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Starfall: Chapter 17: Lonely

“So you’re telling me, Mark, these Bio-Morphs are not only made from fellow humans, but they’re treated as slaves?”

Nick Taps his claws on the kitchen island counter top as his ears and tail droop from exhaustion. ‘Couldn’t this revelation have waited till ‘after’ I had gotten a good night’s sleep?’ Glancing at the tablet in Mark’s hands. ‘Though I am curious as to what else he was lying about during his interrogation.’

Tapping a few places, Mark brings up a country map of his earth. “ This is given to the rare Bio-Morph resource runner who gets hired.” Mark shows it to the Fox and Bunny. “Not all the countries treat them as slaves, only the one’s shaded red. All the ones shaded green have some sort of law ensuring their person-hood’s respected.”

Both Judy and Nick takes sips of their respective mugs of coffee before Judy points to one of the gray shaded countries.

“And the gray countries?”

Mark sighs. “They neither have a law giving them rights, nor one saying they can be owned as slaves. Essentially, go at your own risk if you’re a Bio-morph.”

Nick puts down his coffee mug. “Well, it’s nice to know Humans can be just as sick and depraved as any other mammal in existence.” Adding a bit of disgusted in his tone of voice while glaring at Mark.

Putting his hands up, while holding the tablet, Mark glares back. “Again, not my fault, my parents bought them when me, my brother, and sister were real young. I didn’t know better back then. When I did know better, I did something stupid, removing Pippin’s collar, nearly breaking the lease and contract over them. Which is why my parents disowned me.”

Nick lays his ears back before Judy touches his shoulder, and he raises them back up to their half flopped over position.

“Let it be Slick, it’s in the past and nothing can be done about it.” Judy takes a sip of her coffee before putting her mug down.

“Besides, we’ve both been up most of the night talking about this, we need to get ready to…”

All three of them look over at Judy’s phone as it starts to ring and vibrate about on the coffee table. Walking over, Judy picks it up, holding it to one ear while leaving the other laying back.

Nick looks over to Mark as Judy slowly creeps up to a covered window. Only to just barely move the blackout curtain up for a quick glance outside.

“I still think it’s messed up Pinky. I know Foxes haven’t been historically treated well, but at least we’ve not been enslaved, nor have we enslaved anyone. We surely don’t take our poor or whatever and make them into slaves like that.” Glancing into his empty coffee mug, Nick sighs and goes to refill it.

Lowering his arms Mark rolls the tablet up before pocketing it. “Hey, not disagreeing with you there. They’re people, and they are still human in the technical definition of the word since they can interbreed with humans and their offspring are fertile. As for the fox stuff, I think you may need to branch out your sources of information Nick. That’s not what I found when I looked through this world’s ancient history.”

With a fresh mug of coffee, Nick climbs back up and sits down on the stool. Only for Judy to join him a moment later.

“That was Bogo, the media, tabloids, and just about every mammal with a blog or muzzle-book page are still out and around the precinct, and a few are still outside the gates here. He doesn’t want us to leave Mark alone, nor does he think it would be a good idea for us to come in as that would only excite them. In which case, while we will technically be on the clock in an hour or so, our ‘job’ till the media frenzy dies down, or they find something else to feed on, is to stay here and watch over Mark. For ours and his safety.”

She puts her phone down, eyeing her coffee mug, Judy just sighs.

“I say we just try to get the sleep we missed…”

Mark shrugs. “I’ve pulled more than a few no sleep nights. I’ll be alright for a while, though I may need to take a nap in the afternoon.”

Looking down at his mug, Nick grumbles. “Karma dammit. Just when the coffee is kicking in.” Pushing it away from himself, he watches Mark take another sip as Judy pushes hers away from herself as well.

Leaning over, Judy gives nick a peck on the muzzle. “Well ‘I’ will try to get some more sleep right now. You two boys keep it quiet down here and try not to hurt each other, okay?”

Nick salutes with a smirk. “Ranger scouts honor.”

Shaking her head, Judy climbs down the stool, out of the kitchen, and up the stairs. Leaving Nick and Mark looking at each other.

“Branch out my sources of information? Mr, I used one of the most inflammatory terms in modern mammalian history yesterday?” Nick quirks an ear.

Putting the now empty mug down, Mark stands, then stretches. “I was more interested in your history before that time period as it seemed the most different to mine. Well other than the slavery thing. From what I gathered just about every species enslaved another, and many were then enslaved themselves back in turn.”

Walking over to an open area of the floor, Mark sheds his shirt and lowers himself to the floor, prepping to do push-ups.

“For Red-Foxes, not only did they at one point enslave Rabbits and Hares and even smaller mammals, when they discovered Copper tools, but they in turn became enslaved by Timber Wolves later when they in turn brought Bronze tools to the table. Later it was a toss up between being enslaved by the majority of the local populace, or thrown out of a country for setting up a parallel system in disregard for that country’s current king in the Iron-age.”

Slipping off the stool, Nick walks around the kitchen island and leans against the side facing Mark. “Funny, while I did coast through high-school before running to the streets, I don’t recall this being taught in the History courses. Only about the great charter, the great war, and the founding of the United States of Anamalia.”

Mentally counting his push-ups, Mark Smirks. “Just like back home, they started ‘sanitizing’ the history taught to students well before you were born. If I’m not mistaken you were an Eighties child, late Eighties to be exact. Well, in what you would call the ‘new’ base ten system rather than your traditional base eight.”

“Yea I am, so why do you ask?” Nick tilts an ear.

Switching from push-ups with two arms, to doing some with one. Mark turns his head to look over at Nick. “Keep in mind this is what they called that generation back home, not what I’m calling you. The history books I was taught from called it the ‘wuss generation’, unable to handle any kind of negative subject. Those that didn’t quickly adapt once they were out of school, never became functioning adults.”

Opening his muzzle, Nick holds up a finger, only to pause, lowering his finger and closing his muzzle. “Alright Pinky, I’ll give you that since I can think of at least half an octet of mammals I went to high-school with that I’ve seen fitting your description while I was on the streets.”

