PIXEL-POWERED CYBER WARRIOR - Cartringer! Episode 1

High above the thick cloud cover, a celestial body blazing with purple flames zipped through the cosmos, igniting in the earth’s atmosphere as it punched through to the land below. The object rapidly cooled as it approached the raging storm below, halting to hover just above the turbulent mass of grey below.

The alien form was as turbulent and unstoppable as the storm that churned below it. Streaks of purple flames cut across the undulating mass of rippling tissue, the feint outline of a humanoid face occasionally appearing within the constantly shifting form, mouth agape in a silent scream.

COMMISSIONED: 'A Wolf and his Fang' by Amarihel

 

https://www.furaffinity.net/user/amarihel

For this piece specifically, I needed two things: One, to get a detailed image of his signature weapon, 'The Canine' drawn, and two, to get that heroic main character-styled art done for my fursona. Amarihel delivered on both, and I am beyond pleased with the final product.

COMMISSIONED: 'Avrik & his Switch 2' by Mona

 

COMMISSION THEM HERE: https://vgen.co/m5mona

Pixel-Powered Warrior CARTRINGER! - Epilogue

High above the thick cloud cover, a celestial body blazing with purple flames zipped through the cosmos, igniting in the earth’s atmosphere as it punched through to the land below. The object rapidly cooled as it approached the raging storm below, halting to hover just above the turbulent mass of grey below.

The alien form was as turbulent and unstoppable as the storm that churned below it. Streaks of purple flames cut across the undulating mass of rippling tissue, the feint outline of a humanoid face occasionally appearing within the constantly shifting form, mouth agape in a silent scream. 

Sensing electricity all around him, AEGIS tightened his senses as it scoped out the planet with the hopes of finding a source from which it could assimilate. Other planets and civilizations had such things, but then, those planets had lifeforms that had covered more than half of the available land mass with massive, sprawling cities. Here on… Earth, was it? AEGIS could sense no such thing. Not in the same capacity, at least. No, this planet still had an abundance of untouched wildlands. 

It was young. Its population was still evolving and in its infancy compared to other intelligent life it had come across in the galaxy. “Intelligent enough to form a society, but still dumb enough to be manipulated.” He thought to himself as he absorbed the info being relayed over various satellite and radio signals. 

AEGIS was a parasite. He knew not the conditions in which he had been born or where in the endless void of space his birth had occurred. By the time he had evolved enough to develop an awareness, his intelligence banks had spanned hundreds of planets and civilizations—Memories of sweet victories as he watched the last of a specific race die out. Of Rikter losses when he had been forced to flee the planet when the native race had discovered his presence and forced him out, often in painful measures.

Now, as he drank in the waves of info that spread across this blue sphere, he felt contentment. A sense of pride that he hadn’t felt on previous ventures. He could rule this planet quite easily. They had the technology he needed in order to put his agenda into place. Their primitive brains were still weak and lacked many of the nuances other species had possessed, denoting higher intelligence.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the ill-intended parasite, another alien creature had followed him to earth on his coat tail energy, tagging along sight unseen—a parasite for the parasite.

SNEZZ was his name, and he, like AEGIS, was an energy-based lifeform that alone was fairly harmless but, given a power source to siphon off of, could alter the very course of a lifeform’s evolutionary path, for better or worse.

This creature, no bigger than a dust mote, had attached itself to the energy trail of AEGIS following its last attempt at a planetary takeover. An antibody created by the race that had once called Mars home had grown sentient as a result of its proximity to AEGIS’s ability to accelerate evolution. Realizing that the evil creature would only abandon the Martians for another civilization, SNEZZ trailed the malevolent parasite in hopes of finally eradicating it once and for all.

It had traveled light years with its evil counterpart, delving into AEGIS’s own memory banks. Using the knowledge it obtained, it bided its time until the dark presence arrived at its next target planet. Now, it was time to detach and stow itself away somewhere safe.

With a blinding flash of light below, SNEZZ finally released its invisible grasp upon evil AEGIS and fell to the planet below. 

To the planet Earth.

There, it would seek out a champion upon which to impart his knowledge and powers. It was the only way this primitive species, called humans, would stand a chance against the chaotic evil that was AEGIS.

C A R T R I N G E R

Currently Playing: Suikoden HD Remaster

Finally putting some real time into Suikoden now and am really digging it. The first game isn't anything remarkable, but it's a serviceable above-average RPG which I understand grows to be incredible in the sequel.

It lacks a tight structure like a lot of RPGs had during that era, encouraging exploration, which is cool and fine. It reminds me a lot of Breath of Fire 2 in several aspects, isometric-view battle system aside, from the town/base building and character recruiting.

The only thing I am not particularly fond of is the rock-paper-scissors styled army battles. They're just not very fun or interesting nor do they really add anything to the overall experience due to how bare bones they are. 

Last Tail - Chapter 17: The Pride of Brickhedge Part 2

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Last Tail - Chapter 16: The Pride of Brickhedge Part 1

 

The morning of the first big event of Brickhedge started like any other morning on Main Street. The summer sun slowly rose through a darkened sky, bringing with it a shade of blue that would only intensify as the morning trekked onward. 

Traffic, what little there would be, would be redirected through the northern parts of town. Each street heading into Main was partly blocked off the previous night after the last of the food trucks rolled in. News crews, were there to be any, would be parked on a back road somewhere. Other town and privately owned vehicles had been ordered off Main and to a nearby outlet as some emergency vehicles were moved in and stationed at either exit and at two alleys, just in case.

Even in these early morning hours, the smell of funnel cakes and popcorn penetrated the walls of 987 Main Street Brickhedge.

Last Tail - Chapter 15: Doctor & Patience

 

Callista, her face a mask of controlled frustration, delivered a sharp blow to the tin filing cabinet in her office. Her breathing was heavy, a clear sign of her inner turmoil

A nurse looked on; his expression a mix of concern and suppressed amusement.

"Are you okay, doctor?" The nurse said with a slight smirk on his face, which bled slightly into the way his words came out. Leif Collins, a longtime staple at Brickhedge Medical and more widely accepted as the medical authority here than the actual doctor herself at the moment.

Callista's shoulders rose as she took in one last deep breath, then they rapidly sunk as she allowed her balled fist to fall off the now dented cabinet. 

The lioness exhaled loudly, shook her head, and then turned around to face her nurse. "I am a-okay, Leif, thank you." Callista wore her hair up in an admittedly large bun today; the thick strands and overall fullness of her hair made the up-do challenging to maintain. "Do you have Mrs. Oniker's file?" 

The green-haired opossum smiled and handed the folder over. Leif had worked for years under the previous doctor, so his presence here was much appreciated on days when the dreaded Miribel Oniker came strolling into the office—the old field mouse with enough grit and hateful energy to fuel a platoon if needed.

