FSE

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formerly SoFurry search engine

The bar was bustling with the usual crowd that files in on band night, especially busy as the effect was doubled by whatever benefit was being hosted at the time. Todd preferred to ignore the small things that mattered to most people in this world where he felt trapped. Due to the fact that he was a rat and his small size he was always carded for almost every drink he got at a bar, except at The Nail. They knew him as 'the guy whose band plays before the customers come back in'. He has explained on more than one occasion that the band's name was Ungodly Conduit and they were trying to redefine the metal genre, but the bartenders seemed to think their terms were more accurate.

Todd glanced around the room. Looking for someone naive, sad, or wasted. Really anyone he could trick. The rat spotted a young fox with a mo-hawk, perhaps twelve, sitting alone and mesmerized by the guitarist currently playing on the small bar stage. Such an easy target was a rarity. The rat finished his drink and crossed the room to the kit. The number 48 blaring in his head. Todd waited patiently for the song to finish before striking up a conversation with his mark. "Hey there. You really like guitar, don't you?" The fox looked warily at the rat for a moment, almost ready to bolt from this stranger then suddenly he was made at ease by some aura that surrounded Todd. The fox nodded. Todd looked around before sitting on the other side of the small table. "I bet you'd like to play like that guy," The rat pointed at the rather large pit bull on stage currently playing the intro to One. As soon as he recognized the song he was reminded of the near riot that ensued Ungodly Conduit's last Metallica cover. "Maybe better than him, huh?"

"I don't have a guitar..." The fox murmured and frowned at the small table.

"Okay, a guitar and the ability to play it then. You'd like that, right?" The rat smiled his deal closing smile. "You can have that and anything else you wanted. In fact as a show of good faith I'll go get the guitar right now. Wait here." The rat made his way to the back stage area which had no door and no security, yet even the most drunk and disorderly of patrons seemed to respect as a place where they could not go. Todd looked around to make sure no one was watching before he picked up the nearest guitar shaped instrument case then calmly walked back to the fox. He dropped the case on the table and let the kit see the black Ibanez RG that lay inside, after which he placed it beneath the table to conceal it.

"That's mine!?!" The cub's face lit up with glee.

"Well, yeah." The rat frowned. "Although... you can't play it can you?" He shook his head at the cub who, in turn, began to frown as well. "Hmmm. Oh well, see you around." Todd got up to leave, but was stopped.

"You said you could make me play!" The fox skipped pouting and went directly to glaring hatefully at the rat.

"That... You would have to do something for me first." The rat looked down at the kit. "Say, kid, you go to church?"

"Not really..." The fox seemed ashamed.

"Thattaboy! Well, for the low, low price of your soul you'll be able to play the guitar like a learned master." Todd listened to the bar clatter and saw the current band taking their gear off the stage as the fox thought.

"Don't I need that...?" The kit said, innocent eyes looking up at Todd.

"I do know for a fact that you're not using it right now and won't use it at all for the rest of your life." Todd held his paw out toward the cub. "Shake on it and it's yours." Hesitantly the fox shook his paw and Todd saw a light go out in the kit's eyes. A spark that would forever leave him unless... "Now, run along and find the person that should have been watching you. Tell them what happened, send them to me. I'll watch over your new guitar for you." A new number popped in Todd's head. 49. He watched as a doe was frantically pacing in the backstage room. Possibly 50, a fun idea currently forming in his head.

"Hey, what did you tell my nephew?" A confused looking older fox who smelled faintly of weed snapped Todd back to reality. The fox guided said nephew back to the table.

"Ah, of course. What is your name?"

"Brian." His facial expression growing more confused.

"Brian," He shook the fox's paw and turned off his charm. "I'm very glad you said 'nephew' instead of son. You certainly don't have any idea how to take care of children and I recommend you do not reproduce. You realize you left a defenseless cub in a bar while you were out getting high don't you? Because of you he is no longer the owner of his soul." Todd squeezed the fox's paw until he felt something crack.

"Ah, fuck!" The fox pulled away. "What the hell, man?"

"You are an idiot, but I am willing to deal if you are." The rat smiled wickedly.

