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Salted hash and over-peppered eggs did not make for a good post-hangover breakfast. That is, of course, if your bloodstream wasn't at least fifteen percent alcohol most of the time.

Leonard drearily slammed through his cheap meal with a half functioning head, eyes burning, senses dulled, thoughts muted. Outside of Quick Skippy, his cheap eatery of choice, pale clouds blanketed the sky, festering with a haze of drizzle. Still had something left over from last night's storm, as it were.

"Oh egg," the albino rabbit would say, "why couldn't they mix you with whiskey, or beer, or anything."

Because it's Sunday,_the egg responded. _No alcohol on Sunday.

The rabbit stopped. "Am I talking to my breakfast?" he mumbled. You are, the silent plate "said" back.

Leonard groaned. What in the hell did he drink last night? It was certainly something he wanted more of. He couldn't remember most of the previous evening. Likely had to do with the long trip down from Hatchburg, shitty motel beds, and his foul post-laid off mood, but still, blackouts weren't that common for him.

"So, what am I doing again, breakfast?" he mumbled again, looking down at his plate, trying to focus through the noise of the diner.

Travelling, remember? Catching a bus? Moving in to apartment. . . uh shit. I don't know either.

Leonard rubbed his yes. What was that old human saint expression? Oh geist? Sliced?

"Christ," he remembered. "This is amazing."

Mental note, locate the sauce which threw me into a state of never-remembering. Take that the rest of my life, we'll be good to go, he silently mused.

He spent the next several dozen of minutes figuring out his day. Most of it was still murky. The rain didn't help, neither did the post-booze, as much as he enjoyed it. Still, he really had to figure this out. There wasn't a white-collar job to save him anymore.

"Cheap breakfast is a pretty bad idea after drinking."

A familiar voice broke the atmosphere of his concentration. Turning around from his bench seat, he saw a figure of pale green-blue scales approach.

Leonard squinted. She walked closer while his brain fumbled around, trying to recall. Sugar? Chore?

"Oh, hey again, you," he uttered clumsily. "Long time no see?" he added, uncertain.

The gator gal looked him over, amused. The albino rabbit looked like he had all the swagger of someone run over by a bus or two.

"Cheree. Last night."

Leonard rubbed his eyes. Oh god. "Oh god, yeah. Yeah! Right."

She tilted her head. "Did you really not recognize me?"

Leonard tapped his plate with fork. "Haha, almost not. Great, isn't it? Oh er uh, not great-great. Just great as in 'wow that shit packed a wallop' great."

Scaled hands went to hips. She was wearing a more casual attire, one wrist banded with beads and colorful jewelry.

"It's for 'gates and 'diles, is why. I had to walk you to your hotel."

Leonard gazed at her, surprised. Not about needing an escort, more so that someone even bothered.

"Oh," he said. "Well that wasn't necessary. I mean I think I would've been okay. It wasn't too rainy, was it?"

Cheree shook her head. "Thank you, are the words you're looking for."

"Shit, right. Sorry, sorry. Thanks. Thanks a bunch, I mean. Sorry again. I drink a lot. Didn't have to."

Thick gator tail whirled about. "Eh. No big deal. End of my shift and it looks pretty bad on business to a let a drunk wander around and get hurt. Especially a stranger."

Maybe for small, local dives, Leonard thought. "Er uh. Are you. . . checking on me?"

Cheree started to laugh. "You wish. Actually, meeting a friend here. Just so happens you also like bad, cheap breakfast."

The rabbit nodded, understanding. "It's the universal glue to all hangover mornings."

"Funny thing though," started Cheree. "Didn't you say you were headed to Shady Vale?"

Did he say that? You said that, Leonard's egg-mind told him. "So I am. Moving there, actually."

Cheree's violet eyes brightened. "Huh! That's funny. I used to live there. In fact, my friend lives there right now. When are you headed down?"

Leonard scratched his chin, interested.

"Really? Well we're all a bunch of neighbors then," he joked dryly. "And catching a bus. When I uh, figure out when the next bus is."

A few folks scuffled past Cheree. She sat, decidedly. "Bus? No. You'll be stuck here _all day._They only run the one commute and it's either crack of dawn or late evening."

Leonard didn't mind her sit, though long ears twitched at the prospect of another long wait. He was only wearing the one suit; thank gods for shitty motel washers.

"Uh, don't suppose you could slip me a few drinks then? Time's nothing when you got a glass full of a booze."

Cheree didn't respond, peering at him with a mix of concern and amusement.

