Author's Note: Hey, you people; it's us again, PenGator3! And now tonight we have a treat for you all: Chapter Ten!
Sanzo: Wow, that is lame...
Dominique (grinning): I know but that's good because I've made up for some lost time!
Sanzo: How did you do that?
Dominique: Simple: this chapter took me nine days to make this one; man, who would have thought that it would take this long to come up with it?
Sanzo (snickered): Ducreux'ed...
Dominique (flaming mad): WHAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTTTT?
Sanzo: Just kidding, then again that's what caused you to get into it right, Domino?
Dominique: Uhh, der; what did you expect? It's bad enough that school's going to start soon and now some pirate came along and took it before we all wanted to do something else.
Pirate: ARGH!
Dominique: Buzz off, hack; we don't mean you!
Pirate (sadly): Awww...
Sanzo: Well, now that we got it up now can we please do the disclaimer already?
Dominique: Au contraire, we're aware that our readers now know the routine; so, we can't keep on reminding them all every chapter unless if it's very important, right?
Sanzo: Fine then, let's go...
Taxiination without Representation ~Before You See Them~
The weather was starting to get warm outside seeing that the once gray skies were becoming as bright like the shiny happy people outside with only a few clouds and a squall rolling alongside the vast and magnificent atmosphere, a solar noon hovering over Novi Finis City where every single building, big or small, was baptized in resplendent wonder. The flat and narrow concrete remained neatly on the very street, starting to burn hot like the magma of an erupting volcano as it was laying down there in the hot sun, melting away the deep layer of the ash like snow from underneath very slowly. The (en)harmonic honking and beeping of the constant traffic jam that resided in between the foreground and the background of this big city was the sure sign that this was now rush hour, automobiles of all sizes, makes, and even models were now at a greater disadvantage on the (super)highways, freeways, throughways, expressways, and even the interstates regardless of direction whatsoever. The people that had gone to work either by any means necessary from this morning were given an opportunity to just go ahead dine on their break, however and wherever they chose to do it as they please; in addition, the folks who worked around or at their own homes along with the some who were unemployed looking through newspaper ads for some jobs sat down to relax. A calm breeze strolled throughout the vicinity offering a sense of serenity to passersby; in turn, a few pedestrians (and bicyclists as well) were all aware that the breeze would keep many of them cool and unperturbed as most went to continue on with their daily lives outside their domiciles. Other than that, it was so tranquil it was as if that very proximity was near some open field that time had remembered, refusing to leave even when it was already known that the (post)modernism of civilization had colonized over there.
Despite this peace and love from within and beyond, a dark cloud was hanging over someplace where it would not be seen in the sky and it was where that dastardly Senator Roark was, watching from the windowsill of his room, waiting for someone to show up, and plotting his next plan when suddenly the doorknob turned and clicked. "SURPRISE, MOTHERFUCKER!" were two of the first words that were said as Keenan entered the doorway to that room in question, abruptly causing the swine to turned around and jump in fear slightly. When Roark decided to settle down a bit upon realization, he'd decided to greet the black falcon (luke)warmly, "you've scared the crap out me, boy!" "And for an adult, you were jumping around like a little girl," Keenan countered as he'd turned to Yang, "remember your plan from earlier? Your punk here had came around and broke me out." "Screw you…!" the blue rabbit peeped as a sure telltale sign that he was growing to become greatly annoyed and angry for what had happened. After patting the black falcon on the head, the swine turned to Yang and commented, "very good, my son; you've done very, very well." "I'm getting tired of this…" the blue bunny snarled as if Roark's compliment meant nothing to the former, "you already got what you want; now, give Yin and Suzie back to me." "Don't be hasty, my boy; besides, I've got another errand I'd like for you to do," the swine shot back at Yang smugly. The blue hare was now steaming and fuming for a bit and countered, "Like hell I am! You almost got me killed down there; I hurt people, and that ain't enough for you, is it? You've got some serious nerve."
"Is that what you call gratitude?" Roark bellowed at Yang, "I take your sisters in like one of my own; good ol' Uncle Roark. Can you believe that?" "I'm not playing your games anymore; in fact, I'm getting pretty sick and tired of it!" the blue rabbit roared angrily as he's starts pulling out his boomerang and aims it at the swine; in turn, Keenan jumps and aims his grenade launcher back at the former, remembering the rounds from earlier that were still unused. Watching this unfold, Roark now started to talk some sense to Yang whom was still watching the black falcon closely, "don't be silly, my boy; think what could happen to them both. You're in no position to be playing around." "Well neither am I!" the blue bunny responded tensely to the swine's subtle pleas, "I ain't messing around, you know!" "Neither am I!" Garnet said as he'd walked in and struck Yang over the head with a fist and the latter falls to the floor; next, the former starts kicking him in the stomach. Now Roark walks over and tries to pull the tall red caiman away from the blue hare, saying, "enough already, Garnet! Gary! Gary! He's still useful." "Get off!" Garnet snarled as he tries to attack Yang again, "get off me!" "Finally…" Keenan chir(ru)ped as he'd put away he grenade launcher, seeing that there was no use for it at all now since everything was starting to be taken care of.
As the blue rabbit groaned in pain once again, the swine stands over him and says, "can you hear me now, my boy? This is no two-way contract between us. You don't get out until I say you're out, right? I can't trust you now; you've spurned the hand of friendship so, I'm sending you to your room, get it?" They start to leave and as they do, the tall red caiman kicks Yang around once more a few more times before tossing him inside the room from earlier that the latter was in. "What was that all about, boss?" Ritter asked curiously as he'd appeared, "did something happen?" "Just stay here and watch him while I have business to attend to; I'll see you later," Roark said to the golden rat as if the former's statement served as an answer to the latter's question. As Ritter enters the room he turns to his boss heading downstairs and replied back with obedience, "yes sir."