"Fuck you!" The fox swung his uninjured paw and connected neatly with Todd's pink nose, Todd fell backwards and his head met the edge of the table with a sickening thud before his body feebly dropped to the floor. Upon seeing this an overweight ursine woman let out a yelp and began to scream, demanding someone call an ambulance. "Shit, shit, shit!" Brian's mind began to weave together a series of events in which he goes to jail for murder. Suddenly the rat bolted upright.

"Alright, that is not helping the headache, lady." Todd held his paw to his bloodied head. "Ice would be preferable." He gestured toward the bar, but it seemed she only cared when he was dead. As such the bear went back to talking with her friends. "Now, Brain... Brain? No, Brian, did you want your nephew to get his soul back?" He said, turning toward the fox. "I mean, killing someone and all, you're definitely hell bound." Brian was bewildered.

"Yeah, well how do I know that what you were saying was even real? Huh?"

"Of course I speak the truth. I hardly ever lie. I do understand your hesitation to believe the situation though. How about this? What if the kid plays you a tune? Would you believe it then?"

"I mean, I guess."

"Ah, good, I was really hoping you'd say that." Todd wandered backstage again and found the doe who was now yelling at the owner of the bar over the phone. "Miss, I was wondering if you were missing something? I did notice a kit run out of here carrying some kind of instrument case." She hung up the phone without regard for the person on the other end.

"That little shit." She fumed.

"Yes, quite, but I have an interesting proposition for you though. $500 says he can out play you. If he wins, he keeps the guitar." She offered only a skeptical look. The rat pulled out his wallet and dumped its contents in front of her. "Very well. A thousand and some change. You can keep it if you win." The doe bent down, scooped up the bills and counted them.

"No. I mean- this is a scam, right? A ringer?" She handed the money back.

"Yes. I am going out of my way to take your cheap piece of plywood so I can split the profits three ways with the kit and his uncle. He's a kid, you want to play professionally, have you no confidence?" The rat laughed a bit. The doe bit her lip nervously she knew something was up, but she could not be short on her rent again.

Seeing how the kit didn't seem to know how to even hold the guitar made the doe feel safer about the bet. Plus the money in her pocket made it seem like it'd be as easy as walking out. The doe spoke into a mike on stage. "My band was supposed to be playing for a while now, but someone took my guitar. This dude," She pointed out Todd. "The guy who looks like a zombie with half its brains hanging out. He kinda made me a bet and... well... I guess this is it." She stepped away from the microphone and stood on one side of the stage, watching the small, mo-hawked fox and waiting for him to play. Oddly the cub did not feel nervous as he fretted a few notes, preparing to let loose a string of complex harmonic sweeps, before he could he dropped the pick he was holding. He attempted to retrieve the plectrum, but it slipped through a crack in the small stage.

"Forget it. Just play!" Todd yelled at the cub who responded with a fluid, melodic crescendo that descended into a half time gallop before going into series of quick tapping riffs. As he showcased his newly acquired skill more and more people stopped what they were and took notice. By the time the fox finished exhibiting a myriad of techniques beyond his years, channeling satanic powers he didn't understand, almost everyone had their eyes fixed on him and the doe's jaw was gaping at him. During the stunned silence the rat shouted, "Say what I told you to say."

"Oh yeah." Brian was in awe as the kit stepped up to the microphone, his voice distorting unnaturally as he spoke, "I sold my soul for rock and roll." The bar attendants were sent roaring with cheers and laughter, the fox's opponent took this moment to walk off stage.

"So, do you want the kid to get his soul back? I'm also letting my unfortunate demise slide as a part of the deal, I am sure you don't know how much that means." Todd got uncomfortably close to Brian as he spoke.

"I- damn..." The fox seemed horrified and sobered by the event. His good paw was shaking as he grabbed the rat's shoulder. "He's going to hell if I don't?"

"That is correct. You'd also be on your way out if it weren't for the aforementioned forgiveness of murder." The rat did a motion that mimicked laying a hand of cards on a table.

"Why shouldn't I just... kill you then?" A little anger returning to Brian's face.

"You saw what happened last time. You would be playing out of your league, I have friends in low places, yada yada." Todd saw the fox had made up his mind and added, "Three this morning. Take the kid home, he'll be alright without the benefit of his soul for the night, then swing by my place. You'll know where to go when it's about time." He eyed the doe, she was at the bar doing shots. He calmly made his way next to her seat and waited for her to finish her round.