‘I’m most likely going to regret asking this, but he’s got me curious.’ Flicking the tip of his tail a bit, Nick watches as Mark’s skin starts to gain a light sheen of moisture.

“What did they call the generation after mine? The one Judy’s supposed to be a part of Pinky?”

“Don’t shoot the messenger.” Mark switches arms. “The participation-trophy generation. They’re unable to take the concept of losing, having no ability to understand nor cope with reality if it doesn’t go their way at all. It wasn’t pretty watching the video’s of grown adults throw temper-tantrums in such situations. They thought just being there was a good thing to contribute to any situation because they were always told they were all special.”

Finishing up the push-ups, Mark looks over at the silent fox as Nick looks up in the direction of his and Judy’s shared bedroom.

Moving to do sit-ups, Mark sighs. “If it’s any consolation Nick, Judy seems to be on the good end of the spectrum of that generation. Instead of throwing a temper-tantrum at hitting face, or should I say muzzle first into the brick wall of reality. She punches it, climbs it, or tries to dig under it ‘just’ to prove that she actually is special. Just, be there for her when reality pits her against the impossible.”

‘I’d be lying if I said that isn’t like Judy at all…’ Nick turns his attention back to Mark. “Okay, considering how creepy this discussion has become, how do you know so much about Judy and me Pinky?”

Mark pauses mid sit-up for a second. “How much of a Sci-Fi nerd are you Nicholas Piberious Wilde?” Mark Smirks. ‘I’m sure I’ll pay for that later, but it feels good to get one over on Nick.’

Folding his ears back slightly Nick’s tail goes still. “Enough to both like, and regret Dad gave me that middle name. So how do you know it, because I sure as hell didn’t tell you it?”

Standing up, Mark takes the tablet out of his pocket, opening it up with a flick of his wrist. He walks over to the house’s entertainment system.

Nick follows him as his ears tilt to the side as the Television, along with all their other electronics turn on instantly. Only for all but said television and it’s streaming box shutting themselves off.

Standing next to Mark, Nick tries to stand on the tips of his toes to see what’s on the tablet screen, but Mark holds it higher than he can reach. “Neat trick Pinky. All that was supposed to be controlled only by a fancy remote we got. So why are you messing around with our entertainment center, instead of answering my question?”

Mark glances down at him. “I’m getting to that. How familiar are you with Multiverse theory?”

‘Breaking the remote control encryption was simple, weeding out enough of the ‘anniversary edition’ of the film and extras so it can fit in such limited stora… No, wait, that’s a better idea! How come I missed seeing it earlier?’

“That there are so many…” Nick’s ears shoot straight up. “Wait a minute, something about us exists in your dimension, doesn’t it? Hey! What are you doing now?”

Nick takes a step back giving Mark some space as he kneels down to pull out a game system tucked into a cabinet. “I was originally going to show you via the stream box you have, or whatever it’s called here. Only it has such a limited amount of space available for storage compared to what one where I’m from has. Your Pawstation Four though, if it’s similar to the classic Playstation Four back home. May have just enough space for the flat movie, and some ‘making of’ extra’s you may find interesting.”

Manually turning it on, Mark ad-hoc wireless connects his tablet to it, seconds later he has the system jail-broken and is now loading the film to the console’s storage.

Pushing his way around Mark, Nick’s eyes go wide upon seeing the tablet screen. “Wait, Movie? What are… Jail-broken? NO! I can’t play online now.” He reaches for the tablet, only to stop upon seeing the thumbnail of the movie’s title screen.

“Is, is that me?”

Standing up, Mark uses the tablet to get the console to display it on the television, rather than the tablet’s screen. “Yes, yes it is. Where I’m from, you, Judy, and well this entire place was only a movie. A rather popular kid's movie that spawned some weird fans, but a movie nonetheless.”

Seeing the main menu of the movie on the larger screen, thus many of the mammals he knows on it. Nick ceases trying to grab the tablet, and just stares. Barely even moving upon feeling Mark place the console’s controller in his hand-paws.

Without a word, Nick backs up to nearby small mammal couch, plops down on it, then navigates to the ‘extra’s and ‘making of’ menus of the title screen. Completely ignoring Mark as he rolls up the tablet, pockets it, and resumes his morning exercise routine.

--

Zootopia’s office of the governor of Camilfornia / The Mayor of Zootopia’s office.

--

“Alright Stallhoof, I’ll admit it was a good idea to bug their residence.” Looking over to the Stag sitting in an executive chair. Lambdon turns his attention back to the screen set up in a private conference room. He zooms in on Mark opening the tablet and controlling the electronics in the residence.

Stallhoof mentally smiles. ‘Lambdon’s smart, but he’s an idealist. Which blinds him.’ “Granted it was just in case Bellwether told them anything that they didn’t give in their reports. It’s going to be difficult to get that piece of technology off of our resident alien.” He pauses for a moment, then looks to Lambdon.

“Turn up the volume.”

Nodding, Lambdon does so, silently watching and listening alongside Stallhoof.

Twitching an ear, Lambdon looks to Stallhoof. “That’s the new model Pawstation Four, Are there any published exploits via Wi-Fi for it?”

‘Good question…’ Stallhoof takes out his phone, only to shake his head a minute later.

“No. So that tablet of his can break into other electronic devices… If we had that, we’d not have that mammal in the White House, though that won’t be a problem much longer… Wait, is that?” Stallhoof leans closer to the screen.

“Oh the great lamb, tell me they aren’t in a movie from that alien’s dimension. I mean, ‘really’ those freaks? It’s bad enough a Fox and a Rabbit are hero’s here despite their depravity in mating with each other.” Lambdon snorts. Only for his ears to shoot upwards.

“You know Stallhoof, I think that just gave me an idea on how to get this tablet off of our resident alien and into our hooves.”

Tilting an ear Stallhoof looks back at him. “How?” ‘Other than just having some thugs take it off of him… Skilled he may be, I doubt he’d stand up well against a few larger mammals in my pocket.’