It was clearly obvious enough to realize that out of all the times when trouble came and followed after as a result of the villainous misdeed, this was officially the one time where Yang couldn't stop it from going any further; in short, he was just plain helpless. The blue bunny's father, Master Yo was never there at all to help since his actions seemingly doomed everyone from the very start since birth, seeing that fatherhood was beyond him talents and expertise let alone his duty. The other knights' were still separated, unaware of the happenings that had been taken place right now thanks to the mechanizations of their fathers and mothers who had preferred desertion over defense.
Meanwhile, back at the police station where it had all began; everything in particular was not well at all. A feeling of grand disappointment had acted as a doppelganger of the originally listless atmosphere where Commissioner Scotch and his underling, Henry were. The antelope had looked at the indigo hare with a grimace at the uninvited gesture that was made directly in front of him. Of course, Henry would never tell his boss about how much condescension the former had against the latter since the day when Eradicus' defeat led to the destruction of the town that was attacked; somehow, it was known anyway nonetheless. The indigo rabbit had always been filled with the devotion that motivated his concentration of the law and family overall; but lately, Commissioner Scotch had grown aware of the young one's worldly bewilderment. The slanted gray eyes that have belonged to Henry were now beginning to grow dull and listless as per beginning the long fatigue of a weary life; in short, it was merely the pathos of things. After all, this was the least of their worries.
"You're history, Wong; that's it!" the antelope bellowed at the indigo bunny angrily as proof of this grand disappointment within the room, "I've had it up to here with your lunatic antics; what the hell do you think you were doing?" "I was trying…" Henry attempted to answer before he was coldly interrupted. Commisioner Scotch then said, "don't answer that! I'm not finished; why didn't you call for back-up?" "With all due respect sir," the indigo hare started again even though this was going to be rendered pointless, "I was responding to what…" "Shut it; who asked you?" the antelope interjected once more, this time angering Henry a bit whom greatly remembered the rule of only speaking when spoken to and how it was brutally ignored by it. As a result, the indigo rabbit answered quickly with irritation, "you sir!" "It's all over for you, hero." Commissioner Scotch snarled as he slammed his hand on his desk very hard, "thanks to what had happened today, we've now got six dead constables; this means six families without a bloody breadwinner thanks to this bloody carnage!" "Really; that's all you can say?" Henry slightly chuckled in spite of the mood that was all violent in particular. Surprised, the antelope snapped back at the indigo bunny, "excuse me?" "You must have been having a laugh while I was put through the goddamn blender, weren't you?!" Henry countered as Commissioner Scotch stands up, "what about your hot tip; where was the tip-off about grenade launchers? That was a set-up."
"You know what?" the antelope asked as he'd stood up straight in preparation of what he was about to say to the indigo hare. Henry did nothing but answered back unchallenged, "what, sir?"
"You're an amateur." Commissioner Scotch started as he now turned choleric beyond belief, "you run around this town like some sort of vigilante with a badge thinking that you're special, that you're outside the law! It's over, cowboy, you're suspended. I'm having you on charges. You were treading on thin Hetalian ice and now you just cracked it! Get out; you're off the case now, do you hear?" "Fine then; this stinks, the whole operation stinks and I'm going to find out why!" the indigo rabbit screamed at the antelope as the former leaves the latter's office and slams the door. Calming down a bit, Commissioner Scotch here only muttered in disbelief, "son of a gun…"
After a while, Henry was in the locker room all by himself; generally, the room was a little larger than the office. The flooring was different since it was merely ceramic tiles on the ground filled with the whiteness reminiscent of the ash like snow from outside. The walls were painted in a light coat of gray, the same color that matched the ceiling above it; speaking of the word ceiling, it too reminded the occupant of the frightful weather outside as well. There were no windows at all, fitting since it was never meant to be used as a place of voyeurism to begin with. Every locker was painted in the uniformity of gold, the color of an average sky that resulted from the diffraction of nitrogen.
The indigo bunny went towards his locker, cracked the combination on its (pad)lock, and opened it, revealing the contents that belonged to him. The peaked cap was thrown down onto the floor as proof of his anger, since he'd believed that there was no use for it any longer because of it. Henry unfastened the service coat that was worn on him, exposing a plain white tee from underneath it which was also discarding along with the necktie; now, all that remained was a gray undershirt. The indigo hare also took off his white gloves from his hands, no longer pure to take on the task as an officer of the law any further from here on out. His utility belt was soon tossed aside as he had pulled down those gray slacks after removing the bluchers from his feet; now, all that also remained was a pair of black boxers.
Now in a set of undergarments, Henry was now looking for some article of clothing to wear inside his very locker to go about his day like a regular citizen. The indigo rabbit went in and dug deep within, picking out dark black tee shirt along with an orange sweater vest before laying them both aside on a bench nearby him. He also pulled out a pair of brown pants from there, a pair of white wristbands, and a pair of yellow and black sneakers before closing the locker back up as it was before. Henry then started to first put the pants on his legs and around his waist; afterwards, he dressed himself in the jet black shirt as it now concealed the midriff and navel. The indigo bunny was now ready to put on his sweater vest as he picked it up and clothed over the black shirt; similarly, he did the same with the sneakers to the socks on his feet. Before long, he'd finally pulled took up his snow white wristbands and enfolded them both around his wrists snuggly and correspondingly; now, he was fully dressed as starting to leave the locker room only to find his now ex-comrade Gillman waiting.
