The crowd fell silent after a rousing round of applause from the mass of beasts that flooded the streets of Brickhedge, huddled together despite the sweltering summer heat.
Birds didn't soar through the air, nor did cicadas or grasshoppers perform their symphony. From the very second Garou Loveless arrived in town, wildlife ceased to exist.
Even the frogs were silent.
And it was that beast, That simultaneously frightening and devilishly handsome pitch-black dire wolf, that stepped up onto the stage that the government in Brickhedge had been instructed to build. He'd been generous in reimbursing them all of the costs and then some for the extra time and effort that had gone into it. The other wealthy politicians would not show him up on his first outing. Oh no, he needed to make a statement right from the very beginning, and that was that anything they could do, he could do better, more efficiently, and most importantly:
Without consequence.
And so he took to the stage, standing before the mass of onlookers, most were journalists, reporters from every major media outlet. The rest were either locals of surrounding towns or paid supporters, also known as ensured votes.
The latter groups were easy to sway with the right amount, and should any of them vote differently come election day, then, well, he had all their names, didn't he? There was no paper trail, nothing that could link them back to the Loveless campaign besides the fact that they had been here, today, in Brickhedge, where he was to officially declare his bid for the presidency of the United States.
Declare was such a simple, brittle word for what he was doing today. He wasn't declaring a bid for anything; he was announcing himself as the future POTUS whether the country, no, the world, like it or not.
"Citizens of Brickhedge, it is with great pleasure that..." the mayor of Brickhedge's words trailed off into nothingness. Meaningless strings of syllables to flood the ears of the idiotic beasts that already knew one way or the other who they had intended to vote for regardless of what he said here today.
"...and it is now my honor to introduce to you Garou Loveless!" The mayor finished speaking as he cleared the way for Garou to step up to the podium, standing tall over the crowd, over the pitiful creatures that would be at his whim in the near future.
"Citizens of Brickhedge, people of America, and, dare I say, beasts all over the world. I am here before you today in this quaint mountain town in New Hampshire to officially announce my bid for the presidency of the great and powerful country of America come this November," Garou spoke with determination, clarity, and strength that defied the shoddy quality of the mic and speakers it had connected to.
Camera shutters rapidly opened in close during his declaration, each photograph hoping to get that one certain photo with the right lighting, angle, and look on Garou's face that they could sell to every print that came asking or to just one that offered a pretty sum for exclusivity.
Not a one, oddly, even considered the long shot an Independent candidate had at actually getting the seat.
***
Eligh stood behind the stage with the mayor and Mrs. Kinkaid as they listened to the wolf speak. Doubt and a little amusement filled their thoughts; Loveless had been bold enough to address the world in his opening words, something not even most re-elected presidents would do as they began their second terms. It just wasn't very bright and would tell the more rabidly political mind and the voter base as a whole that the candidate had intentions that involved more than just their country.
The more and more this developed, Eligh was certain it was just one more huge publicity stunt under the LovelessCo name. The mega corporation had run out of other corporations outside of Wal-Mart to perform a hostile takeover on, the most recent having involved the pharmaceutical company Pathogenics. A company that had currently been involved in a massive legal battle over the results of some apparent drug testing their head researcher had been performing without clearance.
Once the buyout occurred, the legal issues suddenly stopped, and the only time they had been mentioned since then was when the case had been closed outside of court.
"...the political field in recent years, dare I even say decades, has been a state of such turmoil that one can no longer express their opinion about something and not be labeled with one descriptor or another. For far too long, it has just been about the Democrats and the Republicans; Their narratives have run this country into walls over and over again. Walls that had been built up at your expense, using your bodies, your wallets and your country as its materials. I, Garou Loveless, will tear down those walls and heal the great divide that has created the rift between beasts." his voice boomed, sounding as if two of him were speaking just mere milliseconds apart.
Cheers and jeers erupted from the crowd. A look of near surprise almost splashed the dire wolf's face, an emotion he'd not experienced in decades. The cheers he expected knew would come, but never has any crowd he spoke before been allowed to show any opposition. This town, there was something about it he did not like.