Smirking, Lambdon pulls out his notes on humans from the information Mark told them. He flips to a marked page. “They’re pack mammals like Wolves, he’s the only one of his kind here, so he’s got to be lonely and missing a bit of that feminine attention. I mean he’s been here for six months, right?”

Stallhoof tilts his ears back. “What are you getting at Lambdon?”

Smiling, Lambdon pulls out his phone. “Well, considering we have the Skulk on our side. We have a mammal that’ll be able to get into the residence of those freaks, but also not raise suspicion in this human as she works her way closer to him. Depending on how lonely he is, it won’t be long till she gets him to let his guard down around her long enough for her to take it. Also, from what I recall, she also wants to earn a large bit of zbucks too. So it won’t be hard to get her to do what we want.”

Stallhoof smirks. “That’s not a half bad idea.” ‘Maybe I’ll keep him around a bit longer.’

--

A few hours later in a generic office space.

--

“Wilde! Where’s the graphics draft for tonight’s headline?” An aging but still tan and brown fur covered beaver pokes his head into the general office for page layout and graphics artists.

A more copper than red fur covered hand with slender black fingers and green coated claws raises up above a flat screen monitor. “Finishing it up now Mr. Dover.” A feminine toned version of nicks voice replies.

‘Probably hasn’t even started yet, damn lazy Foxes. Sigh… Well, at least I don’t owe any favors for her brother now.’ “Good. I need it in my email within the hour. The public's going mad over our big pink alien mammal and I don’t want to be left out of the money that can be made over it.” He closes the door while Vivian lowers her hand with a loud sigh.

‘I know a guy who owes me a favor, Nicholas said. It’s a job right up your alley he said.’ She mentally grumbles, picking up the Wiapawprint tablet’s stylus. She near mindlessly does the last few finishing touches on the ‘artist’s interpretation’ of what this human species looks like. In bare fur, if he had any, as well as keeping it PG for the viewers.

‘It might’ve been entertaining for a short bit if I didn’t have to draw it like this…’

Saving it, then emailing it to the beaver Vivian drops the stylus to the desk. Letting it clatter to a stop as she leans back in the small mammal chair for her ‘cubical’.

‘A kit with an etch-a-sketch can do this job. I was making better art on the street following in his paw-steps rather than doing this. Sigh, not to mention more money. Except now since my brother went legit ‘I’ have to go legit too! According to Mom, Dad, and him… Never mind the fact with the Skulk behind me I was untouchable on the streets. As long as I stayed outside Big’s domain.’

“Hey, it’s okay. Don’t let him get to you. I think every mammal’s emotions are running high right now. What a day to have as your first day eh?”

Blinking once, Vivian looks and politely smiles to the small female ferret in a typical office dress, much like she’s wearing, only hers is a color, which complements her copper coat of fur. Compared to blending in like the ferret's “Oh hello. Didn’t hear you walk over.” Politely presenting a finger to her, Vivian smiles.

“Vivian Wilde. Yes I’m related to ‘that’ Wilde. He’s my older brother, for better or for worse.”

The ferret gently takes it and shakes. “Risa Drystone. Been here for a while and I’m glad to not be the only graphics artist for this website. It’s been rough being the only mammal in here for the past few years after the whole Bellwether incident. Speaking of which, it must be tough being related to him. The media, the expectations…”

Rolling her eyes, Vivian huffs as she pulls her hand back and adjusts the collar of her dress, as Risa pulls over her ferret sized chair. Placing it next to Vivian’s keyboard and tablet. “You have ‘no’ idea. Though I can’t be too mad at him for all this. He did get me this job, except… I kinda feel like I was doing better on my own.”

Risa tilts her head. “Freelancer? That’s neat. How do you deal with the media and such? A place like this would have their reporter’s calling anyone related to those two. So I’m actually surprised our manager hasn’t asked you to go talk with them by now.”

“Yup” Vivian pop’s the p at the end. Then pulls out her phone from her metalic copper colored purse hanging off her chair. “Wolfdroid. For the past few years there’s been an option to only allow notifications and other alerts from your contacts. Sure it’s been a pain in the tail if I have to have someone else call me, but it’s worked fine.”

Eyeing the lock screen, she sighs. “Especially now.”

Risa whistles. “Didn’t know phones could tell you, you had over triple digits worth of messages waiting. My carrot-phone stops at a couple of octets and just asks you to open the messages app.”

Laughing, Vivian moves to put the phone down. Only to pause as a notification from a specific number arrives. One she knows not to ignore and is worded like it’s from family. Picking it back up, she unlocks the phone with a paw-pad print, then reads it over.

‘Well I was going to visit my Brother and Sister-in-law anyway. Hmm, so the Skulk want me to get that alien to fall in love with me, so I can steal something? Message them back when available as for what they want stolen?’

“Something important? I can cover for you if you need to make a call.” Risa tilts her head a bit as she looks up at Vivian.

Shaking her head Vivian shuts the phone’s screen off and places it back in her purse. “Just means I need to make a call as soon as I leave later this afternoon.”

Nodding, Risa stands and moves her chair back to own small ferret sized desk. “So I take it you’ll be busy after work?”

Picking up her stylus in one hand-paw, Vivian uses the computer mouse in the other to load up her next task. “Yea. I need to make a call, then check on my brother, why are you asking?”

Risa glances over as she gets back to work. “Oh I was just going to invite you to a night out, in celebration for being here to help me out.”

Wagging her tail once for effect as Vivian smiles. “Well how about tomorrow night then?”

“Alright!” Risa smiles. ‘Don’t know what the owner’s hang up is about Foxes, she seems nice.’

--

Late afternoon, Hopps-Wilde residence.

--

Humming silently to herself, Judy moves with purpose about the kitchen, fixing herself a light meal. Something that serves as more or less a late lunch and early dinner than any kind of snack.

‘Don’t know why, but Nick crawled into bed with me and held me tight for a while, he wouldn’t tell me why though. Can’t ask our guest either, as he’s asleep.’