"I knew it was a stupid fucking move, but it seemed so easy." The doe said after the last shot she had waiting on the counter for her. She pulled out the money she had so desperately needed, placing a few bills from it under one of the glasses before handing the rest back to Todd. "I'm broke, about to be homeless and I just got shit on by some snot nosed little thief. Least you can do is pay for my drinks."

"You could not be more wrong. I can gift to you talent beyond your wildest dreams. For a price." The rat smiled at how well his plan seemed to be going. "I'll just be needing your soul."

"That's a joke, right? I'm supposed to believe you're the devil and I can just play better if you snap your fingers?" Her words slurred a little.

"Not the devil, not even a demon, just an associate. The closest I can come to describing our relationship without proper time would be; I'm his favorite bitch. Because if I do succeed in getting your soul for him I have four hundred and fifty more to go. With each soul I feel better, which makes me feel worse. I can't be sure I won't be dragged to the pit at any time. I can feel myself... changing... like a terminal spiritual cancer, but I can't stop. Even if I fucking die. I come back." Todd pushed hard on his head wound, it was still there but fading quickly. He had shed a tear or two, but suddenly his eyes seemed to dry on their own and his tone changed. "Anyway, I wouldn't even have to snap my fingers. The ability would be yours as soon as you say 'yes' and I am willing to accept. If the terms are agreeable I would also grant you fame, money... It depends on how much your soul is worth of course." The doe scratched at her head a bit. "There is a time limit to this offer. Just so you know."

"Fuck. I'll do it. Whatever. God obviously hates me anyway." She chuckled.

"You know, I like you. Just the right amount of nasty. What is your name by the way? It isn't professional to do business without a name." The rat extended a paw.

"Theresa Goodman." She took his paw and gave it a curt shake.

"We shall meet at three a.m. to discuss terms. You'll know the place when the time comes." Todd disappeared shortly after. Not wanting to be in a crowd much longer the rat returned to his apartment, which he referred to as a rat hole, to wait. There would be a lot of time until his guests arrived but he did love reinforcing old superstitions. Then again, every moment Todd had to spend alone with his thoughts seemed like an eternity. He kept the lights off and his television, old video games, books, most everything had been covered in a thin layer of dust. The rat simply sat in the dark and considered the eternal anguish people condemned themselves to for the most idiotic reasons, yet somehow none had asked for happiness. Maybe something told them that they could not achieve this most elusive feeling with the stamp of a demonic hoof. Perhaps those who sold their souls were so divorced from all emotion that they didn't consider happiness a possibility and would accept any lousy facsimile. Todd often thought from an outsider perspective though it wasn't long ago that he'd made the same dumb mistake.

Brian stood staring at the apartment building's door with a glazed over expression. He was sure this was the place, but could not make himself go in. The fox wasn't sure he wanted to go through with the deal anymore, yet he felt he must. The only person Brian knew could help his situation would not as the rat simply wanted to lay claim to some unsee-able, unknowable force within him.

"You here to see the 'devil's associate' too?" The doe took a drag from her cigarette as she approached the staircase Brian could not bring himself to ascend and walked towards the buzzer. She stamped out the butt and tossed it before hitting the button labeled Todd, the last name was torn off. "Theresa." It buzzed back and she pulled open the door. "You coming?" Brian looked up at her, how could she be so calm while standing at the gates to hell? Theresa scoffed and slipped inside, the fox had to sprint up the stairs to stop the door from closing as for some reason he did not want to speak to the rat unless he had to.

"You were at the bar, right?" The fox shifted uncomfortably as he settled in the elevator after the doe.

"Mmhmm." She lifted an eyebrow at the fox. "What are you here for?"

"My brother's son was the kid on stage. He made a deal and I gotta bail him out because I was supposed to be looking after him. I guess." Brian felt like an idiot as the words came out.

"Oh. Honorable. I'm hoping to get like a record deal or something. It's not that my songs are especially great or anything, but they're mine and I don't know... I want to be remembered. Of course I don't have my guitar anymore, so..." The doe tapered off. She crossed and uncrossed her arms nervously. The elevator dinged and the two walked quietly to the door they felt drawn to. Neither felt like they wanted to be there anymore.