A small grey, feeble-looking mouse hobbled out onto the pavement and waved her cane at the wolf. Her presidential candidate choice is obvious, given the Grump 2024 apparel she'd decked herself out in.
"And what are you going to do about all the faggots and trannies running amok nowadays?" She yelled, her old, high-pitched voice being picked up by every microphone in the area. Her series of questions would have continued had a younger, fatter brown mouse not burst from the crowd and ushered the old beast away, but not before she made one last statement: "President Grump 2024!"
Garou cared not for her questions, but he would make absolutely certain that he would destroy the old woman's certainty in the coming days.
***
Standing beside the stage, opposite the giant grizzly bear and the country bumpkin of a mayor, Task and Syndel stood quietly near the steps their employer had taken minutes ago, ready to react at the drop of a pin should any danger come to Him.
Task stuck out his arm and attempted to summon his Magitek, catching the attention of the other beasts hidden there in the shade with him, but the weapon failed to materialize. The top-of-the-line Dispel Fields that had been erected in town had made sure that magic would not be an issue today. He sneered as the blue-whit sparks fizzled out, not even feeling the cold steel of his SVD Dragunov sniper rifle before Dispel canceled out the connection.
"Bullshit," he growled.
"You couldn't be bothered to bring a non-Magitekked weapon with you?" The maned wolf chided him, lifting her pant leg and revealing a small firearm strapped to her thigh.
"Just my cock, in case I wanted to use one of these simple mountain folks for mountin' practice," his accent made his statement all the more jarring.
Syndel rolled her eyes but still kept her gaze fixed on Loveless, "You know just as well as I do that Garou had instructed us to keep our hands off the creatures here." She rocked back and forth from paw to paw in a mild show of impatience, not hiding the uncomfortable feeling she had about all this.
"Why is he so fixated on this little shithole anyway? You know as well as I do that there ain't anything special about it; You can't lie and say you haven't questioned it yourself." The hyena said quietly, sidling up beside the much taller ZoCorp officer, not giving a care about the fact her blouse had hung open and exposed her lack of breasts. One photographer getting a shot of that would be more than enough to get Syn thrown back into the barracks for good.
"Mr. Loveless's reasons are his own; we're soldiers and employees. We need not question his motives; you would do well to remind yourself of that, Tasker."
***
Callista and her companions had hidden out of the line of sight as the feeble, racist mouse hobbled out into the street to announce to the town and the country that she was also homophobic and transphobic, which didn't come as a surprise from the locals and would likely be applauded by her fellow Grump supporters around the country once that footage circulated.
Poor Tye, she thought to herself as the fat, awkward mouse rushed out into the street to usher her back into the crowd before she could spew any further harmful remarks.
"Term after term, election cycle after cycle, this country has proven that a two-party system is simply not enough. The Republicans are loud and boisterous and act in ways that benefit a certain percentage of the people, while most of the results of their endeavors get funneled back into the pockets of CEOs, oil barrens, and even their own bank accounts. 'For the American people,' they like to tout, leaving out the asterisk that denotes that their 'people' are the elite and wealthy. At the same time, the common folk such as yourselves die and rot from being unable to access the healthcare system." Another round of applause and protests exploded from the crowd as Garou spoke, as his address moved into the part where raw truth is jabbed into the guts of his opponents like a serrated knife, then twisted and rending the flesh and internal organs.
"Notice how he's avoiding certain subjects?" the green-haired opossum mused, listening to the wolf speak with an unenthused look across his face. They found themselves down a shaded alleyway nearest the stage. Police officers stood there with them as others guarded the opposite end, making sure it remained safe and mostly clear.
"He's making a good point, though," Ellie the doberman replied. She, like Callista, was aligned with the Democratic line of politics, but even they'd felt unsure in recent years as their party of choice shriveled into a pack of performative cowards.
Callista stood at the corner, half in the sun and half in the shade, as she listened intently to the wolf speak, her arms crossed beneath her large breasts, hefting them up and drawing the occasional glance from the officer that stood a few feet away.
"This is important though; Garou is presenting himself as a very strong Independent candidate, one that is evidently," She said, waving her hand towards the stage, "capable of openly talking down to his opponents without fear of some sort of monetary repercussions." Callista's tail began to sway back and forth, snake-like in appearance.