Eyeing the Pawstation 4 laying outside its cabinet, Judy rolls her eyes. ‘Oh so ‘that’s’ why. Mark must’ve kicked Nick’s tail in some game. Serves that gloating fox right considering how badly I lose to him sometimes.’ Leaving her veggie rolls cook, Judy climbs down the step stool.

Walking over to the living area, she quietly moves the game-system back where it belongs, neatly bundling the cables and placing the controller in its charger.

Looking over to Mark, sleeping on the mid to large mammal couch they ‘have’ to have by law, she shakes her head. ‘No matter how long I look at him, the weirdness of what he is doesn’t go away.’

Heading back to the kitchen Judy stops mid step, her ears twitching and focusing in the direction of the back door. She tenses up, only for a moment, until hearing the pattern of light knocks Nick and her told their respective family members to use. ‘I wondered when someone would show up today.’

Quickly pulling her food out of the toaster oven and onto a plate so it doesn’t burn. Judy silently jogs to the back door, opening it after unlocking it.

“Vivi!” Smiling at the vixen wearing casual jeans and a t-shirt, Judy ushers her inside, quickly closing the door and locking it behind the two of them.

“Judy, good afternoon.” Kneeling, Vivian hugs Judy before standing up and looking around. Opening her muzzle only to be stopped by Judy’s finger placed against her muzzle.

“Your brother is upstairs sleeping, snuggling a pillow I scent marked. Though I think you’re here more for our current house guest. Considering anyone not living under a rock would know about him by now.”

Vivian smirks with a twitch of her tail. “Actually, a bit of both really.”

“Sadly Vivi, they’re both asleep. None of us got much sleep last night with the media being here and at the prescient.”

‘Gonna have to wait to tell her the truth on that, once she cleans up her act. Last thing we need is a criminal organization knowing about that thing.’

“So we had a ‘work’ day at home today. To keep an eye on him.” Judy leads Vivian through the kitchen, grabbing her meal on the way to a side room Nick and her have yet to decide what to use it for.

“So tell me Vivi, how did your first day go at The Beaver Times?” Judy places her meal on rabbit sized table, as Vivian plops down onto a nearby chair. Crossing one leg, to lay the ankle onto her knee while placing her tail in her lap.

Rolling her eyes, Vivian loudly sighs. “To be honest, a kit could do the job with an etch-a-sketch, Judy. My brother and his way with semantics, when he said he knew someone who owes him a favor and is in need of an artist. He neglected to say it was for basic graphics artist work on articles and their website.”

Judy sits down on a small chair next to the table. “Better than what you were doing, it would’ve eventually earned you a nice gps tracker on that ankle of yours at the least. You’re lucky you got off with a warning when you were last caught.”

Judy holds out a veggie roll towards Vivian. “Want some?”

“Thanks, but no thanks Judy. I ate before coming over.” Lowering her ears, Vivian sighs. “Maybe, except I was good at it like Nick was. Those mammals also got art out of the deal too. I did some of my best works on the street. Today I had to spend most of the day trying to guess what your guest looks like without those ill-fitting clothes of his, and keep it safe for kits.”

Judy munches on said roll for a moment. ‘I do hope she sticks with it. Nick went to the streets to help his family, and kept a strict code despite what he did. Vivi followed her older brother because to her what he was doing looked cool and doesn’t seem to have such a code.’

“Vivian, you’re a great artist, but you were caught red-pawed pick-pocking the mammal you were doing a street portrait of. You’re lucky the Ibex declined to press charges. I know you’ve been doing this for years, despite what your brother did to help your parents pay for your college.” Judy places a bit of left over veggie roll on the plate.

“Just stick with it, even with your art degree, you’re going to have to start at the bottom like everyone else.”

‘Says the mammal who skipped the hazing period of being a meter maid Like nick had to do for a few months after being hired on.’ Raising her ears back up, Vivian rolls her eyes, something that doesn’t get past Judy.

‘Serendipity, she’s acting like my younger sisters, yet she’s almost my age.’

“I won’t lie to you, it will be rough Vivi, but just stick with it. The least you can do is stay at this job for a year or two, then leverage it to get a better one afterwards.”

‘When did I start sounding like my mother talking with my sisters and younger siblings?…’

“Then what was the point of me having my Art Degree to begin with? I know what I’m doing and I’m wasting my talents at this place Judy.” Letting her tail tip twitch momentarily before stilling it.

‘Sigh, I like her. By Karma, she’s just the last mammal I want to be grilled on over this. If it wasn’t for the fact this is the best shot at doing what I need to do for the Skulk, I’d walk out right now. I did my work at college, so I should be owed a good position! Just like my professor said, the old mammal’s merit based system will keep you out because they fear your superior talents.’

Standing with a polite smile, Judy picks up her plate. “Just like with my criminology degree Vivi, to prove you at least know the basics.” Nodding back to the living room, Judy smiles. “How about you wait in the living room a bit, I’ll go see if slick is awake.” ‘I think it’s time for a subject change. Vivi already gets enough of this from her parents and brother.’

Shrugging, Vivian stands and stretches. “So anyway, what’s this alien like? How did you and my brother catch him? Come on, tell me the juicy details. I wanna know what you won’t tell the papers.” She follows Judy as the rabbit places her plate in the kitchen sink as quietly as possible.

Keeping her voice down, Judy turns to face Vivian. “We didn’t, when we arrived at your parent’s tailor shop he was already kneeling on the floor, in a soldier surrender position. He basically knew he fucked up when he used that taser of his on your mother.” Glancing over to the large mammal couch, one of her ears twitches, and she mentally sighs.

‘Wonder how much he heard.’

“As for what Mark’s like, why don’t you go over and see for yourself. Don’t try to deny it Mr. Mercer, You’re awake. I can hear the difference in your breathing from earlier.” Judy smirks.

Grumbling, Mark sits up. “Just trying to be polite and not interrupt your private conversation.” Looking over, he smiles. “Well, if it wasn’t for the different shade of fur, voice, and curves, I would’ve thought you were Nick instead of his sister. You two also have the same eyes.”