"Hello there." The door opened before Theresa could knock, her hooven hand frozen in the air. Neither she nor the fox knew what to do. Todd grabbed her delicate hand and gave it a kiss. With his strange aura doing it's magic she wasn't entirely disgusted by the action. "Come in." Todd ushered them in, settling them on the couch in the living room. "You." The rat stood in front of Brian, staring down at him. "I have you. You'd be dead otherwise. Theresa, however, we've yet to negotiate terms. What do you desire?" The doe looked from the rat to Brian as if one of them would give her a hint. Then closed her eyes like a massive headache over took her.

"I want to be happy. Or I want to want to be happy. I only seem content when I'm miserable though so that's stupid." She slapped at her lap. "Fuck! I can't do this, I should go." She stood up, but the rat put his paw on her shoulder and gently pushed her back down.

"You can be or do anything you want. You just have to figure it out." It was oddly comforting, the way Todd spoke.

"I want to be good at what I do. And famous... make me rich too." She didn't sound very excited at all.

"No go. I'll give you two of the three. With the talent and fame though treasures will follow, yes?" The doe nodded hesitantly. "Alright then. All that's left is; the two of you need to sweeten the pot." The rat loved this part. The fox looked outraged, the doe was a bit flustered.

"Dude, you're kidding me right? You're sending me to hell! That's what you want, right?" At this Brian had jumped up and was shaking Todd in a manner the rat could only assume was supposed to be threatening.

"Wrong-" The rat glanced at Theresa as she interrupted.

"It sounded like he gets credit for, but doesn't really want to do it." She spoke softly. "Then again he's doing it for himself somehow. That's all I get so far." Todd noticed how she was looking at him, like he was strong, but he knew he was weak. Weak and stupid, that's what got him here.

"Yes. That's fairly accurate." Todd straightened out his jacket as Brian released his hold. "It's not so bad is it? One night, or early morning as it were, for the rest of your life."

"A morning of what?"

"He wants sex from us. It's really, REALLY obvious." Theresa shook her head incredulously.

"Oh c'mon!" The fox whined. "I got a girlfriend, y'know."

"Don't be such a baby. It's not as if you want to marry her, right?" Todd stared at the fox that was clearly thinking hard. "It won't be so bad. You can't be so close minded. Your life is on the line after all." The rat slipped his paw beneath Brian's jacket, running it across his chest, before sliding the offending article of clothing off. Todd dropped the jacket on the floor and started pulling Brian towards his bedroom. The rat's lips met the larger male's and Brian opened his maw ever so slightly and his tongue found its way into the rat's mouth. Todd held the fox at arm's length. "Theresa, my apologies. It seems our friend is a little excited." Todd put his paw on the fox's growing bulge and wink at him playfully. "Girlfriend inattentive or do I have something she doesn't?" Brian felt a bit warm under his fur at the question. "Wait in the bedroom, big guy." The rat waved a paw towards the open door in the hallway, before walking back to the couch and offering the deer a gentlemanly paw. She took the opportunity to pull the rat on top of her, moaning just a little as she kissed him deeply. He pulled away from Theresa and a string of saliva followed him. "So... Do you do this professionally? We have plenty of time." He pulled her in for another kiss. "Might as well take it slow, run up bill. Savor it." He whispered. The doe found herself annoyingly attracted to Todd. Theresa's shirt and bra were pulled off by his swift paws before the two found their way to the bed, the rat pinning her to it in front of the fox awkwardly standing in the room.

"What should I do?" Brian let slip, though he'd not wanted to sound so eager. Todd let loose the doe's arms and nodded at Brian.