"Henry, I've been waiting for you!" the red raptor exclaimed, bringing Henry to the former's attention, "it's Kaz and Ken, they're in deep trouble; we can't reach them on the radio!" "What's going on?" the indigo hare asked as he felt both of his ears prick up as a sign that something was truly wrong. Concerned, Gillman answered Henry, "Scotch here got them casing some storage house!" "What, these two?" the indigo rabbit responded to the red raptor shockingly, "they can't handle that; who's going in after 'em?" "No one; it's supposed to be a surveillance job," Gillman replied once again, giving out all the details up at front. After a brief while, Henry then spoke up, "right, I'm for it then." "But what about all that screaming from earlier you two were doing to one another?" the red raptor inquired as he still recalled a memory of overhearing the indigo bunny and the antelope arguing, "I thought you were suspended." "He can arrest me later for all I care; right now, I got bigger fish to fry," Henry spoke back as he headed out the police station once again.
Now Coop and Burton were all feeling a bit wearied, having been a morning of some small energy expenditure from all that snow the two had shoveled off from the sidewalks that guide them home. As they sat down on the floor, propping their feet in front of them both, their eyes had amplified a bit to the sight of something from not long ago: there was F.L. Smelfman and Nancy O. Delffa from this morning laughing and talking, the latter performing the first task anyway as if she wasn't caring one bit about this wicked world. Suddenly, just before the elves had started to engage in another conversation, a jingle came forth with a burst of urgency and for a moment it seemed like something of great importance had flown in, feeling the blood run cold in the two boys veins as all the coats on their body standing endwise with shivers running up the young one's spine then down again.
Nancy smiled eagerly with such unbecoming bliss as she announced, "a small crime wave now brews underfoot once again when a high-speed car chase ends in tragedy miles from the courthouse." "Indeed," F.L. Smelfman uncaringly but nonchalantly continued where she'd started off, "and it seems that more and more come and pass just after when the violent shootout at the museum leftover three dozen people dead, scores more wounded, and many others traumatized as well." "Would it kill you to say that's what we've done our report on before?" the female elf asked as she leered at him, "after all, I bet the audience here was already aware of that before this morning!" "True, it would be redundant to bring that up again but it says so in our papers!" F.L. Smelfman snapped back as he was annoyed that this made her interrupt him unexpectedly. Unchallenged, Nancy turned to face the camera again as if she were looking back at the viewers and said, "investigators has uncovered the wreckage of the police and found five bodies alongside with it as well dead on the scene, three of which were burned beyond recognition though one amongst them was revealed to be recently arraigned transferee Keenan Crier whom was to report to the Novi Finis City Jail awaiting trial for last night's hotel hijacking. Additionally, there were also reports of other vehicles involved whose drivers were also proclaimed dead on the scene, reportedly burned alive as they were trapped inside. Many commuters who've watched it unfold said to have seen a baby blue bunny, possibly underage, driving a black Lawless RZ300 as it had chased the van moments before it overturned; though not yet confirmed, rumor has it that this driver is supposedly connected to the full scale gunfight from hours ago. Officer Henry Wong who was also at the scene of it all being taken back was not available for comment."
"Boys," a voice started to speak up, bringing the chicken and the antelope out of some kind of trance; it was their own mom once again who greeted them both warmly, "I've made some lunch!" "Gee thanks, mom!" Burton chirped as he had a plate of meatloaf sat down in front of him along with some silverware around it. Coop just turned and saw the same thing occur right in front of him as well, harboring neither wrath or joy at the situation at hand like if he'd didn't care for it at all as if the news from earlier was starting to bother him only a bit slightly but now too completely.
Now, it was back to the home where Dave resided with his fellow beings in that deserted town; however, instead of the boy (tree stump in question) who has lived or his father, his brother was in his own bedroom remaining in his stead. The ceiling was suspended ten feet from the ground having not even a main source of light in this room like usual ceilings had, just like the ones throughout the house. The background still remained blank, unworthy of any color for it was unfitting for any scenario so far especially this late during the season of winter. The baked and broiled terracotta flooring also remained unchanged as well just like the ceiling and the walls within that room. A window was present and it was open, inviting the elemental air from the outside to come into the room as well. There was also another trundle bed as well within that bedroom as well but unlike the others it was bedraggled for the thick comforter along with the thin sheets had been out of place since the day's morn(ing).
Still, he didn't care much about simple luxuries or the bare necessities at all even though that the quality of his home was all too foreign in the beginning. The tree stump had scoured the room and gathered the items he'd needed the moment they were found, discarded into a leather sack as they were tossed. Whatever the boy had in mind, it would be safe to say that running away was not an option suitable for him at all no matter whatever gotten into his mind, let alone ignore it. The problems had been studied it for well near a while as a few years top to begin with but no one else had ever gotten any further with their studies at all; besides, the tree stump has a somewhat satisfactory residence, a pair of good loving parents, and not too bad of an intelligence at all! But, this was not the work of some devil that crawls inside of him at all; just pure sheer luck to be precise for that in life, those who were born never truly had a choice to pick out their families. Perhaps, the tree stump had been too lucky to begin with since Dave was the one that the former had relied and fell back on despite the amount of respect given to the latter back in the old days.
But, those old days were dead and gone the same time they were declared no longer welcome in the town their forest home used to be in nearby; in fact, he'd realized that relying on said brother was nothing more than a mistake to begin with and so it was now he was on his own this time for now he had to go. As the tree stump had exited the room within the building, he was now outside as the sun already came and shined after hours of overcast had blocked all of its viewing; still, the luster of it all was the meaning of nothingness to him anyway. Eyeing the ladder in front of him, he started to edge towards it with the intent to climb down it until he'd reached ground zero and go on with the day; additionally, he also seen his mother within the distance, forcing the former to hide from the latter's sights. She didn't notice her son at all because of it and stood by as if the former was actually waiting for someone very important; of course, that someone turned out to be her husband, Halliburton whom also appeared within a few minutes as well. The moment that the two were already in the same spot, the tree stumps opened the door nearby them and entered; afterwards, their son reappeared, checking to see if they were gone only to find that they were gone so he had climbed down the ladder. Once that was done, the boy decided to stop and put himself nearby the door his parents were in carefully as if to avoid attracting too much attention towards the former, lest the latter group would discover it all.