Vivian blinks. ‘Okay, that’s weird. It’s one thing to see that flat face on the television, and the internet, but in the flesh, and moving as he speaks? A bit creepy. Also, where did that fur come from on his face? He didn’t have that during the press conference yesterday?’

“Well, to be fair Mr. Mercer is it? Out of the two of us, I think these emerald green eyes fit me better than him.”

Judy pats Vivian on the arm. “Mark Mercer, this is Vivian Wilde. As you’ve guessed, she’s Nick’s sister. Vivian, this is Mark Mercer. He’s a Human. They’re a species of Ape, because in the universe he comes from, the mammal line of Apes didn’t go extinct.” Looking between the two of them, Judy smiles.

“Alright, now the two of you know each other’s names, I’m going to go drag your brother out of bed Vivi whether he wants to or not. He can’t sleep all day, or he won’t sleep tonight.”

Stretching his arms, Mark watches Judy head over too, and hopping up the stairs.

Standing, Mark pauses and looks over at Vivian as she walks closer tilting her ears curiously. “Yea I have no fur, only hair. Sorry if it freaks you out. It’s a pretty warm couch, so I took off my shirt, so I wouldn't overheat.”

Shaking her head, Vivian straightens her ears even though her tail gives a couple of slow swishes. “No, I just, got some things wrong is all… I’m an artist, and my current job asked me to do an ‘educated guess’ on how you would look without clothes on. It seems I got a few things wrong.”

‘Very wrong. Nothing like the lupine like chest I thought it would be like, since he is in their size class. A flat chest looks better for the rest of his frame compared to what I drew.’

Kneeling, Mark digs through one of the duffle bags and pulls out his combat knife, causing Vivian to flatten her ears and her tail to poof out.

“Look I didn’t mean to offend you…” Mark slightly lowers the knife as Vivian holds her hands up defensively and shakes her head.

Freezing, Mark ohs. Then shifts his grip from the handle to the sheath. “Sorry. I’m just going to use it to shave.”

Relaxing, Vivian, tilts her head a bit. “Shave? Um, you’re not planning on cutting yourself open with that?”

Laughing as he stands, Mark slowly walks to the first floor bathroom. “Not if I can help it. No. I know it’s completely alien for everyone here, but Male humans. At least the ones who don’t want a beard, shave the hair off their faces every day or every other day.”

Vivian follows curiously behind him. Her ears forward and her tail tip twitching.

Placing the knife on the sink, Mark picks up the soap and gets a good lather going in his hands. Only to look over and chuckle as Vivian stares at him. Ears slightly back, but a curious glint in those emerald eyes.

‘Okay, can’t help admitting she looks cute like this.’

“What is a beard?” Vivian watches as Mark slathers the foamy froth over all the hairs on the flat face of his. The sides of his cheeks, under that weird nose and around the mouth.

Unsheathing the knife, the black steel contrasts the silver glint of the unnaturally sharp looking edge.

“It’s what Humans call all the hair that grows on the faces of Men. Some let it grow out fully, others trim and style it in various ways. I just like keeping my face clean-shaven.” Warming the blade up in the water, Mark brings it up and slowly and ever so carefully scrapes the hair off. It doesn’t even make the slight noise of a blade scraping on skin.

Vivian blinks. ‘This is utterly fascinating and yet terrifying to watch for some reason.’

“So all humans, I mean Male humans shave like this? Using knives that look like the can cut my tail off?”

Stopping a moment to clean his blade, Mark shakes his head. “No. If I was back home I would have what we call a razor for this. Either a set of small and thin blades in a plastic handle to do this or an electric razor depending if I was on a ship or not.”

‘Still, that would be kind of a metal thing to do… If this thing wasn’t as likely to slice my cheek off along with the hair.’

Vivian watches as the flat of the blade’s dragged across the skin on Marks cheek, in such a way the edge leaves behind smooth skin. “Oh, so only Male humans shave?”

“No.” He cleans the blade again. “Female humans don’t get facial hair until they age past childbearing years, nor body hair other than their legs and arm pits. Even then, not all cultures shave those either.”

Quirking an ear, Vivian looks down at her legs. Then out right laughs at the mental image of them shaved of fur. “By Karma that’s weird.”

Finishing up, Mark cleans the blade and sheaths it. Followed by cupping some water in his hands and cleaning his face off, then using a towel to dry it.

“Weird but it was once needed. Back when our species were hunter-gatherers, we didn’t have modern medicine or science. So the best way to keep pests like ticks and lice at bay was to shave off our hair they liked to live in. From there it became a part of many cultures that a clean-shaven face was a positive image trait for Men.”

“That makes sense. We Foxes used to use powders for that. It’s where ‘Foxes are evil because they’re red’ came from. Our ancestors covered themselves in red ocher for the same reason.” Vivian steps aside, letting Mark through the bathroom doorway.

“Another question if you don’t mind, are all humans so muscular? I mean in the chest area like that, most canids like wolves and foxes have a hard time with that due too how ours are barreled out more.” She motions to her own, that under her small mounds, the rib cage is more barreled than flat.

‘It gives him a nice look to be honest… Well, they didn’t say I couldn’t have fun doing this, now did they?’

Shrugging, Mark leads her back to the living room. “Depends on the person to be honest, and if they’re male or not. Being in shape like this is more or less a requirement for what my job was. Those that weren’t didn’t last long.”

Kneeling down next to the duffle bags, he stores the knife in one before rummaging through the other. ‘There’s got to be one shirt I won’t die of embarrassment to wear.’

“Copper Tail!” Mark glances at the stairs, watching Nick climb down them before making a bee-line over to the two of them.

Vivian groans a moment later.

“For once use my name please…” Walking around the couch, Vivian whips her tail back and forth a couple of times, but keeps her ears up. All the while Nick just grins at Vivian.

Only for Nick to get a gentle punch to the arm from Judy. “Be kind to her Nick, she’s had a difficult first day.”

