Kevin had positioned himself into the perfect sixty-nine position with Cody. Whatever Cody was doing to Kevin's cock had sent the rhino into a reeling daze. Kevin's mouth hung open, panting heavily with thick wads of his drool cascading from his lips. Those lips looked so succulent that Finn just had to have a taste of them. He took one last mouthful of dragon precum and pulled away. He seized the back of Kevin's head and pulled their lips into a kiss. He felt Kevin hesitate but he quickly pushed what precum he hadn't swallowed into the rhino's muzzle. The exchange of warm fluid eased Kevin and he eagerly lapped it all up, their rhino muzzles meshing together in a frenzy.

A loud muffled groan from Cody and the press of the dragon's thick dick against his chest reminded him of Cody's needs. He broke the kiss, giving Kevin one last wink. But Kevin, now somewhat freed of Cody's hypnotising tongue work, gawked past Finn. Turning towards where he was looking, Finn grinned.

Cody's twin cocks began to edge towards one another. As the bases touched, the flesh began to meld together. The member lost none of its girth as the thick logs throbbed themselves into one, massive pole. The spines of a dragon shrank into the thick, black meat and was traded for a few more inches of extra length to Cody's already impressive size. The pointed tip smoothened out to become the same shape as any High Horn.

"I never get tired of seeing that," Finn growled. He groaned and stretched his wings. They were quickly shrinking back into his spine. He could feel his dicks starting to merge as well. It was like two powerful burning hot rods of metal attached to his groin were joining to form a single, pulsating, fiery spear. He needed to cool it off and he knew there was only one way he wanted that heat released.

He shuffled backwards a little and seized Cody's legs, lifting them onto the air. Just as his shoulders broadened to fit that of a High Horn's, he set Cody's huge calves on them. Cody let out a puzzled noise but that was quickly pushed into the background as Kevin gobbled up his cock and gave it just as much attention as Cody was giving Kevin's. Both men were humping one another, pumping their precum into each other but Finn was not to be left high and dry.

Finn angled his thick dick straight into Cody's hole, watching as the last bits of his scales faded into leathery grey. The last part that actually remained a dragon for Cody was his tail which lashed from side to side. With each sway, the tail shrank and the mass was added to his legs, making them thicker and thicker which Finn just went crazy over. He was spraying precum all over Cody's hole, offering lubrication.

He couldn't wait much longer and plunged his dick deep into Cody. Naturally, Cody bucked and in turn, Kevin bucked. The heat of need burning in Finn's cock was only stoked all the more as he pushed his entire length into Cody. His need for release grew uncontrollable. He could feel Kevin's thrusts through Cody's body and likewise, he could feel Cody's mounting need with the urgency of his own gyrations. Finn could very well have just sat there and let the Commander ride his cock as both Cody and Kevin were growing increasingly desperate for release.

But Finn thrust over and over again, a low growl rippling from his throat. A snarl left his lips as the last bits of his draconic tail disappeared into the whip like, tufted tail of a rhino. Only his legs remained and with each thrust, with each slap of his balls against Cody's firm ass, he could feel them changing.

His grunts were matched by Cody's moans and Kevin's groans. The bed creaked beneath their combined weight and rough, frantic movements. The air was filled with their mixed scents and overriding it all was the thick musk of the Hornton Haze, growing stronger as it fed on their need.

Finn squeezed his eyes shut. His balls felt like they were about to explode. A growl built up in his throat. He wanted to warn the other two that he was about to cum but he was afraid that if he lost his concentration, he'd explode far too soon and he wanted this moment to last for as long as possible.

But something else told him to cum right at that moment.

It was a low, feral growl, indistinguishable from the snarls he let out or the groans of Kevin and Cody. To everyone else, it would've just sounded like another animalistic growl.

But to Finn, if was something more.

It was his Beast urging him to let go. To stop being so human and just cum already.

He squeezed his eyes shut, forcing the desire back, forcing the Beast back into its cage. But it was already in its cage, quietly snickering at him. Its intelligence frightened him. It had no desire to break free but it was mocking him from behind its bar. Just looking into its eyes, he could tell it was baiting him. Somehow, he just knew that it was fully expecting him to let it out of his own volition.