Even though the tree stump was unable to see them both at once, the former was still able to hear the latter group engage in a conversation over something. Halliburton remained quiet for a while since there wasn't much to talk about when everything else was said and done as his wife started, "I don't what to do now, let alone say something about it." "What could you be possibly talking about, Ai?" the elder tree stump said to his wife, Ai, somewhat confusingly, "I know it has been rough since we had left town long ago but we've managed to get by anyway; no one has bothered to keep hunting us down if that's what your implying." "I know that, Hal but I'm getting worried about it every single day; I may not care what happens to me at all but what will happen to our sons if someone finally catches up with us?" she said back to her husband as if for some reason something within was starting to eat the former alive. Halliburton walked closer to Ai slowly and carefully as he answered, "if there's one thing I should be focusing on, then it should not be on waiting every day for this mistake to come back and haunt me too much, let alone be a burden for Dave or Chip; after all, you had helped me see past that long ago before we got married and I've thanked you for it ever since the day we've met. As a matter of fact, as long as we're still alive, you, me, and the boys, there is nothing to regret about too much at all since doing our part meant keeping them both alive and helping them; besides, we've managed to keep the memory of Faye alive as well." "You're right, what was I thinking; has all this I've done alongside you for them had turned out into making me a terrible mother?" she sniffled a bit as tears were started to materialize from underneath her eyes, "I'm sorry…" "There, there Ai, it's all right; we did what we had to do for them, you know," the elder said to Ai while holding her in his arms in an embrace with the intention to show genuine comfort. Aware of Hal(liburton) caressing her, the latter whispered quietly to the former, "thank you…"
Then and only then, the boy from outside chose not to stick around any further since this was starting to bother him a bit and lo the youth did disperse at once. Whether the conversation had started to make him cry or angry was beyond reason since he refused to allow his thoughts and emotions about what his father and mother had said altogether to get in the way of something he'd considered important. After all, this was far beneath for the boy tree stump to begin with nevertheless.
Next, it was back to the home where Jobeaux resided with his family members in that quiet village; however, instead of the boy (goblin in question) who has lived being inside the bedroom, his father was in his own bedroom remaining in his stead. The ceiling had holes that were recently patched up with large scrap heaps of fabric, timber, and metal to shield the lighter layers of wintertime that frost the street(s) the other way. The background, better yet known as the walls that served as the foundation to the vast bedroom, were ligneous as if had been made from the trees that once stood upright. The flooring was also made from wood as well. A window was present yet it was closed for it even had the crystal shield to protect the occupant(s) inside from the elements outside. There was also only one trundle bed fit for him; even though it could hold up to two people, he was alone in his room.
Suddenly the doorknob in front of the man turned and clicked as it had turned out to be none other than his very own son, Jobeaux, still wearing the white shirt and blue pants from long ago with a bowl of soup in the latter's possession. The one thing that the boy goblin could never stand was to see his father grunting away at the filthy noises of the latter's ambience and going off coughing in between as it might be filthy old orchestra within those stinking rotten guts. Jobeaux could never stand to see anyone like that, whatever age or gender the person might be, but more especially when it was his own father whom was really old; still, rather than dwell on the past, the former chose to dwell on living in the now. The boy spared him some soup seeing that the latter was still on the long road to recovery even as their fellow members traveled along throughout such a stinking world like this; "and, what's so stinking about it," the readers would ask anyways with such curiosity. Well, it was simple to be precise: it's a stinking world because law and order were starting to fade away, a stinking world where it even let the young get on to the old; better yet, if it's no world for such people like them any longer, then what sort of world is it for them. Most of the time, the world had focused on such tales told on television such as men on the moon and men spinning around the earth when it had happened earlier in life but not any attention to earthly law; now, it was about the families of those brave boys and girls in the Woo Foo Army that had ironically doomed their former hometown into cruel and deathly fate called oblivion.
As the entire room had still lain basking the silence amongst its occupants, all that Jobeaux could truly think about while feeding his father soup were the things in his own life that had changed ever since that very ill-fated day. First in the boy goblin's mind was flooded with thoughts of the hometown he himself had been born, raised, grew up, and still currently lived in even when the times had changed from the outsides belonging to its surrounding neighbors. The fact that the great wall had them cut out from the outside world had Jobeaux reminisce of the great wonders he had seen and heard about and how they would never be repeated again. Next, there were the memories of his fellow friends and compatriotic comrades in the Woo Foo Army who used to live near and/or in the former hometown that was once there where all was lost [and found (in translation)]. Everything that had happened to the boy goblin since his first day involved of nonsensical partisanship from young instructors, a new batch of enemies, and the hopes of amorousness belonging to one of them quashed in one day only. And then there was family: his mater, pater, grandfather, uncle, wife, and daughter whom had stood beside Jobeaux even to this day and age. If values like such were greatly commonplace throughout homes within the entire world, then maybe evil things that occurred would no longer exist on the face of the Earth; still, it was more of a novel idea.