Ellie noticed the gesture and grabbed the cat by the tail. "Judging by this," she said, shaking the tail as if she had a chicken by the throat, "he's getting you worked up, too, eh?"
The lioness quickly snatched her tail away from the canid, smoothing the ruffled fur back down. "Well, he's pretty fucking sexy, too."
"I don't see it," the doberman replied.
"Of course, you don't; you're about as gay as they come," Leif slipped in, "But I agree with Callista; he's definitely the prettiest goddamn presidential candidate we've ever had." There was a pause as they listened to the wolf's speech, sure that it was going to begin diving into the weaknesses of the Democratic party next, "But, I'm really curious about his stance towards the LGBTQ crowd, as well as the Hunter-Prey debacle that's come up in recent years."
***
Advrik and Brigid moved swiftly through the streets, opting to walk in front of the sidewalk and front of all the journalists, news crews, and photographers as they captured today's historically unprecedented event unfold on the stage that had been erected atop the lawn in front of town hall.
"Where are we going?" the fox asked, her voice all but drowned out by the eerie reverberating voice of the dire wolf as he began his next assault on his opponents,
"Toh's Beans," Advrik said, taking a quick glance at the stage and at the giant wolf that loomed overhead. The silver streak of fur atop his bald head was the dead giveaway. He'd definitely been in the same orphanage as the beast that towered over him and his town.
"...Cowardice and try-hards to appeal to every sensitive subject that arises in the general population. Admirable to an extent, but the Democratic party as a whole are cowards; Their approach in recent years has been nothing but performative politics. They act like they care about your social issues and feed you likes in the same way Republicans do, but in the end, it is only about them when the office is taken. They cry about cooperation with their opposing political groups but turn belly-up as soon as any sort of push-back occurs. They focus too much on gender politics, the societal structure of Hunter and Prey species, about whether or not it's okay for a couple to marry one another. Non-issues that have taken precedence over actually helping the entire country with things that actually matter." Garou's voice had only grown in strength as his speech went on, ending the last sentence with as close to a growl as he'd come yet.
"What did you think he meant by that?" Brigid said, walking side by side with Advrik. "Was he for or against inclusion and acceptance? I couldn't tell." Her voice tinged with concern. Powerful voices like Garou could easily sway weaker politicians into doing whatever they wanted and the followers into dangerous enforcers. She hated would kind of world Eligh, Callista, and everybeast else may face under such a rule.
But Advrik was in deep thought. He'd seen the CEO of LovelessCo multiple times over the years in print, on TV, and on the internet, but never had any of those instances sparked the memories he'd had of the beast until now. Seeing him in person, in his home. But those golden eyes and that silver streak of fur on his forehead, it was definitely him.
The lines that had formed outside of the coffee shop had disappeared once Garou had taken the stage, much to Advrik's relief. The place was empty, save for the trio sitting at the front counter watching the event on the TV that hung from the corner of the room.
***
The little bell above the door jingled, pulling Desmond's attention away from the TV and towards the wolf and fox that entered the shop. "Advrik, hey." He said, trying not to sound enthused. Then he greeted Brigid, "Brigid."
"Nice to see you too, Des." She replied.
"That's Desmond to you, fox."
"All right, you too," the wolf cut in, not really in the mood to listen to these two playfully bitch at each other again. "Hey Toh, can I borrow Desmond for a few minutes?" The cat waved his hand as he continued to watch the television.
The wolf paused for a second, a thought flashing across his brain. "And could I get two wild blueberry muffins, please?" He placed a ten-dollar bill onto the counter and saw it replaced by two freshly baked muffins full of locally sourced blueberries from the nearby mountainside. "Keep the change."
The fat mole slid off the stool, grabbed his muffin and sweetened milk, and followed Brigid and Advrik over to their favorite table. He dragged another chair across the tiled floor, loudly scraping against the surface as it went.
"All right, what's the deal?" Desmond asked.
Brigid's eyes lit up as she took a big bite out of the berry-filled muffin top, tail wagging joyously behind her. She didn't even have to elbow Advrik in the nuts this time to get it.