"Help him off with his clothes, will you?" She glared at the rat as he unmounted her. "And make it sexy." Theresa sighed, her hips swaying with every step. A gasp escaped the fox as her hooven hand squeezed his erection through the denim. He had to hunch a little to meet Theresa's willing maw with his. As she was pressing against him and teasing his cock Brian couldn't help but feel like he was in a bad porno. The doe's hands made a point of following Brian's pants to the floor, leaving her ass up as she got a good look at the canine's swollen cock. She felt a paw travel up her leg and begin rubbing at her pussy lips through her jeans. The doe looked at the rat that idly toyed with her as he sat on the edge of the bed, his grin took on a devious tint. "Now the shirt... and Brian, her pants if you will." The fox let her slide his shirt off, feeling every bit of it rubbing across his chest and face and arms. He pushed his canine tongue into her mouth and lifted her onto the dark black covers next to Todd in the shuffling gait one is often forced into with their jeans around their ankles. The fox kicked off his shoes and pants before his sharp teeth took one of the doe's hard nipples into his muzzle. Brian then licked gently down her body. He stopped to undo the button and zipper on her jeans. He tugged them down and pushed his nose to her lacy red panties. He lapped at her swollen lips through the material and she pulled at the blankets around her. "Very nice improvisation, but aren't we forgetting someone?" Todd said as he pulled the fox's head away from between Theresa's thighs. The fox whimpered. The doe went to work on the buttons on the rat's shirt, despite himself Brian pulled down his pants and boxers. Todd's cock sprang out, average sized, but the light pink color and tapered tip made it seem cute. The fox forced the thought away. After being undressed the rat couldn't decide which route to go first. He decided the best course of action would be settled with a game of 'eine, meanie, minie, repressed bi-curiosity.' The rat began to massage the fox's furry nuts and bulging knot, watching as the fox's face turn into a glare. "Brian, if you are uncomfortable feel free to say something." The fox tensed up and bared his teeth instead. "Alright then." Todd let go of Brian's now dripping cock. "Theresa..." He beckoned with a finger and whispered something into the doe's ear and calmly waited. The doe pushed Brian back gently and he let himself fall onto the bed. Theresa used her legs to pin the canine's arms, rubbing his ears between her fingers as she put her wet pussy to his muzzle. Brian licked long and slow up her lips, her feminine scent intoxicating. The doe put her hands on the back of his head and began grinding against his muzzle. She gasped as he focused his attention on her clit, running his tongue around it in tight circles. Todd licked up the precum drooling down the fox's cock and milked out any he could into his mouth, then licked his lips. "Ah... Forbidden fruit, the sweetest treat." He murmured as procured lube from his night stand and spread it on his finger pads. The rat probed beneath the fox's tail, holding down a leg that attempted to kick him. "Oh, come on. I'm not going to fit anything in here, you prude!" Todd flicked the tip of the fox's cock in his frustration.

"Hmmpphhh!" Brian elicited his shock and pain, but Theresa kept riding his muzzle. She gasped and clenched the fox's head closer as she came. Then, slowly at first, she returned to rubbing her pussy against the fox's tongue.

"Baby. I barely flicked you." Todd squirted flavored lubrication onto the fox's cock, enjoying the view of Theresa's tight ass as she humped against Brian's face. He spread the lubed a bit and pulled apart Brian's legs. He pressed his own cock against the fox's and used his paw to hold the two together, then began to rock his hips a bit. " You know, Brian, I've always wanted to try this. You're a bit bigger than me. A little thicker too. That's okay though. I now how to work with what I've got, you're probably all flash and no substance." The rat began to tease the fox as he stimulated the both of them. "You're not gay, are you Brian? It's okay to feel good, I want you to feel good. Do you like the way my erection feels against yours? You don't have to answer, your mouth is a bit preoccupied, besides your cock seems to really like it. Dripping so profusely and twitching whenever my tip rubs against yours." Todd leaned forward to find a better angle to fuck his paw and the fox's cock and found himself staring at Theresa's pink anus. Todd pushed his tongue to the doe's cute ass and poked it in the tight opening, she came again as the two males lapped at her. "You really should turn around." The doe obeyed, leaving the fox free only momentarily, yet he made no attempt the stop or escape the rat. "Be a doll and help finish us off." The doe ran her tongue between the two cocks.

"Oh fuck!" A spurt of precum hit her mouth as she spun her tongue around Brian's tip and the rat squeezed at the fox's knot.

"That should be good. Thanks." Theresa dismounted the fox and Todd moaned as he quickly began to hump into his paw again. He forced his tongue into the fox's mouth. "I'm so close..." His words were hot breath in the larger male's ear. Something about the rat's voice pushed Brian beyond his limit and the fox even grabbed Todd's ass and pulled him closer as he came all over his own stomach and Todd's paw.

"Oh fuck, oh fuck..." The fox panted as cum still spurted out of his cock, dribbling onto the rat's paw and being smeared up and down their erections. Todd stroked himself until he finished, squirting his seed all over Brian's chest. The rat dipped his finger into his semen and put it in Brian's muzzle.