By then the soup was all gone, meaning that the job of feeding his father was now finally done; as a result, the boy goblin turned and started to leave. Though Jobeaux did so, he had bothered not to look back, let alone even as to so much speak to him since this was all the former came here to do. Any and all means of starting a colloquy amongst the two goblins was all simply naught, blocked off by thoughts of the events from the yesteryear that had brought shame upon them all. Either way, it was not safe to discuss any bit of it at all knowing the enmity that would brew should it be expressed with reminiscence and melancholy over something that trivial to them both. Besides, the family was all there and it shouldn't be swayed by interparty conflicts amongst themselves, let alone over something from ago; after all, they were lucky to survive it and it was no use to go around over it. And so, Jobeaux had left his father's room and got on with the former's life as if nothing had happened at all.
Then and only then, the boy goblin chose not to stick around any further since this was starting to bother him a bit and lo the youth did disperse at once, never bothering to look back. Whatever it was, it was beyond reason since he refused to allow his thoughts and emotions about what his father and mother had done altogether to get in the way of something that many others called life. After all, this was far beneath Jobeaux to begin with nevertheless.
Then as quiet grasslands lay still the hills that had stood tall and proud like buildings within in the concrete jungle called the municipality the so called icy tundra was now starting to melt very slowly. Many of the mountainsides doused in the cold whiteness had the fertile jade grass poking upright along with the vegetated flora that sprouted up from it all. The breeze was warming up a bit, thanks to the sun outside where its ray had burst through the dispersing overcast from the morning after. As it started to look a lot less dreary than the meadows, the shades of colors had started to brighten up a bit, looking as if hope was upon the midst of the firmament from below. Even the frozen lake had started to melt a bit but still posed a threat to anyone that dared to traverse this path because of its newfound thinness.
Among one of the hills dwelled a large fissure filled the void and inside it all other than just a campfire and a few boxes were a family of ogres; as a matter of fact, it was actually Roger (Junior) and his family dwelling in the caverns. His father sat on the ground as he watched little Tillman warmed her hands a few inches from the fire carefully. Judi stared downwards taciturnly as she stirred the spoon inside the pot above the fireside as she brew the mysterious concoction warmly, the aroma invading the area between the jaws and eyeballs of everyone inside and informed everyone about it without even saying at least a single word. All that the boy did was staring at the sky, ignoring what was going on around him for that he didn't care.
Lastly, it was back to Lena now whom was inside the bathwater, reposing unobtrusively as she basked in the confines of warmth that had enveloped her in these folds. After soaking it up, the canine cub had quickly unplugged the drain, sucking up the water into the shape of a whirlpool that remained there until it was all gone down; then, she opened the curtains and stepped out the tub carefully as her feet landed on the ceramic floor. As she had become aware of the moisture dripping down her body she found a towel that was from only yesterday, picked it up, dried herself off with it from head to toe, and then wrapped around her body compactly in hopes of ceasing the dripping water from turning colder as the weather outside and its temperature. Lena picked the housecoat back up and wrapped it over to censure her once partial nudity; before she could even leave for now, she had went to the cabinet and pulled out a bottle of unguent to rub on her skin in anticipation for the ailment to go away. As the canine cub had left the lavatory, she'd squirted out some pinkish formulated emulsion and rubbed it all over her arms, wrists, and hands while she coughed hoarsely throughout the hallway.
She had done so for a while until she had returned to her bedroom in little time in all. Looking for some article of clothing to wear, Lena had gone to an adjacent dresser and opened it, pulling out some undergarments from there, consisting of only a pair of knickers and an undershirt before she closed the drawer back up. The canine cub then took off her bathrobe and towel afore starting to first put the knickers on her legs; afterwards, she dressed herself in the matching undershirt as it now displayed the midriff and her navel. Though she was neither in a towel nor in the nude, the soft texture of the wooden floorboards sent a message reminded her to put her housecoat back on her body and she did; next, she found some slippers from underneath her bed and put them on her feet. Now, Lena was fully dressed as she started to leave the bedroom again, this time out to somewhere else within the confines of the home.
Remembering the soup inside the microwave from earlier, the canine cub headed towards the kitchen where the microwave was in place as it was opened. She searched the contents inside, finding what was there earlier, and closed it back up; then, she looked at the clock and set the time for the meal to be heated. The microwave whirred and whooshed to life as the bowl of soup started to spin slowly and steadily in the bright lights of radiation from within. For a while, Lena had remained silent as she waited for the meal to heat up 'til all was said and done before returning to her room. Wanting to pass the time, the canine cub decided to turn on the television set and watch whatever program was on their just to serve that purpose as she sat on the bed; however, it was the news that was on the moment it had clicked and smooched to life. What caught her eye was the face of Patrice Paley on the set, the same one that the golden chicken had seen before since that morning before just right the elves came on.
"Well, here I am standing nearby the wrecked remains of the police van after a high speed chase from earlier left it careening off the road before overturning on its side the moment its driver had lost control," the reporter said, looking into the camera while standing, "amongst the bodies of the driver and passengers inside, there was also what appeared to be the remains of Keenan Crier, a suspect on remand who was to return to Novi Finis City Jail awaiting trial on high bail after taking part in the hijacking of Hotel Malden just last night. Now, it seems that there were signs of explosives supposedly used in the escapade which would explain the scorching of the debris and the remains as well, confirmed by Officer Henry Wong whom was also at the scene afterwards found trapped in an overturned Lambeth Cary. After being pulled from the wreckage, he'd reportedly said that upon arrival, an individual far away upfront shot a few explosive rounds at him before he too lost control and crashed as he lay upside-down. So far, the police department has no potential suspects at this moment to anyone who could have committed this atrocity though they believe that it was a revenge hit for last night carried out by one of the attendees; ergo, the details of this investigation are sketchy as of now because of this. Commissioner Steven Scotch, head of the Special Constabulary's Novi Finis branch was unavailable for comment. I'm Patrice Paley and now here's Connie for the weather in your backyard."