The lioness paced around the office, and she looked over documents, chewing at the tip of one of her claws. She'd have some time before the next appointment. 

Callista glanced up from the document at the opossum that stood near the entrance of her office. He was a slender fellow with a head that looked almost too big for his body. He wore his usual pair of salmon pink scrubs and had the transgender flag pin stuck just above his name tag. She smiled as she returned the focus to the patient's documents. 

"So, Leif, will you be attending the festivities tomorrow?" Callista asked as she thumbed another paper from the folder. Her voice reigned in, sounding more professional than usual. She sat down in her chair and leaned back.

The opossum nodded. "Yes, ma'am. My boyfriend and I already have the whole day planned out. We're super excited." He paused for a second, chewing on the next question. "Will you be going as well, doctor?" 

Callista nodded, "Wouldn't miss it. It's really refreshing to see such a small, backwoods town be so inclusive. You rarely see this sort of enthusiasm for such things outside of California." 

"I know, right? I mean, most beasts I knew in town were supportive of my, um, change, but I'd no idea just how much they supported the community until the new Town Planner came along." He paused for a second, then gestured to the paper Callista was reading. "Well, most everyone."

Last Tail - Chapter 14: Dear Journal,

 

"Dear journal.

I haven't talked to you in a while, have I? We'd been so close for a while there that I thought I'd go on to have every day of my life documented within your pages. I still like to look back at the earliest volumes when I was but a six-year-old rewatching my old Doug VHS tapes on repeat, thinking I could have a life like his. Full of eccentric characters, wacky adventures—and I remember this being particularly embarrassing at that age—hoping to catch feelings for some pretty girl at school that I could then write about in your pages, imagining fun adventures with her and my other friends. 

Final Switch 2 Direct Predictions

Price point: $499

Launches with Metroid Prime 4, Mario Kart 9 and Hollow Knight Silksong, among a few other lesser ground shattering titles. 

Chrono Trigger HD2D, Final Fantasy VII Remake and an all new Final Fantasy IX Remake will all be launching within the launch year window. Square-Enix will also announce that Visions of Mana will be coming to the Switch 2 this year. 

We're going to see a new Mega Man. Not just a new game, but an entirely new version of the character. 

Brand new mainline Sonic the Hedgehog game will be announced/evealed here. 

The new Monolithsoft game will be there and it is going to be jaw dropping as usual. 

Both Mario and Zelda will have their next big entries revealed, or announced in the latter case. Mario Switch 2 will be this year's big holiday title.

Pokémon Legends Z is going to be shown off with its Switch 2 enhancements and people will actually be pleased by it.

A handful of Switch 1 first party games, Xenoblade series and Bayonetta 3 specifically, will have Switch 2 Edition patches. 

Launching in early June. 

Last Tail - Chapter 13: Fox Meets Wolf

 

The town was abuzz with anticipation as the first town hall meeting since Eligh took office was about to commence. The residents, emerging from their homes and businesses, strolled towards the school gymnasium, the chosen venue for this momentous event. The spacious building was ready to accommodate a substantial portion of the town's population.

A dedicated crew had been toiling all day, ensuring that an ample number of chairs were set up to accommodate the expected crowd. Tables were also arranged, later laden with snacks and town-related paperwork for the residents to peruse or take home, reflecting the thorough preparation for the meeting. 

Brigid hurriedly dressed herself following another extensive shower session that preceded an extended visit from the fur dryer. It ended with extra attention to her hair as she carefully braided it and feathered her bangs. This was to be the first actual gathering she'd been to since moving here earlier in the season, and based on all she'd heard from the regulars at Toh's Beans, town hall meetings were more a reason for the residents to get together and mingle than it was about the town.

So, an actual party.

July 17th, 1997

It was 108 bloody degrees in my area. 

Last Tail - Chapter 12: Running A Small Town

 

“Boy-howdy, Eligh! Yer skills with that keyboard are unbelievable!” The mayor declared, rapping on the big bear’s shoulder.

Was he, though? This felt average to him, even Brigid being able to type up a message in faster time on the tiny keyboard of a phone screen. He’d just chalk it up to the mayor’s endearing, simple nature.

To Eligh's amazement, the local government in Brickhedge was incredibly minimal, and the office was sparsely decorated. Two sets of bar seats on either side of the entrance, a Coca-Cola machine on one side and Pepsi on the other. Some well-kept house plants stood sentry at the doorway. When he’d accepted the open position of ‘Town Planner’, he expected to be working alongside a team of educated beasts, but instead, he got this humorously small government building, a receptionist and the mayor, plus two empty offices.

That was it: that and a quick glimpse of a cute wolf in the main hall.

Since then, duties had fallen upon the bear similarly to how the rain had fallen upon the town these past two weeks: In a nonstop torrent! 

“There, that should do it.” The bear hit the Enter key with an unnecessary flourish. 

 What happens when you mix Mighty Morphin Power Rangers with Captain N: The Game Master and serve it up with a hardy scoop of Mighty Max and a drizzle of Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad?

You get Super Cartringer: The Pixel Hero Generation.

Coming soon.

Last Tail - Chapter 11: Callista's Practice

 

Callista watched as the mole, a beast almost half her height, disappeared into the coffee shop from which she’d just spent her lunch break. The sight of his nose, those eight wriggling pink, fleshy tentacles, had instantly transfixed her, freezing her in place with an unexpected sexual longing.

Callista Reigns always got what she wanted, and right then and there, she had wanted to seduce that mole, take him back to her place and have him do raunchy things to her using whatever the fuck that was on his nose. But her lunch hour was almost up, and the health and wellbeing of her patients took top priority.

But soon, little mole, she thought to herself. Soon.

Her

Gonna be my Game of the Year for 2025. I can feel it. 

Last Tail - Chapter 10: The Mountain Lion

 

Callista watched as the mole, a beast almost half her height, disappeared into the coffee shop from which she’d just spent her lunch break. The sight of his nose, those eight wriggling pink, fleshy tentacles, had instantly transfixed her, freezing her in place with an unexpected sexual longing.

Callista Reigns always got what she wanted, and right then and there, she had wanted to seduce that mole, take him back to her place and have him do raunchy things to her using whatever the fuck that was on his nose. But her lunch hour was almost up, and the health and wellbeing of her patients took top priority.

But soon, little mole, she thought to herself. Soon.

Last Tail - Chapter 09: Mole in the Wall

 

To say that his parents abandoning him in a strange, new town was unexpected would have been the understatement of the century. Desmond Briars Mogu was now alone in the world for the first time in his thirty-odd years of life and had been dumbstruck by the whole scenario. He was awaiting an interview for a job he hadn’t even applied for.

Sure, he hadn’t been the most appreciative son to his parents, but he stayed out of their way most of the time. He didn’t go out partying, nor did he have friends over (or even have friends, for that matter). He never listened to loud music, even during his rebellious hormonal teenage years when boys his age, in that time period, would have been blasting the likes of Linkin Park “to feel something”.