"Not working. Day off. Friend. And also."

"Sunday?"

"Sunday," she finished.

Leonard nodded. "Day off huh? Well don't let me keep you. Nothing worse than losing free time to an alcoholic. Believe me."

"Believed," Cheree said. "Hmm."

"Tell you what," the gator gal continued. "Chill here for a bit. I'm gonna meet my friend outside. Might have a fix."

Before Leonard could inquire what this "fix" was, or even decided whether not he wanted to chill, the gatoress bounced from her seat and out the Quick Skippy door. He watched her through the diner window, pale clouded light catch off her green-blue scales. Nice girl, he thought.

Finishing off the rest of his grody breakfast, he saw the teller again and snagged some coffee. Then, added enough sugar and cream to make it not-coffee, sipping on the hot liquid as he counted the minutes.

He reflected. The rabbit still couldn't believe it. Some small-time diner out in the southeast, that's where he was. Usually by this time he was shaving in his studio apartment up in Hatchburg, checking to see how the Bluetails were doing, ignoring calls from work about how to reconfigure endpoint security for a new software update.

"But now this," he said to no one. "Sugary coffee and a bare plate of salty eggs."

A long pause.

You ever wonder how Jackson is doing?

"Fuck," he swore, if not a little too loudly. "Fuck. I need a drink."

Drinks helped him forget. Gods, he needed to forget.

What felt like an agonizing eternity passed, and soon Cheree emerged through the diner entrance again, or so Leonard could hear.

She was not alone. This time, a shorter, young mouse accompanied her. She had bright, creamy blonde fur, wide brown eyes and ears pierced with several rings on each. Her attire screamed "alternate fashion" and she held the jittery demeanor of a curious, energetic rodent.

Leonard had seen dozens like her when he interned for Tech Jet. I don't have enough alcohol for this, he thought.

"Sorry," Cheree said, approaching with her companion. "Took a bit longer because someone took too long to get her earrings on."

"Hey!" the mouse said, raising her arms, "I have a very, very particular look. Besides I didn't know we were picking up some bozo you met at the bar."

Leonard raised his brows. Well, at least she was honest.

"Joanne!" the gator rebuked. "She's kidding, she's just. . ."

"Joanne!" the mouse said staunchly. Her hand shot out. "Just kidding, don't think you're a bozo. But it's been a weird morning."

Oh gods she's got jokes too, the rabbit thought, shaking her hand. He winced internally. He probably was barely seven years their senior and yet, he never felt such a wide divide of "adult" and "kid."

"It's fine," he agreed. "Frankly bozo is isn't too far off, so you're partly accurate. Leonard."

Joanne beamed, and her nose wiggled excitedly. "Leeeeeonaaaard! The new guy! Right? You're the new guy, right right?"

The albino rabbit's ears twitched. "I'm the new the guy."

Joanne glanced to her gator friend. "So this is the dude. I told you someone was moving in! I kept wondering whose stuff they were throwing in D3!"

Cheree nodded, grinning apologetically, an expression of 'sorry-this-is-my-friend-she's-high-energy.'

Leonard raised his hands. "Sorry what? Thrown?"

The mouse nodded a bit feverishly. "Yup. Well not thrown, thrown. Just kinda thrown. I mean you get it. The one-two-skadoo. Burly guys doing their thing. I'm sure it's fine! It's all fine. Murdoch Ridge is the finest of fine."

Leonard perhaps processed half the sentence, and the other worried about his "thrown stuff." Hmm, he mentally grumbled.

"Hmm," he grumbled aloud. "Well, I suppose it could be worse. As long as they don't damage the hardware I can deal with sleeping on boxes."

Joanne squeak laughed. "Boxes are comfy, don't knock it til' you've tried it!"

The gatoress finally cut in. "I'm sure your boxes are fine, Leonard. Only one way to find out, though."

Leonard stretched. And he was just getting comfortable with his half-cup of sugar coffee and bare plate.

"We're taking my car," Cheree added. "Meet out outside?"

The rabbit smiled. Or he smirked. Or he tried to smile. It was one of those, he could feel it.

"Thanks. I hate to impose. This is probably not how you expected your Sunday to go."

Joanne gave a 'psh' and Cheree shrugged. "Headed back that way anyway," said the gator gal. "Dropping this one off."

The mouse feigned a big, troublesome grin, and then pair left the diner once more. Leonard paid up for the meal, left a tip, and followed them. Outside, the day had a mild chill to it, caused likely by the overcast. Street roads of Reddetown were still glazed from previous storms while cars buzzed on by. Just busy enough to remind the rabbit of Hatchburg. And that was a problem.