At that moment, Lena felt her own ears hardened as she heard a sound; better yet, that sound was actually more of a ding coming from the kitchen which was a message telling her that the soup was microwaved in due time. The canine cub went to the kitchen where the microwave was in place as it was opened, pulling out the bowl from there and closing it again; then, she looked into the kitchen drawer, pulled out a silver spoon, and closed it as well. She then sat down, dug the spoon inside, scooped some soup up from the bowl and into her mouth, and tasted it.
And lo it was back to where Yang was lying in the same room he was in before, still unconscious as he was still unaware of the yellow rat guarding it. The blue hare's eyes were closed as proof of his condition as if they were wired shut for some unknown reason, forcing these pupils to see nothing but blackness all around him regardless of direction whatsoever; in fact, he even sported a fading black eye. The blood on his face that had finally dried up after all the punishment it had underwent from long ago, no longer in sight on his skin at all to begin with. Many cuts and bruises that had been sported on both arms and turned into scabs opened up a small bit, shedding a bit of blood from it. More descriptively, the blue hare was still all alone or so he believed yet only focused on the fact that he was alive and well nonetheless; however, his loneliness was due to the fact that his siblings were still out there. A moment of silence was to do no good for it all since it kept reminding him of such realizations, let alone offer him comfort for his troubles considering how he had caused much trouble.
"Hello," was the very word that someone had said upon entry; better yet, it was none other than the swine's young son who had appeared in Ritter's sight. The yellow rat meekly asked the teenager, "it's not safe here; what are you doing?" "I was in the neighborhood just earlier and I overhead daddy here talking about what you just did earlier," Junior had answered smugly to the yellow rat, "is he still alive anyway?" "Uh… yeah," Ritter said back to the swine as the former then heard sounds of Yang's painful moaning nearby and opened very room that the latter was in. The blue rabbit awoke to find the yellow rat and Horace Junior standing in front of the former to see, the latter viewed with such contempt and said, "who the hell are you?" "Oh my, that's how you greet the son of your local Senator?" the young swine snidely remarked about Yang's comment, "anyways, I have a job for you to do: you're going to drop someone off over somewhere at this big shitter off the intersection of Guard and Looward; in fact, I'll show you to him." "Whose this him you speak of that I don't know?" the blue bunny asked confusingly as Ritter and Junior edged near the young one unopposed as if nothing had stopped the two at all. The swine got to Yang first, holding the latter tightly even though there was not even an inch of strength within as the former answered, "oh, you'll see, buddy boy… you'll see."
That's when Junior and the yellow rat were now outside in the garage where they had directed the blue hare to a cheesy compact where the passenger sat upfront. It was a light jade aardvark with brown hair flowing down to the rear of the décolletage; also, it had a mustache that was thin like a twine of yarn. An emerald crown had rested on the owner's head, the color matching the garments that were also worn as well but that was all there was to be said about it. The jade aardvark's eyes were closed as proof of his condition as if they were wired shut for some unknown reason, forcing these pupils to see nothing but blackness all around him regardless of direction whatsoever; in fact, he even sported a pair of black eyes. The blood on its owner's face was in sight on his skin to begin with caused by cuts and bruises that had been sported as they turned into scabs shedding a bit of blood from it. The forehead was taped tightly to the headrest as if to make the aardvark look like he was restrained to look at the dashboard even though there was nothing there at all.
"That's him?" Yang exclaimed as he saw blood on the man, "for a moment there, I thought he looked like a girl." "Does this look like a girl to you?" the young swine snarled slightly at the blue rabbit as if the statement made by the latter had bothered the former. When Yang saw Junior's fist being made, the former then answered the latter, "no not at all!" "Anyway, you've got a small delivery to make," the young swine started to explain to the blue bunny, "you see, Captain Morgan here needs to find some help soon; he isn't feeling so good so take him over to see old king Francis over there. Just don't get yourself killed because we've got big plans for you and those little girls; drop him off and shift it into high gear. They're not gonna be too pleased the state their man has got himself into; they'll be after you, but don't lose them. Instead, bring them all down to Red Cross Lane, off of Walgreens and we'll be waiting to bring them all down; we'll massacre them, OK?"
"This is a joke, right; you want me to drive clear across the city with this thing sitting next to me?" Yang summarized in such little horror. Ritter only answered, "better get going while you still can!" "He's right, you know?" Junior repeated, "you cut these tapes and kick him out the goddamn door; you aren't gonna have much time for anything else. We're doing you a favor, you got that? Now, get going…!" And lo, the blue hare did so as he was told and drove off to somewhere that was considered of the highest importance once again.
Meanwhile, an officer and a gentleman were now at the parking lot nearby the police station as the latter was inside a black sedan while the former stood by, watching as both of them were now in a conversation. "I can't believe you're going after them even though he's has fired you; even if they don't tell on you, he'll know that it was your handiwork and they'll come after you!" Gillman said to Henry. The indigo rabbit responded, "like I said, 'he can arrest me later for all I care.' Times like this are the ones where I can't just back down from it when my friends are in trouble." "I understand…" the red raptor responded, "after all, if this means real much to you that badly, then fine; I won't stop you from going through with this." "Thanks; it really means a lot to me," Henry responded as he'd put the gear shift from park to drive; as a result, the wheels were in motion at once as he started to drive off from here.