"I want you to watch as I fuck her." Todd whispered to the fox before he turned his attention to the doe. He crawled towards Theresa and started biting one of her nipples while fingering her tight pussy. Letting her feel him close to her. Without words the rat guided the doe's body so she was on all fours. He nibbled on her ear and neck, Then guided his cock to her puffy lips, teasing her before pushing his pink tool into her cunt. Theresa moaned and the rat felt her tighten, he stayed inside her a moment as her femcum dripped down his balls. Todd started slowly, he wanted her to beg him to take her hard. Pumping in and out at an agonizing pace, letting Theresa feel every inch of him. "You're cute, y'know. And tight. I bet you wouldn't usually even give a guy like me a second look." He emphasized each sentence by hilting her with furiousity. "Here you are though. Selling yourself for a new life. Like a good little whore. I know what you want right now. You want my cum to fill you. you want me to fuck you hard, don't you?"

"Yes, please, God yes..." The doe gasped as he pulled her by the hips to the edge of the bed. He fucked her hard while telling her what a slut she is. Theresa's arms eventually failed her and tears formed in the corners of her eyes, the rat's cock jolting her as it slammed into her g-spot. Todd began pressing her head into the mattress. The doe's moaning faded to quiet whimpers every time he slammed into her. "Too... much. It's too much." The doe had become overly sensitive, but Todd kept going until he finished anyway, letting his seed spill out of her hot pussy.

"Very good. Very good." The rat praised his two one night stands as he sank back into the bed, Theresa lay shaken by the night's events as so far only she herself had ever brought herself to orgasm, while Brian wondered if what the rat did made him gay. "I just need one more thing, if it's agreeable." The fox and doe groaned in reply. "No, nothing strenuous. Just stay and sleep. Please." This struck Theresa as genuine and Brian as odd. Either way they both found themselves drifting off to sleep. Todd furnished the two with pillows to make sure they would be comfortable. The large bed allowed plenty of room for the two to remain strewn about and Todd retired to his couch.

The rat was on the sidewalk outside his apartment. Not right outside, in front of the church actually. The stained glass depicted images of people he'd slept with. Or demons. He couldn't tell. The violin in Todd's paws seemed to play itself. A sad aria sung from its strings. Unwillingly. Todd would have chosen a much happier piece himself. A passing cub threw something into his upturned hat and kept walking. Todd looked inside the hat and found it empty. The violin kept playing its song.

"It's beautiful." A woman said in passing, throwing her little bit into his collection, yet to the rat's eyes it remained empty. The violin became more frantic as more and more people passed and dropped money into the ever empty hat. The rat began to cry, but could not stop himself from playing.

"It's hard isn't it?" Todd stared into the eyes of the lonely stranger who actually stopped to talk to him. Her smile was warm and inviting. "It might be easier to let it all go." The rat was sobbing, he wished he could let go. She put her paw on his arm. "Let it go, Todd." The sky turned black and everything went to hell again.

Todd awoke in a feverish chill. Another dream about her of course. He was shaking as he limped back to the bedroom. He shook the nearest body, unrecognizable in the dark. "Hold me. I'm so fucking tired and so fucking empty. Just let me sleep."

"Dude, what the hell? Get off of me." The fox's voice rebutted, then his black form turned over.

"Theresa, can you please hold me?" The rat shook the other body.

"Huh?" The doe was dazed.

"Let me sleep in your arms. Please. I'll pay you back for your guitar. I'm so sorry..." Tears quietly fell from Todd's eyes as she pulled him close to her and she stroked his fur.

The next day Todd found himself at the bar again. Explaining to his new mark why his band, Unholy Conduit, required the use of a synthesizer. Failing that he turned to a remark about the feline's appearance. "Oh yeah? Why are you wearing a suit in a bar, rough day in accounting?"

"I'm a lawyer. I kinda completely screwed up my last three cases." The cat slumped a bit and tried to straighten out his crumpled suit with his paws.