He met up with the pair next to a green jeep. He glanced it over, awkwardly. Alright, getting into a car with two strangers and they're driving an alcoholic stranger to a town of strangers. Nothing weird about this, he thought.

"Nice jeep," he complimented stiffly. "Don't think I saw many of those up in the city?"

Joanne quickly ran around the site to get in the front passenger seat as Cheree unlocked the doors.

"Oh yeah?" she said without looking. "Wasn't my first choice. They sold a few of them down in the Vale. And trucks. Lots of trucks."

The doors clicked and Cheree stepped in, starting the engine. For a moment, the albino-rabbit didn't enter. Perhaps the strangeness of the moment settled over him, or rather disbelief he was getting close to his 'new life.'

"Come on Lenny boy!" he heard Joanne call.

Cheree noticed the pause. "No danger here," she said over the engine. "Hop in!"

Well, the rabbit thought, there are worse fates than getting kidnapped by two pretty girls, I guess.

Internally shrugging, the rabbit jumped inside the jeep, the beige leather pleasantly clean and smelling of creek water. Probably a favored gator scent. Cheree backed out of the Quick Skippy parking lot and began heading out.

Outward and homeward, to Shady Vale.

It wasn't until about thirty minutes until Leonard saw the transformations. Roads got thinner, space got closer, and buildings succumbed to trees and hills. Most were still blooming with the early rise of Spring, so a mix of browns and jades flooded the rabbit's gaze as they went farther south.

Leonard had taken to silence for most of the ride, long ears sorting through the conversation of Joanne and Cheree.

"How's Rory?" Cheree would ask.

Joanne squeaked a few things in response. "... and I mean pretty crabby lately, truck's giving him trouble. I swear that thing is possessed by like, a demon."

Then he lost focus. Then focused again.

"... worried honestly. Already fired Jacobs. Business gets slower and I'm getting called in on weekends. Want to make it work ..."

"... can totally do it! You're like, the smartest of us! And besides, we always got your back! Maybe like do ..."

Leonard closed his eyes, the hum of the jeep lulling him into deep thought. Deep thought where deep words held deep pain. He remembered what he didn't want to remember. Words mixing with words.

Hey man, see you after work! Bluetails tonight. Also, you're getting lunch today!

Albino red-eyes snapped open wide. FUCK.

"Fuck," he muttered, biting back a scream. He looked around. Trees, lots. Then, an opening.

"Shaaaaady Vale!" Joanne squeaked, mostly to Leonard. The rabbit blinked. Lots of trees still. Then a building.

Then, a sprawling lake appeared at the feet of a big hill, the covered sunlight washing over it to grant it a ghostly, white look. The jeep rolled past a sign, the words worn down, though Leonard could make out most of it:

SHADY VALE

BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO DRINK FROM PEARL LAKE

Cryptic, the rabbit thought.

Cheree continued to drive through forest and wilds, until a small building appeared: rest stop, it said. After that, yet more structures were visible, roads leading to different pockets of the town.

"Welcome home," Cheree said cheerily. "It gets better, promise."

"I don't doubt it," the rabbit replied, eyeing the different buildings and sights rolling past. It certainly looked its age, a strange mix of houses lined on streets with new and old brick towers hanging around every corner or so.

"It's kinda small," Joanne added. "Mostly they ship out like, wood and stuff near the tracks. But we got the best eats here. Aaaand the best town square. And their burgers? Yis! They make a special veggie one just for me!"

In a way, Leonard couldn't help but feel the mouse was selling herself on Shady Vale rather than him.

"They have a Bigmart too," Cheree said reassuringly. "Just in case your diet exceeds burgers and fries."

Joanne scoffed. "Aw that place is lame. Totally messed up the Food Stop we had before. Aaaand Jenkins. I can never find that candy again!"

The rabbit soaked it all in, noting each turn and drive. Long streets. Impractically long, in fact. So much so he was concerned he didn't have his own car. Never a need in Hatchburg with taxis and walking. But there was enough distance between rogue homes and places of business that a vehicle was likely necessary. He left it as a mental note.

Eventually, the jeep pulled into a collection of apartment buildings. A homely sign MURDOCH RIDGE silently announced the plaza of structures as Cheree began fishing around for Leonard's new place.

"You know which one is yours?" she asked.

"D3, D3!" Joanne answered excitedly.