After watching the indigo bunny pull off and out of here in a different car this time, all that Gillman could do was think about yesterday only and how it was starting to all come back to him. Surely, the red raptor was goodhearted just like Henry is since they were just best friends and all but not as good as the latter when it had come down to the job to begin with since the former was borderline inexperienced. Even though it was a lot more serious than how those guys from home took it, he didn't really consider it being posed as a trait or something personal since that he was just like his friend, newly fresh off the boat; after all, the changes were sudden to say the least. Gillman only remembered that time because of how the indigo hare was also there, upfront in advance whereas the former could just catch on up with the latter only from behind; anyway, distance was all for record breaking. The red raptor didn't care for such things like recognition for example and neither did Henry; all the two had truly cared about was coasting throughout life as if the things that had occurred never happened at all from the start. For that, this was nothing new to him at all since the hometown needed able-bodied individuals to defend it from any, if not all, enemies be foreign or domestic.
In short, Gillman did nothing to stop the indigo rabbit from doing what the latter believed what was best, since the former also believed that it would get in the way of such subtle camaraderie as well. The red raptor watched Henry speed off in the jet black sedan until the latter was finally out of sight and out of mind; afterwards, the former then took off on foot as well, this time in a different direction.
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of town, there was a castle within the distance that would have spelled nothing but trouble for a certain someone that would come on down altogether; the reason why this was possible was that this white castle looked a lot like a privy. It was surrounded by a fosse filled with a musky and offensive odor due to the polluted waters in it; more descriptively, it looked a lot like a combination of gunge, acid, and raw sewage that all met up in the cesspools from underneath. The enceinte was composed of many hills from the distance that were standing tall and proud like building in the backgrounds better known as life to many other. Resting at the top was a tower with a large battlement that stood up very high on the tank while its derivatives took different positions around and below it; in fact, one of them was hanging from the end of some chain. The ring seat was held upright even thought it had two sets of chains that would pull it all down somehow and someway.
Now suddenly without warning, Yang makes his way there and stops outside as he puts his foot on the brake near the entrance after managing to stop nearby the area. The blue bunny started pulling the tapes off of the unconscious aardvark which was very tedious to the former; afterwards, they were ripped off from the latter whom was then kicked out of the car, all while the boy said, "time to meet the others." Yang sped off but not after when two shadowy figures whom watched it all unfold, jumped down to the ground and saw the aardvark's body lying abandoned with shock and outrage. "Is zat King Morgan?" one of them questioned with great disbelief at it all upon looking at the now named aardvark's body, "no!" "Let's get him!" the other one exclaimed when the individual saw the compact in the distance and started to chase after it on foot. The first whom was watching it scurried back into the castle with King Morgan's body in its grasp while shouting within the confines, "SOUND ZE ALARM!"
The klaxon warnings had screeched an extraordinarily strident reverberation from the enormous white stronghold, summoning many others to the scene as well. The blue hare looked into the rearview mirror and saw the shadowy individual chase after him at full speed ahead of the latter's fellow compatriots whom followed after like if they were angry hordes of stampeding bulls; in fact, they were angry! Little did any of them would know, wherever both parties would be going, it was very obvious they were possibly on the road to nowhere [but destruction(, mayhem, and pain)].
Now, it was back to the indigo rabbit who had just reached another part of town where he'd parked the car on the side of the road amongst the busy streets. The buildings in this part were similar from the ones where there was a bus stop his fellow brethren were waiting in from yesterday morn(ing) for that were of respectable and satisfactory feel; still, there was a slum in the middle of the two buildings for it was an alleyway so narrow transportation was limited and only the pedestrians (if any) traveled through them. The dumpsters were there as well, being a literal and only temporary dumping ground for compost before it would be whisked away to a nearby landfill. Alongside with that, graffiti had painted both the walls with names, gang symbols, and obscenities as if it were part of some worldly canvas. Luckily, it was all quiet on all fronts (including the western front as well to start with); however, if there were any words to describe the serenity of how viewing the wrong side of the tracks was, anybody would pick out the first word that pops into their minds and, if possible, say it already.
Remembering something that very crucial before leaving the car, Henry reached into the glove box and pulled out a gun from there. As the indigo bunny stepped out, he saw two people emerge from the alley with their guns whom spotted the former as the latter attempted to open fire; however, the duo was taken out first. Knowing that the feeling was becoming antagonistic from the start, he started to traverse to the narrow backstreet and found two more people standing nearby some garbage. The people spotted Henry, taking him as a threat while starting to draw out their weapons and open fire; the latter fired blindly at them first, causing one of the stray bullets to strike some of the refuse and it'd exploded, killing them both in a fiery instant. Before continuing on any further, the indigo hare saw another gunman come out and he shot the latter first. When he got to the end of the alley, he realized that the door was opened and went inside to explore it but not after picking up a firearm from one of the corpses.
Those steps that Henry had taken was going to be the ones that would be plunging himself straight into the darkness (both literally and metaphorically) like a walk toward the waters in a beach straight toward the sunset that's left the shore(line)s behind. In fact, it was a typical definition of a cesspool: the lights that had remained on the walls blinked and flickered as they gave off their energy, illuminating the hallways inside even though that it was still daylight outside. Because the building that the indigo rabbit had entered was (part of) a slum, it was bounded to harbored all sort of shady characters including (but not limited to) immodestly but casually and/or formally dressed woman, gritty muggers, mysterious desperados, brawny football hooligans and hasty teenage biker gangs (you name it) that could residing in every corner carrying (almost) anything they can get their hands on and use as weapon. One person would even be having a red pacifier in their mouth and might appear out of nowhere carrying a large pillow that would be used to catch them off guard and (if possible) disarm or suffocate him. The air was poignantly clean due to the door being opened for a long time yet its aura remained sinister.