‘Though most of it is her own fault.’

Feigning injury by grabbing where he was hit momentarily, Nick laughs a few times. “I am, she likes the nickname, Carrots.”

Judy rolls her eyes. “Like I ‘liked’ Jude the dude when I was a kit?”

Nick laughs. “No, that has always been a terrible nickname, and Stu should be embarrassed at using it. It doesn’t describe you in the least Judy.” Looking over at Mark, he nods to his still bare chest.

“For example, take our resident alien, his nickname is Pinky because he’s all pinkish color. So I call my sister Copper Tail because the fur on her tail, back, and arms is more copper than red.” Smiling at his sister for a moment before his face, ears and tail lower to their neutral positions.

“Though if I had to guess you’re here for two reasons, with one being obvious.” He nods to Mark, as Mark slips on a shirt with a logo so faded he can’t tell what it is.

“And what do you think the other one would be, Little Nick?” Vivian puts her hand-paws on her hips, keeping a stern look at her brother.

‘Why does he have to act like this to me? Things were so much easier when I was a kit and before he up and ran away.’

Nick glances to Judy, who sighs, then back to his sister. “That’s a terrible nickname, I’m in no ways little. I prefer ‘Slick’ or ‘Slick Nick’. Anyway, I take it you found the job I called in a ‘valuable’ favor to get for you, bellow what you consider your talent.”

Nick folds his ears a bit and walks closer to Vivian. “It’s no doing portraits of whomever you want on the street, but it’s a lot better than you ending up in a prison cell. Especially when I told you not to follow me onto the streets in the first place Copper Tail.”

‘Yea, they’re Brother and Sister, though I do wonder what Nick means by Vivian ending up in a prison cell?’ Looking around for the proper remote for the Television, Mark sighs. ‘I miss Angela and Steven…’

Vivian lays her ears fully back. “I spent most of the day drawing and then redrawing what I thought Mark looks like in the generic style of those species books in grade school. Something you’d give a mammal out of high-school to do. Not a mammal with a full on graphics artist degree to her name.”

Finding the remote, Mark turns the television on, flipping through the channels. Avoiding looking at Vivian and Nick while also avoiding channels that are talking about him. Only to look over as he feels Judy plop down next to him.

Holding the bridge of her muzzle Judy lays her ears flat back out of frustration, and to try to drown out the noise of the two.

“This a common topic between the two of them?” Mark motions to the Wilde siblings. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but it does kinda make me home-sick, me, my younger sister, and older brother would fight like this occasionally when I was younger.”

Looking up at Mark, Judy sighs. “Just about every other visit they go after each other like this, and she always does this after Nick sticks his tail out for her to get her a decent job.”

Lowering one ear, while raising the other, Nick huffs. “Who do you think helped pay for that ninety thousand zbuck degree Copper-Tail? The same Mom and Dad who were struggling to keep the tailor shop, before the city block got revitalized? Some of it, yes, but it was mostly me, all because I realized I could make a ton of money on the streets with Finnick so mom and dad wouldn’t struggle raising you, let alone both of us.”

Mirroring Nick’s look, but now thrashing her tail about. “Oh yes, just because you paid for ‘most’ of it, you get to dictate what I can and can’t do with it, huh? So what if you decided to leave that life behind you and give up all that money. Because of that, you think you have the right to drag me away from it and force me to become some office drone? I’m better than that, and you know it.” Vivian points a claw tip at Nick.

Closing his eyes and rubbing the bridge of his muzzle, Nick pins his ears back. “I’m not trying to force you into becoming an office drone. What I’m trying to do is put you on the path so your talents can actually be appreciated. Compared to being used as a means of distraction while cohorts pickpocket mammals.”

Mark glances over to the two foxes, then to Judy, who looks back at him with a puzzled look on her muzzle. “What’s with the strange look?”

Chuckling a couple of times, he then smiles. “The more things change the more they stay the same. I know the exact the kind of fight this is, and I’m pretty sure I know how it will end.” ‘It also explains why they keep talking about her going prison.’

“Oh that’s rich coming from the mammal who I remember telling me about bragging how many hundreds of zbucks a day, tax-free, you were making to Judy when you first met.” Vivian sneers at Nick.

“I was earning just as much as you were after splitting the money between the actual pick pockets and my dues for the Skulk’s protection. On top of that I get to see the faces of the mammals who enjoy seeing their portraits. So it was a win-win for me.”

Nick lowers his hand and matches her sneer. “Karma dammit, how many times do I have to tell you, you’re the fall mammal in that kind of illegal hustle! So it wouldn’t be a matter of IF, but WHEN you’d be hung out to dry by them. I know you’re smarter than this Vivian!”

Raising his lips, if only for a moment, Nick pulls himself back and rubs the bridge of his muzzle again as his tail thrashes about.

“I was on the streets for over an octet and a half before you thought it was ‘cool’ to do so, despite me telling you NOT to. I told you not to get involved with the Skulk, but you did so anyway. Can you at least listen to me on this? Keep the job so you can STOP doing things for the Skulk. I don’t want my sister in jail! Mom and dad don’t either!”

Vivian doesn’t have any such restraint and bares her teeth at her brother. “You’re my brother, you do NOT get to talk to me like you’re my Karma damn parent! I’ll do whatever I damn well please! You think you know better than me? Then why am I not in a prison cell right now, huh? I don’t know where you got the idea the Skulk is bad, they protect foxes like us from the rest of the world.”

Letting her tail thrash wildly, Vivian though takes a deep breath and lowers her lips. “Look I came here to check on you and see the Karma Dammit Alien. Yet all I fucking got today was two lectures on how I’m living my own fucking life wrong!”

Rotating his ears only a bit more forward, Nick takes a breath or two to calm himself. “I’m trying to stop you from making mistakes you’ll regret the rest of your life Vivian. All that money I earned on the streets? Whatever I didn’t give to mom and dad to help pay for everything, I had to forfeit. Not because it was gotten in a legal gray area, but because I didn’t pay taxes on it.”