"That one," the rabbit said. "I'll have to check in though, get my keys and sign and all that."

Understanding, Cheree took the jeep back and parked it in front of the leasing office.

"Need us to help you get settled in?" the mouse offered, with a kindness Leonard found strangely unnerving. He shook his head, unbuckling.

"You guys have done plenty. Well, specifically you Cheree. You," Leonard pointed at Joanne, "Talk a lot."

The mouse only grinned. "I'll talk circles around you!" she challenged.

Leonard chuckled dryly. "In seriousness, I appreciate it. There was no need, really. I can take care of myself."

"Really?" the gator gal said back flatly. "Your drunken stupor might disagree with you."

He shrugged. "Give me a few days, I'll get used to it. But thanks again. Won't forget it."

He hopped out of the jeep, offering a wave. Cheree looked at him, hesitantly, violet eyes scanning over the rabbit.

"Hey so," she started, jeep still rumbling. "If you like need help figuring stuff out here uh, you should join our chat group. Joanne and me, I mean."

Leonard raised a brow. "Oh?"

He could see her blush, faintly. "I mean not if you don't want but sometimes it helps to have a person you can contact you know," she added hurriedly.

"HAHA SHE LIKES YOU HAHA!" Joanne blurted out. Leonard could see the gator shove her mouse friend.

"Yeah," Leonard started, "I use ChatterBug." He fumbled in his pocket for an old wrapper and scribbled down his handle. "leokarkov2" the name read.

He handed it to the gator who looked somewhat excited to receive it. "We'll message you first. Some other friends on there too."

"Ah? Will they be alright knowing an alcoholic stranger from a city is now talking to them?"

"They won't," Cheree admitted. Oh. She was serious. "Have to let them know. It'll be fine though."

There was a brief pause, perhaps a hope for the other to say something. "Thanks so much," Leonard blurted out redundantly.

"Yeah," said Cheree softly. "Tell us how you settle in later tonight. You'll get a message from me or Jo'!"

"You got it," agreed Leonard. "Take care."

Joanne was still squeaking with laughter as the jeep finally pulled away, back onto the street and wherever it was they were headed. Leonard realized one of them was going to be his neighbor.

Oh god, he thought.

Setting up wasn't too difficult. Half an hour to sign papers, get the key, and a rundown of the facility "benefits." A local gym and covered pool were Murdoch Ridge's big selling points, the rest was just standard living affairs.

After talking with the Ridge staff, Leonard made his way to building D, up the stairs to the third floor. There were only five buildings or so, each with a coat of bland, yellow paint and trimmed bushes. As basic as it got.

Eager to change his attire - since the rabbit hadn't bothered to pack any clothes on his bus ride down - he ran up the building stairs to border of green that was his apartment door.

New life central, population: me, he mused.

Unlocking the door - and noticing how difficult it was to do - Leonard made his way inside. Meeting his curious gaze was an assortment of hastily stacked boxes in random towers clumped together in what he assumed was the living room. Conjoined was a small kitchen, then a hallway to the left.

Leonard grumbled, carefully looking at each box, hand-paw tracing for damage. He also scanned for the one lined in big red words marked HARDWARE, which was his computer and other relevant tech. Nothing.

Grumbling, he went down the hall, spotting a bathroom and washing area, then, his single room. Inside, yet more boxes were lined, and the flat of his bed he had arranged to have set up previous. It was slightly spacious, but nothing luxurious. Smaller than what he had in Hatchburg, certainly.

Looking through yet another series of boxes, he finally found the properly marked one. Fortunately, it also looked like everything was fine. He mentally noted "Joanne" probably exaggerated. A lot.

Leonard took the next few hours to sort and set up all the essentials for the night. Sheets, blanket, computer, and new clothes. He realized too he hadn't thought of groceries, or internet service, or a slew of last minute things which weren't prepped for.

Mentally shrugging, he took to showering off and then changing into something a bit less strict on the form. Button shirt and looser pants worked just fine.

After such, he sat on his bed, pulled out the laptop from the cavalry of boxes, and powered it on. To his relief, there was at least internet available through Murdoch Ridge's public wifi.

What followed was a quick sorting through emails. Mostly junk, irrelevant, and a few coworkers wishing him well since his "departure" from Tech Jet LLC. This he knew was a lie. They didn't like him nor he they.

Then, he paused. This was really it, wasn't it? I'm here now. This is my actual home. I'm gone. From big city to nothing. All the things I failed at, everything I couldn't fix.