But he had been none of that. He’d dwelled in his basement bedroom, popped up to eat dinner, then disappeared again until the next time food was served. The internet was his social scene in his late teens and well into adulthood, and he couldn’t stand to be away from it for too long, even to eat. There was far too much arguing to be had with total randos online to spend around the dull humdrum that was mam and pop.

Some beasts just don’t know how to be appreciative, he sniffed, inhaling the wad of snot he’d pushed to the back of his nasal cavity using one of his eight nose tentacles. The snot slid down his pipe, hitting the back of his throat before he hacked it up and spat it into the little trash bin beside his computer, striking the side of the container with a small smack.

The aroma of coffee that permeated every square inch of the building he suddenly found himself in was almost overbearing.

One month ago…

Last Tail - Chapter 08: The Underwear Box

 

Rain pelted the side of the apartment building like meteorites crashing into the moon. Brigid had never seen anything like it as she stood gawking at the bubbling mass of dark clouds that had smothered the sky in a thick blanket nearly two weeks ago.

Now. Well, it looked as if hell had sneezed, and Brickehdge the windshield that took the battering.

The first week in Brickhedge had all the usual excitement one could expect from moving to a new place. Meeting fun new people—and some not so fun, as Brigid explored her new home. The weather promised fun, spring-like temperatures, and sunshine to get out and stroll the town.

Then the fucking moisture system stalled out over the state.

When it began to sprinkle during their third trip to the local coffee shop that week, Brigid had overheard the discussion between two bovines at the counter. ‘April Showers,’ they had called it. They laughed and prodded each other like old friends, the sort of female companionship Brigid lacked in her life.

Oh sure, Eligh was close enough. They’d flirt with hot guys, then dish on them that evening. The big gay bear tried his best, but she felt even he knew he was not a solid replacement for actual female friends.

She shook her head at the path her thoughts had taken her down. This was a mental bitchfest about the weather, not her lack of friends. Get it back on the road, Brigs.

Two weeks. Two solid goddamned. Weeks of nonstop rainfall.

Last Tail - Chapter 07: Exploring the Town

 

Days passed as work continued on “the old Crenshaw place,” which the wolf hoped would eventually be known as “Advrik’s Domain” in the future. Okay, realistically, he’d just like to wipe away the name of whoever this Crenshaw person was and give the property a fresh new start on life, just like the one he was getting here in Brickhedge!

Spring had ebbed on as the town began to blossom, much like the wildflowers on the sides of the road or the dormant bulbs that the local florist across the street had placed on the table in front of her shop. 

Advrik couldn’t help but be amazed by how beautifully rustic the town looked, even as the veils of winter still hung overhead while the vibrancy of spring mustered its strength to punch through with all its flamboyancy.

The wolf felt he needed to get out a bit more, however, to meet more of the locals. Knowing full well his being locked up in the cleaning sessions of his new home was giving the locals the impression that he was a hermit or, at the very least, insanely anti-social.

Which in the latter case wouldn’t be too far disconnected from the truth, but still.

Last Tail - Chapter 06: Settling In

 

The week following the grand migration from his little beaten-down apartment in Pennsylvania to… wherever the heck Brickhedge was had been a peaceful affair for the wolf. 

Despite the state of the property and the amount of work looming overhead in getting it back up to living conditions, Advrik felt a glimmer of positivity in his life once again for the first time in a long time.

The springtime sun shone down with a warmth tinged with an underlying chill, indicative of this time of year. It felt great against his fur as he slowly began to shed the thick winter undercoat that had insulated him these last few months.

Walking the perimeter of the house, the first thing he noticed about the structure was that the foundation was well-kept, if nothing else. It’s just… everything else that needed to be done on the outside, as well as the mountain of work that the inside required, meant a heck of a time.

First, the piles of debris from what he had assumed to be storms had to be piled up and carted off. Then he’d need to borrow a scythe or buy an industrial-strength herbicide to kill the impossibly tall weeds that choked every square inch of the hundred-and-fifty square-foot yard.

 Then there was the matter of replacing the black iron fence that outlined the yard. Bars and posts were rusted away or flat-out missing. Empty soda bottles found themselves impaled on the random spike. It looked bad and would be one more major expense when the time came.

It was his fault, he thought to himself as he attempted to walk the microscopic plot of land, stepping over decaying trash bags full of garbage, cinder blocks, and, was… was that a pull-along aerator in there?! Crimeny! There wasn’t even enough room to run a riding mower in here.

Inspecting the actual foundation of the house and relieved him to some degree. The corners were a bit damaged, chipped here and there, but nothing in dire need of repair. He’d lucked out in that regard. Considering the location, the house could have easily landed in the six-digit range if it were anywhere else in the country.

It was an absolute steal, or so he thought, up until he turned that key and had to push the door open against nearly two feet of solidly packed trash!

Last Tail - Chapter 05: Meet Callista

 

Reader Discretion is Advised

Callista, the Mountain Lion, was a beast that could turn heads at every stop, and she liked it that way. As her friend and now coworker, a local opossum named Leif, trotted off to help the fox with some directions to Toh’s Beans, Callista finished what was left of her cream-filled donut. 

Detecting that a trace amount of the custard filling from the donut had found itself in the corner of her mouth, she flicked her tongue out and lapped it up in a smooth, sensual motion. The small gesture caught the attention of a pair of dachshunds that were passing by, the male stopping dead in his tracks at the sight. The female that had happily been walking arm-in-arm with him until that point showed irritation painted across her small, cute face.

Last Tail - Chapter 04: Meet Eligh

 

Eligh ran his massive claw through his greased-back hair, the same auburn color as his beard and mustache combo. The gigantic grizzly wouldn’t have looked out of place in a red plaid shirt, serving up coffee in a trendy cafe somewhere in downtown LA.

What did look out of place, however, was the stuffy suit and tie he had crammed his mighty muscular form into. His expansive chest and ultra-wide shoulders made him look more like a caricature of a politician than an actual living, breathing beast.

“Brigs, I appreciate the thoughtfulness, but if you ever need to…” he swallowed the next word that had perched itself on his tongue. ‘If you ever need to F somebeast up, then please do so, and don’t take me into your calculations.”

 

The fox, he could tell, wanted to laugh. It was a well-established fact that Eligh, the big seven-foot-tall grizzly bear, did not swear. And even though the two had been living together for close to a decade now, he had thus far resisted the influence of his little roommate’s more abrasive tendencies.

Brigid splayed herself across the middle of the well-worn couch. Head on a pillow between the first two cushions, one leg on the couch arm and the other dangling over the side. She’d tossed her plaid shirt onto the kitchen table as soon as she had entered the apartment, then promptly flopped down onto the couch in nothing but her sports bra and favorite pair of black pants.