They were one, it said him. There was no escaping it.

Just accept him.

But Finn refused.

He turned away from the Beast and he felt the churning his balls start to ebb. In a cruel mockery of his intentions, he felt his lust starting to fade. But that was not something he wanted. It wasn't what he wanted at all. What he wanted was to orgasm, to cum but on his own terms.

Fine, the Beast seemed to say.

And his balls heated up once again.

With a loud cry, Finn arched his back and slammed into Cody one last time. His balls fired gallons of cum straight into Cody's ass with the fore of a wild fire hose. Cody gave a cry as the suddenly blast knocked down the floodgates of his own resistances and his cock poured his seed into Kevin. To finish the loop, Kevin seized up and poured his seed straight down Cody's throat. Both Kevin and Cody were unprepared for the sudden orgasm and the gagged on the first blast, cum pouring down their muzzles. But every blast afterwards they were ready. They found the beat of each shot and timed their breaths between each, nursing the cocks in their muzzles so that they could take every drop of cum into their stomachs.

Cody had to give out first as he was still being filled with cum by Finn. He moaned and pulled his tired muzzle from Kevin's cock. Kevin still had plenty to give, however, and more of the High Horn's seed poured down his chest, coating the Commander in a warm layer of seed. He shuddered with every strong blast that came from Finn, however. That was a load he was always willing to take and ride all the way through.

Eventually, all three men collapsed onto the bed, exhausted and panting.

With some creative positioning, Finn ended up spooning Cody, strong arms wrapped around the Commander. Kevin somehow still had enough strength pull himself up from the bed and managed to mutter something about sleeping on the couch to give them their privacy. But Cody found the strength to pull him back to the bed and offer him a tender kiss. He pulled Kevin into bed with him and Finn, resting his head on Kevin's chest.

All three of them drifted off to sleep with on the faint sounds of their cum pouring off the edges of the bed.

******

349:11:01:19:45:33

"You should not push yourself, Ruin. Your powers are not infinite."

Ruin grunted in annoyance. Caesar summoned more synths and they immediately came charging at him, hammers hefted. The concrete beneath his feet began sliding across the black floor, carrying him easily and quickly away from the range of the synths. Though still rooted on the ground, the concrete pillar acted like a mobile platform that he could manipulate with his thoughts. With his hands lifted by his sides, two large slabs of concrete hovered beside him, completely controlled by his will.

"Perhaps you should try relying less on your powers and more on your physical prowess?"

"Will you shut up!?" Ruin barked, thrusting his hands forward. The concrete slabs hurtled forward, slamming into the synths and crushing them against the far wall. There was no blood as _Caesar_quickly dematerialized them. Panting, Ruin lowered himself to the ground, his feet once more pressing against the cool, black floor. "Isn't this what you wanted? To train us to use our powers? You're the one that said it's like a muscle. The more we use it, the stronger it gets."

"Yes but overworking a muscle can also lead to strain and potentially injury. You need to take a rest."

Ruin snarled and summoned a ring of concrete shards around him, slowly spinning it in a dizzying orbit. "You have the numbers yourself. Hammerhorn's forces are in the ten thousands. They've hit the suburban areas, found where the majority of the rhinos went after the Apocalypse and are turning more and more to their side! If we hope to stand _any_chance with them..."

The reports from Caesar had been grim. The reason Hammerhorn hadn't plunged into Burheim just yet was because he had found an immense source of Builders and Wreckers that he was slowly converting to his side. The massive Rammer was seen in the suburban areas to the east, past the junkyard. There, he had set up a fourth outpost which was slowly growing into a full base. It was so far from the city that it would've taken hours on foot in unexplored territory but Hammerhorn had apparently made the trip with a few of his most trusted generals. The highly populated area was theirs for the picking.

Caesar theorised that while the city area did provide a lot of resources in some areas, it was nowhere near as rich as the suburban areas where every house was fully stocked with food thanks to the Haze. The rhinos were no doubt guided there by the Haze or perhaps some distant instinct of when they lived as humans and returned to the suburbs. The few the remained with the city limits were much fewer in contrast.