His jaw hardened. Tapping at the laptop, his eyes wandered to the ChatterBug program. He felt himself grow anxious.

I'm sorry, he apologized to no one.

He opened the software. After a moment, the messenger program opened with a series of avatars and messages. Most were from a few days ago, work related. Then there was the one. The very bottom. It was an avatar of a cartoon dog.

I need a drink, I need a drink, I need a drink, the rabbit said, over and over. I can't remember this.

His albino red eyes panged. He clicked on the avatar, and a log of messages appeared. His breath got shorter, and is heart grew heavy.

It read: 1 year ago, 8:12 AM

"Hey man, see you after work! Bluetails tonight. Also, you're getting lunch today!"

"Ha, got it. What are you thinking? Oh and get ready for a new service deployment today, something about a new communication client."

Leonard looked away. He couldn't. He mustn't. But he did. He kept reading.

"Hey didn't see you at lunch, are you in today?"

"I can't reach you? What's going on?"

Leonard closed his eyes. He took a breath. Then, fingers typed feverishly.

"Hey so just wanted to let you know I made it okay and already missing everyone. Gonna try to catch the Bluetails game. Call me w-"

He stopped. Fingers abandoned their actions.

"FUCK!" he yelled. Leonard trembled, and then remembered. Alcohol. He had it somewhere, he knew he did. There was probably a bottle of rum or whiskey he stored up.

He tore through every box he could, frantically rummaging around, knocking them over, outright ripping some in search for relief. Each box lacking alcohol caused him to sweat and threw him further and further out of control.

His breathing was rabid. Until, underneath some of his dishware, he spied a half-filled bottle of Old Wesker's Finest. Typically beer, but they sold harder brands.

His heart soared, and his mind raced. He cracked it open and gulped down a sip of the hard, burning liquid. Again. And again. Until, slowly, he felt it slow him down, send his head into a deep, hefty buzz, letting the blackness swallow his thoughts until they grew fuzzy. Forgetting.

He rubbed his features. Everything he felt returned to a dull hollowness. He set aside the bottle of _Wesker_and sat on bed's edge. It was fine now. He ignored the torn, messy assortment of tossed boxes, the smaller apartment, the lack of food, car, or friendship. Because all he had to do was forget, and it didn't matter anymore.

For a long, long while, Leonard sat, staring into the floor. Outside, the sun fell from the horizon as the sky darkened, leaving him in a room of black pitch, save for the weak illumination of his laptop. He could've turned on a light, or called for takeout, or done anything productive. But he didn't.

Because he knew, this was who he really was. An empty shell.

There was a ping. Long ear flicked at the sound. Then another. Leonard looked, noting his chat app was flashing with messages.

In a sense of renewed, terrifying hope, he returnedto it. Countering all logic and reason, he clicked back over to his previous message, expecting a reply. Of course, there was none.

Quickly angering, the rabbit chastised himself for such a naïve prospect. But then he looked.

A new avatar appeared in his message box. It was an animated, smiling flower. Curious, he clicked over to it, to see a new name with a new message.

"Hi Leonard, it's Cheree. I hope you are settling in okay. Shady Vale is small but you'll make friends quick. Jo can help you get to know the area and of course you know me. She's got your CBug name too, hope that's okay!"

-SongintheSwamp

Leonard had to study the words a few times through his intoxicated haze. Then he realized. It was Cheree.

A part of him didn't understand. In fact, grew angry. Why the fuck are you talking to me? His mind screamed. Why do you care? Do you even know me? Did you know that I almost broke half of my shit for a drink?

He grimaced. I should just tell her I'm too busy to talk. I should just tell her to go somewhere else. I'm dragging her into this. This is bad. Don't do it. Don't be something you're not.

Fingers went to keyboard.

"Cheree, thanks for message, settled in fine, got some pizza, place looks great, unpacking stuff still. Check in tomorrow, look forward to seeing Vale with your friend. -L"

-leokarkov2

Around him there was still blackness. His stomach grumbled. Half of his boxes were ripped open with contents thrown about the room in an avalanche of clutter.

Another ping.

"Cool! Got to head home after drop off. Possibly catch up later in week. Nice meeting you. Good luck!"

-SongintheSwamp

He thought of a sordid mess of words to type. Some angry, some foolish, some lustful. He felt dizzy.

After a while, he finally left his room. Floor three of building D had a porch. He went outside, sitting on the hard wood floor, back to door, gazing at the starless sky above, still coated with clouds.

And then, he forgot.