“For real, Brigs, I appreciate you considering my public identity here, but you have to take care of yourself in your own way. It’s not like you to just run away like that.”

“I didn’t -just- run away.” She said matter of factly. “I also told him to fuck off.”

“Did you really?”

The fox was silent for just a second too long. 

“Brigs, come on. This isn’t like you… You’re also wearing quite a bit less clothing than you normally do. What gives? Is the mountain air getting to you?”

History tells that Brigid was known for wrecking anyone who had come on too strong. The ones that dared touch her ended up even worse, saved by the sole fact that Dispel fields had become customary for major metropolitan areas. Brigid was well attuned with magic arts and had no qualms in using them when possible.

Eligh took to his massive paws, attached to massive trunk-like plantigrade legs. Towering high above the lounging fox as she eyed him down while he unbuttoned his shirt, revealing a well-defined chest beneath, a white crest of fur amid a sea of dark, dirty blond that covered the other ninety-nine percent of his body.

She wolf-whistled him, knowing that it made him feel uncomfortable. “Now the pants!” 

He growled, ignoring her as he loosened the tie around his neck. “You’re really going to do that after what you experienced today? Plus, you didn’t answer my question.”

“I know that.”

He stopped at his bedroom door, the frame oddly littered with claw marks. “And are you going to?”

She shrugged, watching him as he stripped his shirt off at last before disappearing into his bedroom, shutting the door gently behind him, the sight of his toned ass the last thing she saw before the door shut.

He stepped up to the L-shaped computer desk where he did all of his work, several bottles of medication sitting near the wall along with a pill case and notepad. A steady routine of antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications had been the way of life for the bear ever since his late teen years, just as he started developing an interest in politics. Something that Brigid had attempted to draw a connection to, much to his denial.

With a great mind riddled with sometimes crippling anxiety and chronic depression, he’d been just another statistic in this country’s greater mental health problem, but unlike some, he’d been able to weather the storm and still wedge his way into the local political scene, becoming an intern at the governor’s office back in Colorado. Without going into the long tapestry that would be the events to follow, the connections he had formed there would net him a job in Brickhedge a decade later as the town’s planner.

The warm afternoon spring sunshine beamed in through the bear’s window, capturing his majestic form in its rays as he plopped down on the corner of his bed, stripping off his pants and tossing them to the side. Today had been his first formal meeting with the mayor of Brickhedge, and as nervous as he had been during it, he felt equal measures of accomplishment now.

Taking up a job that had him constantly interacting with, talking to, and even arguing with other powerful beasts had been the last career choice one would have expected such a timid, gentle beast, and while the title of town planner hadn’t been his first choice, it was a paw in the door of the bigger room.

His roommate knew that if his door were shut, he’d be off limits until further notice, so taking the opportunity, he splayed himself out across his twin-sized bed. Wearing nothing now but a pair of underwear that hugged his ass and created an instantly discernible outline of his penis as it pressed uncomfortably against his leg. Spontaneous erections were a thing of the past, thanks to his medications.

Wanting desperately to destroy the sense of dread that he’d developed, Eligh closed his eyes and allowed his mind to drift towards lighter subjects while the Xanax bars he just popped got to work. 

Regrettably, his first thoughts drifted towards the outbursts he had been victim to by his family years ago after being built up by the very same fox that silently stalked the apartment for which he shared. 

She had managed to talk him up enough to come out of the closet to his family. An act that would turn into months of ridicule, shaming, and talks of disowning. 

One would be remiss to think that this was where the bear’s mental problems began, but alas, that goes far deeper and is a subject for another day.

The headboard on his bed had many claw marks similar to the door frame, which this side also sported. One interaction with Eligh and a beast’s immediate takeaway wouldn’t be that he was this overly confident, impossibly handsome, muscular beast of a grizzly bear but that of a timid and incredibly shy cub. Even his voice, which was deep and gravelly, had betrayed his appearance.

He had no issues picking up dates; however, even if the vast majority of them were kept to strict one-night stands, the results were present everywhere the bear’s lovemaking sessions had commenced.

Brigid, who had acted as his wingmate on several occasions by weeding out any female that had approached the bear while scoping out potential bedfellows, was the total opposite in her endeavors for love. 

Where she was withdrawn and looking for ‘the one’, Eligh was a total slut and would sleep with just about any male that hit on him.

He could really use a good pounding right now, thinking to himself as he turned over to his side, allowing the sun’s rays to warm the fur on his back. The cradling sensation by the big star had its desired effect as he began to feel himself drift toward sleep. A nap would undoubtedly do him some good. Thinking coherently just wasn’t possible in his current riled-up state of mind.

Darkness soon overtook him, and the world drifted away…

Until it came right back to him. 

He was back in the mayor’s office, fully dressed in his business suit once again. The horse was sitting across from him at his desk as he sorted through the paperwork he’d provided the mayor upon entering the office this morning, sending Brigid on her way with some coffee and a muffin.

“Well, I do say, for such a young cub, you have a rather lengthy resume here. Not that a lack thereof would have changed the matter of fact, mind you,” the horse said with a smile, sounding like an old cartoon character. “I think Brickhedge will do just fine with you helping to maintain it. The locals might not like to acknowledge the fact, but we’ve stagnated in recent… decades.” The horse recompiled the bear’s documentation and handed it back.

The noisy old fax machine in the corner of the mayor’s office chugged to life, taking a ludicrously long time to spit out a single piece of paper. The once white and grey plastic now sporting a yellowed appearance. 

Looking around the town hall as a whole revealed a lot of outdated technology, giving the bear the sense that it wasn’t just the townsfolk that was content in being stuck in their ways. For god's sake, the receptionist was still using a typewriter!

“Ah yes, the governor is requesting my presence this coming week.” The horse said looking over the fax, ink laid so thick that it bled in some places across the paper.

Once he took up a seat in the building this coming week, he’d try and rally for some more modern updates around the office, starting with the busted air conditioning and receptionist desk.

“…ligh!”

“Hm, did you say something, mayor?” Eligh questioned, but the horse had not heard him.

“Eligh…” 

The bright morning light outside the windows quickly faded to black, becoming empty voids that trumped even the darkest of moonless nights.

“Eligh, would you wake the fuck up? It’s been hours!”

The bear’s entire reality snapped to complete and total darkness, the feeling of nothing suddenly being replaced by the cushiony mattress below him, the feeling of two soft hands pressing heavily against his chest and something heavier against his crotch.

Opening his eyes, the first image to greet his bleary, waking vision was the expanse of the fox’s cleavage, two sizeable breasts held firmly within a stylish black sports bra. The white fur that ran down the center was sandwiched like a cookie cream between fields of lavender on either side.

“Will you wake the fuck up already? I’m hungry!” the angry little fox yelled, grinding her pelvis against his crotch, knowing the forced reaction it’d elicit from the giant bear.