"I need you to do some heavy internet sleuthing for me," the wolf spoke in a hushed tone, almost sounding afraid of somebeast hearing what he was about to ask, so he kept names out of the discussion. "I just need a list of all of the children that resided in the Sitting Pretty Orphanage from 1980 through 1998. Do You think that's possible?"
Desmond was intrigued. Not only because of the legality issues involved here, but because the wolf had never asked Desmond for anything even remotely as heavy as this. "Perhaps. I know some people, but it's going to cost you." He said as his glasses slid down his nose, the tentacles writhing back and entangling it as they passed the wired spectacles from grasping tentacle to tentacle as it made a full loop around his snout before gently being placed back atop his bridge.
Brigid had watched the whole spectacle with awe, admiring the mole's ability to move his tentacles about in the way that he did. "That was pretty fuckin' impressive," she finally said aloud.
The wolf pushed the second muffin in her direction, surprising her. "You serious?" She said, hoping it wasn't a 'please let us talk' gesture and that he'd actually bought both muffins with her in mind.
He smiled and said, "I know you're a two-muffin type of girl,"
She could have kissed him right then and there, but they haven't so much as hugged or even been on a date yet. In time, Brigs, she repeated to herself as she started on the second muffin.
"Hey, he's giving his closing remarks!" Toh said as he turned up the volume for the other beasts to hear.
"And so it is with that, my declaration to wedge the Independent party between the two major warring parties of this country and finally make it a political force the likes of which cannot be denied any longer, that I finally end my speech here today. To you, the beasts of America, I promise you that if you elect me as your next president, I will act without the influence of benefactors, religions, or special interest groups and ensure you the country you deserve to live and thrive in. To fulfill the hopes and dreams of the founding fathers for what America could and should have been." His voice had hit a pitch fueled by adrenaline now as he delivered the end of his long-winded speech, his voice never once wavering, never once getting stuck in a studder or sounding like a nervous six-year-old trying to sound intelligent.
Garou Loveless was the physical embodiment of the raw power that a leader should emanate, along with something else that was far, far more sinister...
"As president, I will make America the country we have always known it has had the potential to be, both in the eyes of its own people and its foreign allies. Our enemies will fear us and our friends shall adore us. We will no longer be considered the slums of Canada or be seen as the modern-day Atlantis. I, Garou Loveless, promise to do what no other politician in my field can possibly hope to accomplish, and with that, I hope you will follow my campaign in the coming months as my team, and I lay out our plans for the country when I take up the office next year. Thank you all for coming out today." He delivered one last wave as he turned and loped off stage, heading to the right side where his ZoCorp soldiers awaited him.
***
"Syn, Task," Garou said with a growl, his golden eyes glowing, "We're leaving. Now. Talk to no beast." The trio brushed past the grizzly and the horse, Task butting his way between the two as they attempted to reach out for a handshake, Garou shielding his eyes while the leggy-maned wolf took up the rear.
Safely within his tinted limo, Garou uncovered his eyes. The gold color that made up his iris was a swirling mass that resembled a storm seen from satellite images, his pitch-black pupil sitting still as the eye of the storm raged over the wolf's sclera.
"My theory was correct; There is something here in this town, something stifling my abilities. I felt it at its strongest as it swept past the stage near the end of my speech. We must leave now."
Syndel removed her tablet from her bag and began tapping away at the screen. "Should we proceed with the razing plan, sir?"
The dire wolf leaned back against the bench seat, allowing the chilled air-conditioned air to blow directly onto his face as he rubbed his eyes against the deep red pads on his fingers.
"No. No, that might make matters worse now. I... I hadn't expected this sort of counter. We'll return to the tower for now, but I want eyes on this town at all times now..."
The wolf's head rose and moved forward, his inward-curved ears giving him a bat-like appearance as he leaned over to gaze at the floor of the limo, the storm still raging within his golden eyes.
Finally, he sneered, exposing every fang and tooth along the right side of his massive maw.
So this is where you've been hiding." He thought to himself as the limo quickly made its exit from town, leaving a lot of confused and disappointed media outlets behind.
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