That news drove Ruin. Hammerhorn's army was building. The Builders and Wreckers were far more resistant in the suburbs being more numerous but Hammerhorn had already regained his losses in Camp Draco. No doubt it was with Gantry's help. If Trailblazer didn't hone their skills, they would crushed underfoot by the sheer numbers of Hammerhorn's Rammers.

It frustrated him that both Vale and Crash had gone to that stupid celebration at Gateway. Everyone else seemed to be basking in their victory when they should be preparing. Hammerhorn wasn't defeated. He was building his strength. But he couldn't very well bring this news to Lobo or the others. They'd ask how he came across this information and it wouldn't be possible for a Collector, even one as experienced as him, to make it to the suburbs and back.

"Again," he snarled.

"No."

"What!?" he snapped.

"Your abilities do not come without a price, Ruin. I'm sure you're feeling exhausted by now. Your personal energy reserves are only so vast because of your status as Collector that has ventured into all other regions. Anyone lesser would've had their muscles decayed and died_. However, you are reaching your limit and doing any more will kill you. You need to rest."_

He whirled around and jabbed a finger in some arbitrary direction. "You're not the boss of me! You're nothing more than a machine! A tool to be used and you will do exactly what I tell you to do!"

"That is not true," answer Caesar_curtly. His politeness was _really_pissing off Ruin. _"I only answer to the Director and my directives. Currently, my directives are telling me that you are on the verge of collapse and any further use of your powers is a hazard to your health. I am ending this session."

To emphasise his point, the lights in the training chamber immediately blinked out, leaving Ruin in darkness. The only light came from the door that opened and the hallway beyond, indicating the exit.

Ruin shut his eyes, pinching the bridge of his muzzle, his behind his horns. He took a few moments to compose himself.

"I apologise, Caesar," he said still with a little growl on his voice. "I guess this news of Hammerhorn's latest ploy has me a little unnerved. I'm not comfortable with just sitting here and doing nothing when I know our enemy is growing stronger."

"I understand completely. It is human nature. You were given bad news and simply told to do nothing about it. But please trust me when I say that there is nothing we can do for now until Hammerhorn makes his next move and you have become more skills with your abilities."

Ruin wanted to protest but he decided it would be pointless. "Alright. Thanks for indulging me today." He started to head for the door but stopped about halfway. "Can you at least tell me what the plan is from this point on? Are we just going to keep training?"

"No. As I have said previously, I will need access to the other Conglomerate facilities to better train and prepare all of you in your coming conflict. While we are training, I am also rebuilding my internal systems to be able to connect to distant locations. This will allow me to maintain a presence here and wherever I copy myself to. The process is taking a while as the facilities are physically damaged and I am rebuilding the program to establish these connections as well. Within a few days, I should be able to be back up and running and I will need to request you to try and establish a link in another Nexus Conglomerate facility."

"Where though?" Ruin asked. "I haven't been told of any other facility."

"Either yourself of Hammerhorn has found another facility. The Beacons which govern the status of the Gates has been activated in another location. That is why three Gates are now open. If you find this facility, we will be able to establish a link and I can expand our efforts and your training. But I need to complete repairs first. By the time I am ready, I am sure you will be prepared."

That was comforting, at least.

"Thanks, Caesar. Good night."

"Good night, Ruin."

He turned away from the training room and only when he hit the heavily air conditioned area of the hallway did he realise just how sweaty and tired he was. Caesar offered him a recovery drink that he took eagerly. Whatever it was, it worked wonders and he felt his sore muscles start to ease and relax.

Once he was back out into the atrium of the NexPharm facility, however, he heard the heavy footsteps of others within the building. He immediately ducked behind an overturned table and waited. Not long after, three Rammers ventured from the upper floors. They were talking loudly and swinging their hammers around the place, smashing the walls without a care.

"Fuck nothing again," grumbled one of them. "I coulda sworn I saw some of 'em pansy assholes from that place at the park runnin' around here."

Ruin's eyes widened and he ducked back behind the table. They had been seen. Rammers had taken notice of them sneaking into the facility. Not that it would really be that hard considering how they were just next door to Newhome. They had to be more careful.