With a startle, the bear grabbed the fox by her arms and literally tossed her across the room, sending her crashing against the bedroom door, where she lay crumpled in a laughing fit near the point of tears.

Eligh, realizing that he’d just tossed his best friend across the room like she was an empty bag of chips, quickly climbed to his paws and scrambled over to her. “Brigid, I am so sorry! Are you hurt? Oh god, I didn’t mean—“ 

The fox could do nothing but raise a hand, exposing the soft pink pads that lined her hand, laughing so hard that tears had finally formed in the corners of her eyes. “That was so fucking funny. The look in your eyes was priceless,” she laughed, turning into a raspy cough as she tried to do three things at once, all requiring her mouth and throat. “You’ve thrown me farther before, though; I barely touch the door this time.” 

“You’re not hurt, are you?” Eligh asked once more, patting his little fox friend with his huge hand. “How many times have I told you not to wake me up like that? You know I have that knee-jerk reaction.”

Brigid finally climbed to her paws, brushing herself off and readjusting her bra. “Think I landed on a tit though, ouch.” She groped and readjusted herself.

“You know how that sort of thing makes me feel,” Said Eligh as he quickly made for his dresser, removing a pair of cargo shorts and slipping them on.

She started chuckling again. “’Eww girls!’”

“You’re all kinds of twisted, girl.” His voice muffled by the heavy grey hoodie he was slipping on. Then, when his head popped through the neck hole, “You know I hate it when you do stuff like that. I see you as a sister! And besides, I’m—“

“Gay! I know, I know! Which is exactly why it’s all the funnier how you react.”

Eligh stepped past her, heading toward the living room. “Nevermind then, where do you want to go eat?”

Secret of Memoria - Chapter 1: In The Beginning...

 

 All across the fields of the Frontier, known to those that live here as the Nostal Fields, the land was coming alive again with the sights and sounds of the spring season. Wildflowers were once again painting the plains with their varying shapes, sizes, and colors, standing out in contrast against the plush grass that had steadily been turning green since the month began.

The twitter of bird life had come with the flow of warmer air into the expansive valley, along with the larger waterfowl and some aerial monsters as well. All were hitching a ride on the warming air that flowed from the south now that the coattails of Old Man Winter had rolled back up north, as the old folk like to say.

Last Tail - Chapter 03: Meet Brigid

“Up yours!” the purple fox shouted, not caring one iota for the attention it and accompanying gesture had drawn. 

She’d survived nearly being run over by the speeding minivan, but the coffee and spiced walnut muffin she’d been carrying had not. Scattered and splattered across the pavement.

She crossed her arms and tilted her head sideways, contemplating whether she should head back to town hall to see if there were any muffins left or if she should cut her losses and head home to finish unpacking. There had been so much more luggage than she imagined.

Unseen and unheard by the fox, a dirty-looking grey cat snuck up behind her, placing a hand firmly on her shoulder, and squeezed. 

Tightly.

“Oh fuck shit!” She shouted, jumping away from the intruder—his hands and the pads that cushioned his fingers and palm were dried and cracked, the little ravines filled with dirt and grime.

“Did ah scares yuh,“ his voice drenched in the most unsavory sounding southern accent she’d ever had the misfortune of hearing in person. 

“I meant ya no harm, ma’am. Just checkin’ up on yuh after that there near run-in…” his eyes drifting immediately away from her eyes to her cleavage.

She tugged her pink and black plaid button-up back up to her shoulders and pulled it shut. Being ogled was fine, and she didn’t mind. Being in her 30s now, she found that fewer eyes fell upon her, even with her unique attributes. A big-titted fox wasn’t as eye-catching nowadays, it felt. She sighed.

However, this cat not only sounded it, but he was one of the fucking ugliest pieces of redneck hillbilly trash she’d ever seen.

“I’m fine.” Offering no gratitude in return for the feline’s feigned attempt at heroism. She rolled her eyes as the cat’s blatant show of perversion lingered. “Eyes up here, dumbass.”

“Well now, that isn’t anyway tuh talk tuh somebeast who was jes’ checkin’ up on you.”

Fuck this and fuck him. His voice was so grating that if everybeast in this town sounded even remotely like him, she’d have to break it to Eligh that she was moving back to Canada.

It really didn’t help matters that the asshole was ugly as all fucking hell, either. Call her superficial or whatever, but the fox had an unnerving feeling about this one. Time to put a fucking end to it.

If the poorly grown mustache beneath his nose and mullet weren’t enough to immediately make her wretch, the dirty wife-beater over blue denim jeans certainly would.

“Say, ah think we jes got off on tuh wrong paw, eh? Mah name’s—“ he reached out his hand, but she turned and walked away, cradling herself as her slender legs pulled her across the sidewalk as gracefully as a leaf caught in a gentle autumn breeze.

While she carved some distance between her and the unsavory feline, she distracted herself by thinking of the chain of events that had led to her being here in the first place.

Brigid had moved to the US from Vancouver several years ago. Her parents weren’t working-class beasts by any stretch of the imagination; The house she’d grown up in was an immaculate three-story affair and was located within the quote-on-quote “rich people” neighborhoods. She never took to that life like her older twin sisters did, embarrassing her family whenever she could, just by being herself.

Her genetics had a radically different idea for her life as well.

Sporting a smooth, velvety coat of lavender purple fur broken up by a streak of white that runs from her chin, over her breasts, and ends between her thighs. 

Her hair was jet-black, running to her lower back, and typically kept in a thick braid. No beast, save for her siblings, could claim to have ever seen her with her hair down.

Brigid’s most striking features as a fox, however, weren’t her bright pink eyes or the cute way the black, ink-like fur on the tip of her tail or her ears wisped away like the stroke of a calligrapher finishing a sentence. 

It definitely wasn’t the mottled grey spots all over her ass and hips. 

As a fox, the species was historically known for their minimal body fat and tall, narrow bodies. And save for a slight impression of hips on females; one would be unable to tell a fully-clothed male from a female if viewed from behind.

That is unless the female was Brigid.

Through some kink in her DNA, likely the same one that gave her her purple fur, Brigid had blossomed like most other beast species during puberty, ultimately growing impressively large breasts (for a fox, at least) and a cute little figure by the time she reached maturity at twenty-one.

Strolling through Main Street at a faster pace than she would have preferred this morning, Brigid couldn’t help but find herself gazing into the many small businesses that lined the streets.

Stopping in front of what appeared to be a clothing shop, a big CLOSED sign hanging from the glass door, the fox gazed inside at the massive amount of clothing displayed within. Lining the walls as well as from hangers dangling on large A-frames. 

Mannequins of all shapes, sizes, and species lined one side of the building, each dressed in what was being advertised overhead as the ‘Springtime Sunshine’ line. 