"Oh. My apologies. I had no idea you didn't have a soul to begin with." Todd laughed in a hysterical manner before walking away to place himself in an empty corner. The rat watched people come and go. Then a voice caught his ear and he turned to watch the stage. It was the doe, Theresa, with her brand new guitar. He watched as she played through a couple cheesy punk songs that a few bar flies nodded along with. Upon announcing that the next song was new the tone of the set changed, the guitar grew heavy and somber. Her voice became a dragging, depressing siren that altered the mood of all the bar goers. They didn't want to party or chat and seemed possessed to watch her pluck out the sorrowful tune. Though Todd didn't catch the lyrics he did understand the song. The rat left before she finished. Her new style, while depressing, would go on to make her a 'generation defining artist' at a terrible price. The doe would grow resentful of everything she would become. She might even kill herself. Todd didn't want to see or hear anything about it. It would be best for the rat if he avoided it all.

Todd returned to the rat hole, which in all reality was comfortable and well furnished, and sat by the window. A knife idly twirling in his paw. He could have a chat with the devil if he were to jam the blade into a lethal spot. The rat really didn't enjoy doing so but at times the ancient being made sense of things the rat didn't understand. Then a familiar face caught Todd's eye.

"What in the hell?" The rat wondered aloud as he stood up and pressed his nose to the cool glass. It was the fox, Brian, carrying two garbage bags and a rather large bong. The rat heard himself laugh, which was pleasant. The intercom buzzed and the rat decided to allow him access. Todd folded his knife and put it in his pocket before opening the door. "Come in. Perhaps explain why you'd turn up at any place you were molested."

"My girlfriend- I'm sorry, ex. Kicked me out of her place." The fox carefully placed his marijuana paraphernalia on the coffee table before dropping his bags and collapsing on the couch. "She said I smelled like another girl and couldn't explain where I was last night. It was fucking crazy."

"You did cheat on her though."

"Not like she can prove it! Then my own brother says he doesn't even want to talk to me anymore. He freaked about the guitar thing. Just shit!" Brian packed the bowl and produced a lighter, taking a large hit before noticing the rat's quizzical expression. He exhaled, shrugged and offered the bong to Todd.

"Why..." The rat scratched his head a bit. "Why come here though?"

"I need a place to stay and you're like totally lonely." The fox's voice was somewhat distorted by another hit escaping his lungs as he spoke. "I don't really have any money, but I guess I could do stuff to you if I have to..." Brian grimaced as he lit up again and began to cough uncontrollably. Todd procured a glass of water from the kitchen and handed it over to the wheezing fox.

"Or we could just hang out. I guess. You don't have to do anything you don't want to." The rat couldn't help but noticed the wide eyed expression that Brian offered. The fox must be absolutely stoned. The intercom buzzed and Todd answered it, "Hello, please state your name and the nature of your business."

"Theresa, can we talk?" The rat buzzed her up and awaited her knock before answering. "Madam." He opened the door and ushered her in.

"This is weird." The doe remarked as she glanced at Brian and then back at the rat. Theresa and Todd both wondered what was going on with the other, while Brian wondered which pizza toppings would taste best at the moment.

"His girlfriend kicked him out for being out all night and coming home smelling like you." At this the doe's mouth gaped a bit and she blushed, unsure what to say. "Not to say it's your fault. He could have easily showered. Not cheating would have fared poorly for him... If anything it's my bad." The rat's monotone voice had no shame in it. "I suppose he can stay here until he's back on his feet. So, what brings you here?" Todd crossed his arms.

"I- well. Last night was crazy and... I dunno. You're interesting, I thought we could go for drinks or something. Besides. I'm new to the whole... No longer the owner of my soul thing. You seem above it. Most of the time." The rat raised an eyebrow. "You could help me, right? You don't seem like a bad guy."

"I'd prefer to stay inside today..." Todd ruffled his head fur. No new souls, no progress in repaying his debt. "But we could order something and-"

"Pizza!" Brian exclaimed at the idea of ordering food.

"Quite. We could order pizza. I'm sure I have some form of alcohol around here, I don't really like to drink. Alone that is." Todd glanced over at the fox who was thinking intently on something. "Or I'm sure Brian would be willing to share."

"It could be fun." Theresa helped herself to the seat on the side of the couch opposite Brian, leaving the center cushion open.

"Do you think they can put hot wings on the pizza?" The fox asked as passed the bong to Theresa. "That'd be fire." Todd felt different to be around people. Theresa and Brian seemed to chat amongst themselves with ease. It was good, but also a bit daunting. He was unsure if he could connect to them. "Hey man, you gonna hit this?"

"It's pretty good shit." The doe said, hacking into her closed fist a bit. Todd nodded and took his place amongst them.