Cookies to inuficcrzy and Lord Kelvin!
And remember, anonymous reviewers get cookies too! I appreciate everyone's opinion.
~_~
Gamut stretched his arms above his head, enjoying the feel of Earth's sun against his back. He'd spent the last year of his life in the deeps of Mars as a miner- he damn well deserved this.
"Vorschas is probably so pissed right now," he remarked to the hulking figure next to him. Gamut was a large mouse, but Quinn made him seem average-sized.
"Probably?" Quinn repeated, taking off his helmet. "He's having conniption fits as we speak."
"Ain't it a grand life we live?" a small Rat said from behind Quinn. "Pissing off people left and right, escaping from prison.. hell, it's better than fortune and fame."
"I would dispute with you on that last part," Quinn said. He turned, showing his own Rat features- the long muzzle, the small ears, and one eye that tended to drift where it wanted to.
"Whatevah," Shnag'r muttered, flopping down next to Gamut. " 'Ey, spose we could get some Earth tail while we're here?"
"I doubt it. Your ugly mug's not gonna help you knock boots with the locals anytime soon." Gamut ducked as Shnag'r made a swipe for his antennas. "It's true!"
"You ain't gonna have ladies fallin' for you either," Shnag'r replied. "You'd outsize most of 'em 'cept for that runner gal from.. whatsits?"
"Political correctness," Gamut muttered in Shnag'r's ear. "Besides, everyone's forgotten about her.. him.. uh, it."
"True dat," Shnag'r reasoned. "Well, are we gonna get some food at least?"
"We could hold up a Qwik-E-Mart." Quinn rubbed his brass knuckles, a thoughtful look on his dark-furred face.
"Again, we're trying to make nice with the locals, not blast out a helpless convenience store. Even if the prices are atrocious." Gamut aimed a glare at Quinn.
"We could pick-pocket someone on the bus," Shnag'r suggested. "I'm a expert at pick-pocketing."
"Yeah, that was what landed you in the mines, Shnag'r." Gamut plucked a blade of grass and twirled it in his hands. "Well, if the civilized options aren't open, we'll just have to use the unicivilized options."
"Woo-hoo! Hunting trip!" Shnag'r pumped both fists in the air and ran back towards his bike. Gamut shook his head, remembering a certain mouse who had once been just as eager. The grey mouse headed to his bike and gun, intent for now on securing something to satisfy his growling stomach.
~_~+++~_~
"Da-amn," Shnag'r groaned. "I forgot what feeling full was like. It's a good feeling."
"Urp." Quinn laid down next to his bike, looking exhausted. "And the after-dinner nap's the best part."
"Urgh.. I'm not taking a nap." Gamut stood, wavering slightly, and got onto his bike. "Stay here. I'll scout the place out."
"Oh, come on." Quinn rolled over to look at Gamut.
"Nope. I prefer the after-dinner drive. See ya later!" Gamut slipped on his helmet and drove off, navigating onto the highway a mile later.
"Aaahahahahaooww!" Startled, Gamut turned his head around to see three bikes, with one red one lurching ahead of the other two.
"Make way, cause the baddest mammajammas from Mars are rulin' this highway!" The rider of the red bike popped a wheelie and pulled up behind Gamut.
Tense, the grey mouse tightened his grip on the handlebars of his bike. His fingers wavered near the button that would activate his weapons, but he knew better than to throw the first punch. Or laser bolt.
"Hey, Modo! Watch this!"
Gamut's mind blanked for a full three seconds. Modo? My son?! Where?
And then he noticed he was wavering across the double yellow line, and the three bikers behind him were trying to grab his attention. Gamut pulled back into the proper lane. "Shit.."
"Hey, bro, you okay?" One of them pulled up beside him, a tan youngster with a deep voice. Gamut felt a immediate sense of deja-vu, like he'd met him before- but he was sure he hadn't.
"Fine," the grey mouse said. He darted ahead of them, leaving them behind him, confused. Before Gamut turned onto a residential road, however, he looked behind, hoping maybe he could recongize his son.
He didn't, but he knew the bike. Lil' Hoss had some custom parts attached to her that could never be removed, and her model was rare enough to be ingrained in his memory. Gamut's heart ached as he saw how scarred the mouse riding her was- a metal right arm, a eyepatch, god-knows-how-many memories that could never be forgotten.
Gamut looked back ahead, knowing he couldn't turn back and reveal himself now. For all his gentleness now, he hadn't been the most loving of fathers back when Modo was a teen. He deeply regretted raising his fists at his children now, but he'd been stupid and a drunk, which ran in his side of the family. He knew how much they resented him for his treatment of them. Hell, they were probably glad he was gone.
He bit his lip and took a shortcut through a thick patch of brush, his bike roaring like a lion out of hell, as he struggled to get away from the reminder of his failures.