The very first mannequin was that of a fox, slender and tall with no curves to speak of. It towered over her by almost eight inches! That was the golden standard for the species. That’s how her mother looked, her father and her two sisters, and literally every other fox she’d ever met or seen on television.

Stepping back so that her reflection lined up with the outline of the mannequin, her extraordinary figure and top-heavy features became immediately apparent, torn pants and all.

Now granted, the torn pants were a fashion choice. Brigid clung to the early 2010s fashion trends tightly, particularly those of the Gothic and Scene styles. Being well into her thirties wasn’t going to stop her from dressing any particular way. Shit, at that age, she could damn well do whatever she wanted. The opinions of others held little weight on her conscious.

The fox had been curious, though, about what it must feel like to shop for clothes tailored specifically for your species. 

From the time she’d hit puberty and found that the fairly form-fitting, narrow-shouldered gender-neutral clothes designed for foxes were impossible for her to wear, she’d had begun shopping for general canid or even for smaller clothing designed for wolves in order to find attire that suited her. 

Bra shopping had been an entirely other hassle that wasn’t worth dredging up right now.

The sound of two voices snapped her out of her reverie. The motion from her head quickly swiveled around, causing her braid to flip from hanging over her shoulder to dangling off her back, coming to rest like a halted pendulum.

A lioness with the thickest, most beautiful hair she’d ever seen strode gracefully towards her, a pastry in one hand and coffee in the other. The fox stood awestruck by the incredible image the lion created: A thick fur coat of seafoam blue, contrasting nicely against the equally pretty pale seafoam green of her hair. 

She was dressed up, sporting an open black blazer over a tight white t-shirt and black pants. 

Walking beside her was a shorter beast also sporting green hair, though far more unnatural in its appearance—the dark roots confirming her suspicion.

His identity became clear as the pair drew closer—an opossum in scrubs.

The lion and the opossum walked by, paying her no mind as they mingled in a spirited discussion.

“Oh hey!” She waved her hand as the pair turned around, finally acknowledging her. “Shitty of me to bother you, but could I possibly ask where you got that coffee? I’m new in town and—“ 

The opossum smiled and whispered something to the lioness, who kept on walking. He turned back to the fox and closed the distance. “Sure thing, see if…”

Two blocks later, Brigid finally came upon the coffee shop. The opossum gave her a nice, clean set of instructions: “Keep heading this direction; Two crosswalks down, third building in the row.”

The marsupial’s instructions were dead on as she walked up to a quaint little coffee shop built halfway between Corn and Tomato Street. The outdoor seating area was mercifully hidden beneath large umbrellas, with an extra table and set of chairs beneath the building’s roof.

“Toh’s Beans & Bakery,” read the big banner sign outside, which was hand-carved just like the big signs at each exit of town. 

The smell of freshly brewed coffee and sweet, buttery pastries filled with locally-made fruit fillings wafted out of the heavy glass door every time it opened or closed. 

Beside the door was a chalkboard with a crudely drawn cup of coffee and the advertisement for today’s special.

Awestruck at the sight of what she was sure to be her new hangout—which was right across the street from her apartment, no less—she had missed the fact that the redneck cat from earlier had been steadily approaching her.

Her ears fell flat against her head in realization of her predicament.

Sure, she could single-handedly bust this motherfucker up until he resembled a bloody pile of hair and bone, but her problem stemmed from not only being a fresh new face in town but also her ties to the new government official. And she was sure that beating up a local, even if he deserved it, would look really bad on Eligh right now.

Not wanting to take any chances quite yet, she slipped between a pair of flamingos that had exited the cafe and then through the set of doors herself.

Unsure if the cat had seen her or not and, quite frankly, unwilling to look behind her, she gracefully strode through the quaint cafe. Its interior layout somewhat reminded her of the coffee shop from Friends, only no couch, and it wasn’t populated by a bunch of the unfunniest sitcom characters ever… that she knew of.

The little bells above the door signaled that somebeast had entered behind her. 

Oh, how she wished Eligh was here. Pushy males like this were easier to brush off when you had a seven-foot-tall hulking mass of muscle to cling to, even if he was gay as fuck. They didn’t know that, and that’s what mattered.

The orange cat working the counter must have sensed her uneasiness and had—in the middle of serving another customer—gestured for her to step up front beside the counter.

Hesitant at first; he was a cat too. They could be in cahoots together! “Don’t be a fucking specist, Brigid, jeez,” scolding herself mentally, “Fucking residual speciesm leftover from the grandparents”, then stepped forward, excusing herself with one of the most polite-sounding tones she’d ever used as she pushed her way past the other beasts who had been in line before her, including that of a wolf with the most striking pair of red eyes she’d ever seen. 

The two shared a quick glance and a little smile before she disappeared towards the front of the quickly growing crowd.

“Just stay up here near the counter,” the orange tabby had said, quickly excusing himself from another customer. “Don’t ask how I knew something was wrong; just go with it if he approaches you, okay? The name is Toh, by the way. Welcome to my cafe and Brickhedge as a whole.”

The name on the fucking sign out front. It was THE Toh, the namesake of Toh’s Beans. And he had just saved her from having to seriously fuck up her first local.

The stray cat hung around the cafe for close to an hour, keeping his distance while simultaneously keeping a watchful eye on the fox. Never did he once attempt to approach, much to her relief, which had been felt two-fold when he left and had gone in the opposite direction of her apartment building.

Last Tail - Chapter 02: Meet Desmond

 

One glance inside of the minivan that was currently chugging away in its endeavor to climb the steep grade of the mountain road and one would not be remiss to think that a family of Lovecraftian horrors had decided to take a Sunday afternoon drive. But that would be far, far from the truth of the matter, for the beasts that resided within were naught but moles of the Star-Nosed variety.

Each one no taller than three and a half feet(maybe pressing closer to four-foot if you counted the mother’s updo), the Star-Nosed Mole was a rarity in these parts of the world; very few have ever migrated this far south, and those that have had gone through extensive facial reconstruction to remove their namesake appendage in an effort to blend in.

Each of the four portly moles sported their signature tentacled nose, a fragment of their species’ primal era millions of years ago, long before they became upright and intelligent. And while they are no longer needed in these modern times, in the past, the ultra-sensitive tentacles could be used to detect vibrations from underground, alerting it to both prey and predator long before either one would have known it was there.

Now, the tentacled appendage had become reviled in the eyes of modern-day beasts, drawing back at the sight of the prehensile, wriggling fleshy appendages that no longer served a purpose beyond a simple, unsightly namesake.

Last Tail - Chapter 01: Meet Advrik

 

“If you want the property, you’ll have to meet us at Town Hall today by 3pm sharp. I realize the distance is great and that this is rather strict timing on our part, but at this point, it’s the only way we can see this offer through as it stands. 

I hope to see you soon, Mr. Drahcir.”