Reaching forward, Nick tries to put a hand-paw on Vivian’s shoulder. Only for her to duck out of his grasp. “I literally have no credit because of this and I’ll be paying back taxes till I’m seven and a half octets. Do you know how hard it is to live any sort of life like that? I had to cash my police pay checks at pay day loan places till Judy was able to set up a joint account between the two of us. Not because I was a fox, but because I had to low of a credit score to have an account on my own. She had to use her family company’s backing to do it.”

“Then that’s your karma dammit fault for getting caught by a country bunny, even if she makes a good sister-in-law.” Vivian huffs, then turns to stomp her way towards the back door.

Throwing open the door, it bangs against the wall. “Something that will never happen to me!” ‘And I’m sure I’ll get a shit ton of zbucks for delivering that tablet of the alien’s to the Skulk.’ Vivian then slams it shut behind her.

A moment later Mark stands, glancing at the dejected and distraught looking Nick, and then the emotionally hurt looking Judy.

He only takes one step before Nick glares at him with a loud growl. “This isn’t any of your business Pinky.”

Shrugging, Mark looks back at Nick. “I’m the middle child of a family of three, remember? My siblings and Me fought like this too. So I know, that you know, anyone in the same room is automatically in the argument whether we like it or not. I’ve also been the de-facto mediator between my older Brother and younger Sister more often than I would’ve liked as well.”

Stopping before exiting the living room. “I also know from that experience, she’ll not talk to either you nor Judy right now, and she’ll need to be stopped before she does something stupid. So I’m the only one to do it since she’ll listen to me.”

Sighing, Nick plods around the large couch, climbs up the front, and the instant he sits down on a cushion, Judy latches onto him. “Alright…”

Nodding slightly, Mark heads out the back door. ‘Though she’s probably long… Oh there she is.’ Closing the door behind him, the sound causes Vivian’s ears to swivel and focus on him. A growl starts to build in her throat as her tail angrily whips back and forth a couple of times. Only to suddenly stop when Mark pulls up a patio bench next to her that looks like it will hold him.

“Hello Mr. Mercer, you’re going to try to run my life as well?” Vivian doesn’t hold back the edge in her voice though while refusing to face him.

Ignoring the occasional shutter noises, Mark gives Vivian a friendly smile. “No, I just want you to listen to a story of mine. Though, before I do, I take it the reason you’re still here is, well I know you can hear them too if I can.”

Slamming her fist onto the patio table, Vivian grumbles. “They’re swarming the outside of the gated community right now. Which is also just outside the back-yard of this unit, it was clear just a little while ago because that’s how I got in unseen… Because of this, I can’t leave without them accosting me. Karma Dammit! I want to get as far from my fucking brother as possible, and yet I’m stuck at his den!”

Turning to face Mark, she sighs. “So what’s this tale you want to tell me that is so important for you to come out here and let them take pictures of you?”

‘Yea this was a bad argument between Nick and Vivian, if the ones between Steven and Angela are any indication. Vivian’s been crying like Angela does.’

Running a hand through his hair, Mark takes a breath. “Well, I’m a middle child of three. My older brother’s named Steven, and my younger sister’s named Angela.”

“Okay… That’s interesting to know, but why tell me that?” Vivian rubs the fur around her eyes while her ears remain focused on Mark.

“I’m getting to that.” Glancing towards the sound of some more camera’s taking photos through the bushes and other flora lining the fence, then back to Vivian.

“When Steven was Thirteen, I was Ten, and Angela was Eight. Steven decided that the sport of bull-riding was a fun idea.” Mark pauses.

“Oh right, only humans and Bio-morphs, though I consider them human as well, are sentient where I’m from. Anyway, we had this sport called bull-riding. Where someone would sit on the back of a bull and try to hold on as long as possible without being thrown off.”

Blinking a few times, Vivian looks at him with her ears lopsided. “That’s weird… Also, most Bovine’s hate having their back’s touched, so why ride a feral one?”

Mark Shrugs. “No clue on how the sport got started. Still, Steven got Mom and Dad to agree to let him try considering a state fair was coming up. Steven did okay, for someone trying it for the first time. Still, for me being only Ten years old at the time, and Angela being Eight. We were both way too young to attempt it, and knowing all the adults around us would say no. We did the only thing that came to our minds at that age. Begging Steven to let us try since Mom and Dad corralled a young bull sized for Steven to train on and made it his responsibility to take care of.”

Rolling her eyes, Vivian humphs. “Of course, let me guess, your older brother said no. Because he wanted to keep it all to himself right? To not let you in on the fun.”

Smiling somberly, Mark shakes his head. “No, he was actually concerned for our safety, but, Angela and I didn’t listen. In fact, I distinctly remember thinking along those lines myself as she and I hatched a plan to ride the bull anyway without permission.”

Raising her ears a little, she watches Mark trace some faded lines on one of his legs. “What did you do?”

Mark laughs a little. “We did what any little kid would do. We sneaked out of the house at night with our phones and went to where we were keeping the young bull. Even though Steven was only three years older than I was, he was stronger than I was at that time. So it took Angela and I working together to wrestle the animal into the gate and put the minimal amount of needed equipment on it. Just the saddle and a few straps in this case.”

Pausing for a moment, Mark lets out a small sigh.

“We set up our phones to record the arena, followed by a vicious game of rock, paper and scissors to see who would go first. Of course, I won because when Angela was so predictable in that game when she was eight. I put on what little safety gear that would fit me, only a helmet and some small padding. Then climbed onto the bull while it was in the holding gate like you’re supposed to.”

Mark moves and locks eyes with Vivian. “I knew from the exact moment Angela threw the lever to open the gate I made a huge mistake. Though small, the bull was pure muscle and a LOT stronger than I thought it was. Those first few moments are still a blur, but I watched the video I recorded. I lasted all of two seconds before Angela screamed as the bull rocked me forward, then with his head, sent me flying. His juvenile horns slicing open one of my legs, though not badly and missing everything important. I spent the next fifteen to twenty minutes clutching my wounded leg and limping to avoid the charges of an angry animal. That is until Dad, and every male Bio-Morph he could grab arrived and corralled it. I didn’t see Angela running to get Mom and Dad after it threw me. So I honestly thought I was in trouble and no one was going to save me.”