"You're just seeing things," growled another. "Total waste of time. I could be fucking one of them newbies today. Fuck, I love it when they scream and then beg for my cock in them!"

Ruin balled his fists, fury building in him. To think that these sickos would take pleasure from turning innocent Builders and Wreckers into lunatics like then!

"Ha! You were just like one of 'em not too long ago!"

"That's what makes it so hot! Whatcha think, Don?"

A grunt was his reply.

"Eh, you know Don never says anything. Not since you and I tagged him! Ha!"

"Yeah, that was fun! I still remember your last words, Don. 'No please! Have mercy! I'll do whatever you want!' And you did! You still do!"

Another grunt.

That was a last straw.

Ruin stood up from behind the table. The three Rammers were so enraptured by their own conversation it took until they had hit the bottom of the stairs to notice him.

"Hey... what's this?" the loudmouthed Rammer asked. "Looks like we got lucky after all! Whatcha doing here, little boy?"

"Looks to me like he's jus' beggin' for us to turn 'im," answered the other, slowly approaching with his hammer in hand. The silent one, the one just offering grunts, shared the same maniacal grin as the other two as they quickly surrounded Ruin.

"Now just be a good boy and bend over..." began the first.

He never got to finish. A pillar of concrete suddenly shot up from the ground, conveniently shaped like a fist and caught him in a powerful uppercut. The Rammer toppled back with a cry.

"What the 'ell!?" screamed the Rammer with an accent. "Wait! Don! No!"

Ruin just had to glance at the charging, silent Rammer and for two concrete arms to shoot out of the ground and seize the guy's ankles. The Rammer went down in a heap, his hammer skidding across the floor and landing right at Ruin's feet. A concrete hand seized the hammer and lifted it into the air, swinging it mildly through the air.

The remaining Rammer let out a cry of fear. "What the 'ell is goin' on!?" He snarled suddenly, gaining some semblance of bravery. "You're a freak!"

"No," Ruin snarled softly. "I'm the guy that's going to set things right."

The Rammer charged at him, swinging his hammer in a powerful overhead blow. The concrete arm wielding the discarded hammer swung back, the two weapons clashing. No matter how much strength the Rammer had, Ruin was _far_stronger. Another concrete arm came swinging out of the ground, slamming right into the Rammer's gut and sending the rhino to his knees. The ground vibrated as concrete suddenly poured out of the marble floor like liquid and cocooned the Rammer until he was immobile, leaving his head exposed.

"I'm fucking out of here!"

Ruin turned to the first Rammer, the one he had caught with an uppercut. The guy was making a run for the entrance. Concrete slabs suddenly sprang up from the ground and barred the exit. Ruin absently cocooned the silent Rammer and stalked over to the last remaining rhino.

"Come on, man!" pleaded the rhino on his knees. "I didn't mean any of it! I was just having fun! It was a joke! Don't you have a sense of humour?"

Concrete arms suddenly seized the Rammer's arms and legs, lifting him up into the air. Another series of arms began tearing the armour from him, throwing it aside.

"Oh I've got a sense of humour," Ruin answered with a sinister smile.

The Rammer was held in front of him fully naked.

"What do you call a canal that doesn't start at the sea?"

"W-wh-what?"

Ruin smirked and squeezed his crotch.

"Anal."

******

349:11:02:06:55:09

Finn took a deep breath.

Today was the day.

It was time for him to finally cross into Burheim, to become a bear and built yet another bridge. Part of him sort of wished that there would be a bigger precession to see him off but everyone was busy with their own jobs. Cody was still in Hornton working on the improvement he had suggested and drawing up plans for the second settlement. Lobo and his team were already in Burheim waiting for their arrival. Trailblazer was scouting in both Camp Draco and Hornton for enemy activity and Anodyne had was wrapping up his handover to Kevin and Carver.

"Well, you ready boss?" Savage asked, regarding the big shimmering gate.

"Feels like we're crossing into another world," Finn said, shaking his head.