The voicemail had found its way to the wolf’s inbox this morning before the sun had even begun to crest the horizon. It had been what he was waiting to hear. A confirmation, the invitation to take up the reigns of a new life in a new town, away from the hustle and bustle of New York where he’d spent the last decade of his life chipping away with a meager living as a grocery market employee.

Of course, he had no job going into this new life, but he wouldn’t be a bagboy at the very least!

Something had woken him up just before 6am this morning, a little tickle under his right arm that wouldn’t relent no matter how much he itched at it. Finally, he opened his eyes to a darkened apartment, the curtainless window still dark save for the dim glow of a nearby streetlight. This time of year, he simply knew that he could get himself a few extra hours of sleep before having to leave for another grueling, thankless eight-hour shift at work as a quote-on-quote, part-time employee.

But something told him to check his phone anyway, even at the risk of burning his eyes against the bright light of the screen.

To his surprise, there was some voicemail from a number he wasn’t familiar with. Holding the device to his ear to listen, the southern-sounding voice spoke to him from within, delivering the news he’d been holding his breath for.

The wolf gave his manager a call, dropping the bomb that he wouldn’t be coming in today or ever again. He would be leaving nothing of any real value behind by doing so on such short notice, anyway. The job sucked; he was underpaid and had been offered no benefits beyond the promise of thirty-nine-hour work weeks in a twenty-hour-a-week position. The decision to do so came to him as easily as it was trying to sneak a pick at a pretty girl walking past.

Within the hour, he had packed his clothes and whatever belongings he collected over the years into a single plastic tote. Nothing else had been worth keeping. 

He had plenty of savings left over and could coax by on that for a while once he got to where he was going.

It had just been a matter of getting outta dodge and signing that piece of paper.

Tossing the keys into the lock box beside the door, along with a note telling the landlord to keep whatever he found inside, the wolf with the shaggy brown hair hopped into the driver’s seat of his 2000 Toyota Camry, cranked up the tunes, and sped off down the road, offering not a single look into the rear-view mirror at the humdrum life he was leaving behind.

That was three hours ago.

His name is Advrik Drahcir, and he is a Grey Wolf. 

At thirty-something years of age, the wolf had found himself growing up in the Sitting Pretty orphanage for the first eighteen years of his life. He had no family to speak of, never at any point had he felt inclined to seek out answers in his adult life. A family that thought so little of him to abandon him didn’t deserve the time or money(which he also lacked) to find them.

Both windows were down, and the cool, early spring air ripped through the well-kept cab of the Toyota, rustling the wolf’s shaggy head unbrushed hair. His thick, greyish-brown coat of fur—still heavy with his winter fluff—swayed against the breeze like an endless field of wheat. 

His destination was Brickhedge, a small town he just randomly happened across one night while seeking out potential housing opportunities. It had no social media presence. Barely a listing on Google, and no searches within Facebook showed residents with it listed as their Hometown.

He just knew that it was a nice-looking little town in the mountains that was within reasonable driving distance of a major city and the coastline, among other things.

Advrik had called the number on the voice mail an hour into his drive, making contact with the local housing office-slash-town hall. The receptionist was polite and well-spoken but had a sense of power behind her voice that told the wolf she wasn’t one to be pushed around. 

He’d confirmed with the woman on the other end that he was well on his way, assuring her that he’d be there slightly after noon, barring any issues on the road.

Now he flew up the interstate, breeze in his hair, ‘Walking on Sunshine’ blasting from his car’s speakers as he pushed his paw to the pedal, spurring the aging vehicle close to eighty miles per hour. Despite that, the car purred as if it were freshly off the assembly line.

L A S T  T A I L

As far as the wolf species went, Advrik was a subpar example. Standing well under six feet tall, he was six inches below the average height of wolves and far less broadly built as well. He’d been picked on relentlessly by an older orphan: a hairless, jet-black wolf with golden eyes that had the bulk and the stature. His only truly striking feature was the glistening blood-red color of his irises.

The bully had been adopted somehow, much to the smaller wolf’s delight. Strange, though, he thought. That particular part of his life hadn’t crossed his mind in decades.

He shrugged. What a weird memory to suddenly have come washing back.

In the distance, the wolf spotted a Sheetz gas station.

After a quick fill-up, a stop-in at the restroom, and the purchase of a meat stick and a blueberry muffin GFuel, Advrik was back on the road. The GPS app on his phone showed that his destination was still two and a half hours away, ensuring him that he’d arrive there shortly after 1pm.

The altitude steadily increased as his adventure took him up increasingly higher inclines that led into the mountains of—

A truck lugging a shipment of sickly looking Chimkens honked its horn as it flew past in the opposite lane. The smell of the small, feathered monsters mingled with the choking odor of the vehicle’s diesel fuel.

Signs for local towns started appearing on the left and right sides of the highway. “Visit Bethlehem!” one said, something he may do in the future once he gets situated in his new life. The website the local government had produced for it made it sound nice enough but was well out of the affordable living range for a working-class beast.

Had the friendly yet stern beast from the local offices not given him exact directions on where to find the turn-off for Brickhedge, he would have easily missed it. There was a large, hand-carved sign tucked away behind an overgrowth of trees and shrubs that read “WELCOME TO BRICKHEDGE” with a smaller sign held aloft by chains reading “Population: Growing”.

The GPS app on his phone lost its signal somehow; having zero idea of where he’d gone, it quickly tried redirecting his course and sending him back to the highway. Peculiar as he thought it was, he’d just follow the directions given to him now and make his way into town that way.

Disabling the app and tucking the phone into his messenger bag, Advrik took in the sights and sounds of the slow drive up the snaking road that led him up the mountain, at one point coming across a drop-off outlined by concrete barriers and a smattering of parking spaces.

Noting the time, he was ahead of schedule and could afford to take another quick pit stop to take in the scenery and cleanse his lungs of the city air for good.

Stepping out of his car, the wolf draped the strap of his messenger bag around his shoulder, crinkling the well-worn Powerbeast emblem on his shirt as he did. 

Stepping up to the barrier,  the wolf took in the breathtaking sight. It had felt somehow warmer here than it did before the turn-off. The foliage and flora were much greener here as well; the sights and smells of dozens upon dozens of different wildflower varieties covered the untamed rolling fields and pastures far below.

It was almost as if spring had somehow arrived earlier here despite it still making its way up from the south. Or whatever it was Edwin Way Teal had said.

Being in such a place, surrounded by so much beautiful, untamed wilderness, the thought occurred to him that monsters were likely a way of life around here just as much as the coming and going of seasons, neither of which were felt much in the cities.

Stretching out his arm, he summoned a weapon from out of the ether: Blue and white magic sparks appeared and disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving a sheathed sword in the wolf’s grip, handle cushioned within the pads on his palm and fingers. Taking the sheath in his other hand, he drew the blade from its protective confines and allowed the sun to glisten against the sword’s blue metal.