Blinking, Vivian looks down, breaking eye contact and avoiding Mark’s gaze. ‘Obviously that’s why he wanted to share the story…’ Hearing Mark stand up she raises her head and blinks in surprise. “Where are you going?”

Giving her a polite smile, Mark shrugs. “I said I just wanted to tell you a story. Food for thought, from someone who’s been on that side of the path so to speak.”

He gets all of two steps towards the door.

“Wait, what happened after your Father and these Bio-Morph things corralled the feral bull?” Vivian stands and walks over, her ears forward and curious despite the damp face fur.

Chuckling, Mark turns around. “You want to hear that part? I think you can guess what happened.”

Rolling her eyes. Vivian’s tail twitches once. “Well sure, but for some reason it’s interesting hearing it from an actual alien.” ‘Not to mention his voice isn’t half bad either. A little deep considering his size but not bad.’

“Alright.” Going back over to the patio bench, he sits down again.

“Well, to say Dad was angry would be an understatement of the century. So I was treated to a full lecture on how dangerous it was for me and Angela to have done this. How much worse I could’ve of been injured if I had been just a bit less lucky. He didn’t even hold back on telling me that I could’ve died as he performed first aid on my leg. Only to carry me to our only street legal vehicle as gently as possible. More so than I thought he was capable of.”

Mark Pauses as Vivian looks down and away from Mark again. Waiting for her to look back up to continue.

“It was an hour drive to the nearest hospital and I’ll tell you right now it was the quietest, most oppressive drive I’ve ever had. I’ll be honest, I had no idea what was going to happen at that time, and it scared me more that Dad acted all calm with the hospital staff as I was admitted for care when he explained what happened. The doctors cleaned and sewed up my wounds, I got a combined total of fifty stitches across three cuts on my leg. Not to mention I had to stay at the hospital for a couple of days. Just so they can make sure I didn’t have any internal injuries.”

“I know that feeling.” Vivian mumbles, and Mark tilts his head just a bit. ‘Sigh, why did I just say that?’

“Care to explain?” Keeping his face neutral and non-judgmental as he watches her.

Vivian sighs, then stays silent for a second or two. Only to start upon hearing Mark shift in his seat.

“That oppressive feeling of dread, of not knowing what’s going to happen, nor how someone you love feels about what just happened. That happened to me when they came to pick me up from the Rainforest District Prescient holding. I was caught pick pocketing an Ibex. He didn’t need to be re-positioned for me to continue his portrait, but I was working alone that day. So I feigned that he needed to move and I got up to ‘help’ him. Only he noticed me lifting his wallet in the process. I don’t know why he declined charges, nor how I got off with a warning.”

Looking in the direction of the door, Vivian huffs once. “If I had to guess my brother, and Judy pulled a few strings, I’m still surprised they had them so early after Bellwether.”

Lowering her ears, she continues. “He didn’t want me on the streets, and at the time Mom and Dad thought I stayed at the college year round. After this though, they knew, and Nick’s gentle but insistent requests for me to stop, became… Well you saw all that in there earlier. This is how it’s been since.”

“So all three of them came to pick you up?” Mark rests his hands on his knees, intertwining his fingers.

“Yea.” Vivian brings her legs up and sits cross-legged on the chair. Allowing her tail to curl up into her lap. As well as allowing her to hold onto it.

“Nick was on a weekend pass from the academy visiting Judy, Mom, and Dad. Not one of them said a word to me as they picked me up. Driving all the way to the tailor shop and our home above it without a single stop. He and them had a ‘discussion’. Then Mom and Dad berated me over my poor choice to follow in Nick’s foot-paws. Followed by, what most likely you got from your brother Steven, the ‘I told you so’ speech.”

Mark nod’s, as he places his hand gently on Vivian’s small shoulder. “Yea I did.” Letting go, Mark sits back up.

“Keep in mind I’m not trying to butt into your situation, just trying to understand here, you look like that you now realize this is him trying to help you right? Burning his personal favors to give you chances, and from I can tell, you ditch them after the first day, right? Because you think it’s below you?”

Vivian gives a small nod. ‘It’s that voice of his, sigh. Still, if it allows me to get what I need, then I won’t need to pickpocket anymore.’

“Or two, depending on if Nick is paying closer attention to my behavior. Or the Mammal he had the favor with and him got along.”

Giving her a smile. “Then lets make a deal.” Mark holds his hand out. “Between me, someone who’s not part of your family, nor has any personal favors at stake on if you stay or leave this current job, and you.”

Looking down at the hand, Vivian blinks. ‘Well that’s another thing I got wrong. Thought they had four fingers, not five. That tiny one is almost cute.’ “What kind of deal?”

Still holding his hand out, Mark looks Vivian in the eyes once more. “You stay with this current job.”

“What do I get out of it?” Vivian interrupts him.

“I was getting to that.” Mark chuckles. “You seem pretty interested in me, and you liked my little story about my childhood. So you keep up your current job, and I’ll not only tell you more of them. I’ll let you make as many drawings you want of me to do whatever you want with. I’m sure you could make a pretty penny selling them if you want.”

Vivian glances down at his hand. ‘Well, it would allow me to see him more often. In turn, it would get him to trust me. Both would make it easier to steal the tablet for the Skulk. Not to mention he isn’t too bad to hang around with.’

She grips and shakes Mark’s hand and shakes it. “Deal.”

---

Notes: This is the prevailing theory as to why 'shaving' was invented. Though i have no idea if red ocher would have the same effect but i would expect they would powder their fur for the same effect.

Bio-morphs in resource running: they're rare. More or less because the lawless state space and colonies are. The ship may treat them well, but nothing's stopping the colonies from not treating them well, let alone if they're boarded.

Oh and let's not mention Ms. Karma and what she'll do with Vivian.