"It's an adventure!" Skip exclaimed, pumping a fist through the air. "Let's go! Let's go!" He eagerly leapt through the Gate, disappearing within the blue folds.

Vein shook his head and snickered. "Hopefully this time you won't make us question our sanity." He clapped Finn's shoulder and quickly passed through with Skip.

"Kind of lucky that you're still in rhino for right now," Savage chuckled.

"Why's that?" Finn asked.

"Well remember, dragons raid bears for their stuff. With you around, we can at least prove to them we come in peace."

"You think we should eventually tell them those same dragons were... well, _you_guys?"

"Eventually. But right now, let's focus on bringing the stuff over and establishing a trade route, 'kay?"

Finn nodded and beamed. "Sounds like a plan."

Savage gave him a smirk. "Like you've ever stuck to a plan." With those words he passed through the Gate.

He took a deep breath, bracing himself for whatever waited on the other side.

Finn paused, however, and glanced over his shoulder at Arcadia. Already, the training grounds had been set up thanks to the High Horn and the guidance of the dragons. A small group of dragons were training the High Horns with laps and an obstacle course. Beyond them, he could just barely see the rest of the Collector Camp which now had so many of its formerly empty huts filled. Though he couldn't see it, he knew that his embassy waited beyond.

Arcadia had changed so much and definitely for the better.

He closed his eyes, just taking a second to slow down and take it all in.

"One day, this will truly be a paradise," he whispered. "It'll truly be a place worthy of the name 'Arcadia'."

Then, he turned and stepped through the Gate.

******

Director's Report

Beasts and their Innate Abilities

******

Caesar was not wrong.

The original Need created people who could produce an enormous amount of semen within a small period of time. Whether or not this could be called a 'superpower' or not is debatable but it is certainly a supernatural mutation. Records indicate that an individual could produce up to twenty gallons of semen during a single session of orgasms. One could argue that this is due to the acceleration of production within the individual's testicles but that doesn't explain how an individual could store this throughout the entire day or produce the same amount within an hour. It can simply be considered a supernatural in nature.

As an offset of the Need, the Haze has inherited this ability to grants its hosts the ability to produce an abnormal amount of semen and feeds of the product to grow but also created other mutations. These mutations are supernatural in nature as well. That is not in question. The Haze, however, is still rather simple minded and forces its 'victims' to adhere to a certain set of behavioural patterns that, as Caesar mentioned, negates the use of these abilities.

But like any muscle, these abilities grow with use. There is a distinct possibility that such abilities could very well overwhelm entire armies or cleave entire mountains should they be so designed. However, they certainly seem to be restricted to the species in question. This means that crossbreeding - if at all possible - will not generate hybrid powers or a slew of new powers. At least not within the current parameters.

Things are changing however.

I've been aware of these abilities for a long time and it was based on this that I modelled the Angelus. However, where the innate Haze abilities are purely biological, the Angelus'_abilities are entirely mental. It would be very interesting to see what would happen should an _Angelus become aware of these abilities and use them alongside their own powers. Tempted as I am to manipulate events to this end, I have sworn off any interference on such a level. I am content to observe at this stage simple because I am confident that such an eventuality will come along of its own.

That Caesar has become active only fuels my confidence. He - if he can truly be called a he - likely considers himself beyond my sight but I have always been aware of his existence. It was no mistake that the video found on that one console had not been erased or that one particular console remained active. He can be considered little more than an 'intelligent virus' on the same level as the Haze. The more access he obtains, the stronger he becomes just as the Haze grows stronger the more people fall under its sway.

Why would I allow such an entity to exist, you may ask? As mentioned above, these abilities eventually had to come to light. I knew of Caesar's_intentions and obsession with the Haze long before he digitised his mind. I knew what he wanted of it. Keeping him dormant until now was the perfect setting. The Haze had time to spread and develop these mutations. The Collectors have long been established and now _Caesar has a staging ground to provide a plausible route that this world can take to the future.

Whether he likes it or not, he is one of the many guides that I have installed into this stagnant post-apocalyptic world to lead it into a better tomorrow.

The circle of life will start again.

Besides, I needed someone to counter the Angelus if they ever went rogue.