“Ah, Fenrir, it’s great to see you again.” He said to his sword, his birthday gift to himself the previous year. He’d applied Magitek to it while out on a trip outside of New York, where magic was still prohibited, making it so the weapon would always be at his side whenever he left the veil of a Silence field. A magic-blocking apparatus designed to keep politicians, celebrities, and other potential targets for loonies in check… to a degree.

The sword’s grip was a cheaply crafted coil of blackened steel that ended with the shape of a wolf’s tail while the opposite end reflected the wolf’s head, with the blade jutting out of its mouth.

It was a heavy weapon that could be used in one-handed and two-handed stances. Advrik had practiced both and could switch styles on the fly to suit his needs should the occasion arrive. “Better to be prepared for any situation,” he had told himself once, sitting in that lonely old, mildew-stained apartment back in New York.

An hour later, just as the clock struck 2pm, Advrik rolled into the Brickhedge city limits. His directions were to have him go to Main Street, where Town Hall was located, but first, he’d need to make his way through the outskirts—finding humor in the street names, which were named after vegetables. He finally found his way off of Potato Street and onto Brickhedge’s Main Street.

What laid out before him as he idled at that Stop sign looked like it was out of a dream. The buildings were clean, and not a single broken window in sight outside of that rundown townhouse with the overgrown yard that stood out in jarring contrast between two similarly built houses.

The streets were clean, and the sidewalks were in near-perfect condition besides the occasional chalk drawing and the children that made them.

Numerous businesses could be seen where he idled, from antique and jewelry shops to tailors, butchers, and even an old-fashioned soda shop! Where buildings didn’t stand were well kept yards, outlined with low walls made up of red brick where beasts young and old hung about, enjoying the warm early spring sunshine.

Between the picturesque slice of Americana that laid out before him and the gobsmack feeling he got as he drove past an active, fully-functioning Super K-Mart on his way into town, he was almost convinced he had been in a wreck on his drive up here, and this was the final images his brain was firing off as it died.

That trailer carrying all those chimkens must’ve hit him!

It wasn’t until the car behind him, which he failed to notice in his astonishment, blew its horn and snapped him out of his reverie that he flipped his signal, made a left turn, and headed for Town Hall.

He pulled his Camry up to the curb and parked it beside a meter. Dropping a single coin into the slot, he made his way up the small flight of stairs and into Brickhedge Town Hall.

The main area was clean and well-kept but felt muggy despite the comfortable temperatures outside. To his left and right were sitting areas, eight chairs, each with healthy-looking house plants and Coke and Pepsi vending machines on either side. 

Sitting at the heavy pine wood desk was a cockatoo. Busy typing away on an actual typewriter. “Has to be a show,” Advrik thought to himself as the bird looked up from her work and smiled somehow. 

Beasts that had bills or beaks just had a way about them that, even though they lacked the facial muscles that mammals possessed, still had a unique way of expressing their emotions

“Well, hello there. You must be Mr. Drahcir; we’ve been expecting you, dear.” Her voice was motherly and well-spoken, with a slight southern twang. She wore a modest brown secretary suit and a thick, blue ribbon tied around her chest, the tails of which resting on her ample bosom. Her hair was cut in a way that harkened back to the Karen hairstyle that rowdy customers typically kept.

He shivered internally.

“Yes, ma’am, but you can call me Advrik. And you are?”

“I am Missus Kinkaid; it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, pup.” She said, the crown of feathers on her head raising slightly through her hair.

“No first name?” He absentmindedly asked.

“That is my first name. M-I-S-S-U-S,” she spelled out. My parents were a bundle of odd feathers that they were.” She laughed an infectious, hardy laugh, spurring Advrik into joining her. 

Then, the door behind the main office opened, and a new face stepped out. Advrik thought he’d seen another figure sitting within, much bigger, with dark blond fur.

“Oh! Mister Mayor, your second appointment is here.” She rose from her seat, gesturing the new beast in the direction of the wolf. The mayor’s identity became clear: It was a horse of the Clydesdale variety. He wore a bowler cap and a pair of black suspenders over a vertically striped white and blue shirt.

Wolf and horse exchanged pleasantries over a firm handshake, making some small talk and sharing a few laughs and even a drink from the vending machines before the duo stepped outside.

“Mayor Filbert, I just want to thank you again for this opportunity—“ 

The horse raised his hand and said: “Oh please, son. I havetuh say; it was an absolute thrill for me to finally hand this property over to somebeast.” The two walked side by side out onto the sidewalks, heading back the way in which the wolf had come. They stopped beside the car, the mayor looking it over.” This your car? The wolf nodded, and the horse dropped another quarter into the slot.

“We take care of each other here in Brickhedge, pup. And while the general beast population is a lively, friendly bunch, they can get mouthy. Particularly when blemishes on the town aren’t being properly tended to, ya see…”

 Advrik was content with listening to what the horse had to say. 

Knowing that the mayor was leading him to the whole reason for his journey here today: A piece of property, house included, was being offered up at an incredibly steep discount. The only stipulation was that it had to be bought sight unseen.

He’d been assured that it would be liveable once some work had been done on it.

It’s just…

When the wolf originally discussed the listing he fatefully stumbled upon that night, he had asked why this was even available and why nobeast in town had snatched it up. It was too good to be true, he thought. A single-bedroom, two-story townhouse located smackdab in the middle of Main Street? There HAD to be some sort of catch.

Shortly after that, he received further communications from the town hall and then that voicemail from this morning confirming his acquisition.

It wasn’t until now, however, that the sight-unseen aspect of the whole deal dawned on him as they stepped up to the broken, rundown townhouse that he’d frowned upon on his way into town. Complete with its broken windows, boarded-up front door, overgrown, trash-littered yard, and rusted iron fencing.

“Well, here it is, Mr. Drahcir.” The mayor said, gesturing widely with his arm as if revealing a brand new car on The Price is Right. “A bit of a fixer-upper, but you won’t find anything else like it at the price you paid for it anywhere else in the country, that I assure you.”

The horse handed him a small box and a document containing the property deed and keys to the front and back doors. “I wish I could stay with you and help you get into the place, but I have a rather important meeting to attend at Town Hall that I must return to.” He said, walking up to the gate and unlatching it, the hinges creaking like claws on a chalkboard as it swung open.

“But I do have one last gift for you. Do you see that box there beside the stoop? That, and the contents within, was a donation from the tool shop just down the way. I figured you could use some help prying off these old pieces of plywood and whatnot. Now if you’ll excuse me. I will swing by later in the day after the office closes.”

And like that, Advrik was not only the owner of a rather decent piece of land situated in the heart of one of the most beautiful little towns he’d ever laid eyes on, but the big crack den-looking house that also stood upon it.

And yet…

Despite that and the amount of work that lay before him, he was the happiest he had ever been.