Not wanting to hesitate any further, Henry had taken the stairs in front and started to explore the upper floor; still, all that he found were more gunslingers whom were far from happy to see the intruder. A gunfight had ensued as the indigo bunny shot first, killing a nearby combatant whom spotted the former coming up the stairs earlier. The others started to shoot back at him as he took cover from them, two of them had started exiting the room as they followed him nearby only to be shot and killed upon discovery. Henry commenced fire once again upon finding another gunman up in front carrying an assault rifle before entering, discovering a few armed remainders as well while shooting them altogether. After a brief interval, the indigo hare picked up an assault rifle, exited the room, and continued on upstairs; subsequently, he found over several armed occupants and opened fire upon them, slaying five of them before retreating once more. Upon doing so for a while, he noticed that no one was bothering to chasing after him and fire back so he returned to that spot and found out the reason why: the resulting gunfire caused another one of his stray bullets to strike a chemistry set, setting the table it was resting upon on fire; as a result, the many others scrambled to putting it out but to no avail. Henry fleetingly noticed that the fire was setting over some propane tanks that were ready to explode and ran seconds before they exploded, killing off the remnants inside the room as the tables turned from its sides.
Luckily, the indigo rabbit was still alive afterwards because of the act of taking cover and he reconnoitered down the room past the dead men's toasted bodies and carefully past the fire on the doorway 'til he saw the door front of him opened; deducing it quickly, he was now aware that his friends were there and decided to go inside, only find a shocking discovery: they were beaten up. Their eyes were blackened as proof of their condition as if they were painted around outside their irises and pupils like if it were some tacky makeup for their costumes. The two also had blood on their faces that were still new after all the punishment it had underwent, having yet to evaporate into little more than a mere nothingness. Several cuts and bruises had been sported on their bodies like a bunch of tattoos made in spite of the future repercussions it may've hold up ahead. Even their clothes were starting to hurt because of all that the two were put through after what had happened. More descriptively, they were tied to each other back to back very forcefully with some long piece of twine.
"Thank fuck you're here!" Ken spouted tiredly when he saw Henry, "Kaz is either passed out or dead; I can't raise him." "What happened?" the indigo bunny asked while starting to untie the two. The sea slug started to answer Henry, "as soon as we arrived, they just jumped us; it was like they knew we were coming and we just walked straight into it." "Yeah, I know the feeling," the indigo hare commented as he remembered that one time from yesterday, "after all, I had felt worse too." "Those sick freaking bastards could tell we knew nothing and they enjoyed it; they even got a kick out of torturing him," Ken continued on as he watched Henry loosen up the ropes around his wrists. As the sea slug was then freed along with Kaz, the indigo rabbit said, "well there's at least ten of them who won't be doing the Filly Cottontail routine any longer and this was also Scotch's idea as well. Why did he send you here; what was he after?"
"He said to try and uncover a link between the Triple Crown Alliance and the Rednecks," Ken answered again as he started to stand up a bit slowly, "he's out of his mind; anybody knows that those smelly Franc snobs have nothing to do with everyone, let alone these guys." "I know…" Henry added on, also remembering images of himself arguing with the antelope from earlier. The sea slug turned to the android and spoke offhand, "you said it. We tried to tell Scotch about some stoolpigeon, having the drugs on an illegal warehouse south of here, but he didn't want to know so he sent us here instead as if we were some surrogate band." "Hmm…" was all that the indigo bunny grunted, "it seems like coppers are more in danger from Scotch these days than they are from the villains." "What do you mean?" Ken asked as he started to move Kaz but to no avail. Henry started to help the sea slug do so and spoke to the latter, "just don't worry about it, Ken; get Kaz back on his feet. We've got to get out of here; it sounds like it's kicking off out there again so we can't wait for back-up." "But what about you, Henry…" Ken asked once more curiously as he managed to get the android up around one of his shoulders, "where are you going?" "Back to the station; I'm going to have it out with our Commissioner when I get back," the indigo hare answered as he started to lead them both out of the room safely.
When the trio finally left the room, Henry could hear the sounds of fighting outside but didn't know who was partaking in it. The sea slug asked enquiringly, "what's going on?" "Just use the rear exit," the indigo rabbit quietly said to Ken, "it's a war out front." "Okay; we're right behind you," the sea slug agreed as he still carried Kaz around carefully. After traversing past the fire on the doorframe and downstairs, Henry glimpsed another door opened already and saw what was causing all that noise: many people armed to the teeth were slaying each other; noticing it, he turned to the two and said to them, "wait here, there's danger out front…" The indigo bunny went out the door and fired rounds of bullets at those that came near him with weapons, whether with a shotgun or a broadsword, slaying them as they all fell down and out for good; soon, the assault rifle ran out of ammunition, forcing him to pull out his revolvers and finish the job quickly as possible. "He's out of his mind!" Ken commented while witnessing Henry fire away upon the gunmen and swordsmen alike, "we could learn from him…" The indigo hare regroup with the sea slug and the android as they all left the building quickly, only to find two more gunslingers with weapons drawn; auspiciously, the former took them out first.
After reaching the street, the trio had rested for a while and sat down on the sidewalk bench as if they had all lost a lot of energy in particular. "Alright Ken, do me a favor and call an ambulance for Kaz," Henry panted as he had started to regain some oxygen into his system after a brief interval of cooling down. Watching the indigo rabbit stand up from the bench, Ken started to speak up, "but where are you going?" "You know where I'm going," Henry had answered back at the sea slug as the former went back to the sedan somewhat angrily and took off, "Scotch that's where…"
Author's Note: Now that was a mouthful... I guess I should rest for now; but, before I do so, I want to say something important. First off, the Lawless RZ300 motorcar driven by Yang is based after the Lexus LS automobile from real life whereas the Lambeth Cary that Henry used to drive from Chapters Five to Nine was also based after the Vauxhall Vectra as well; in addition, the whole thing about Yang driving a car here was something we picked up after watching the episode, "The Yindianapolis 500" where they got a driver's license at the end, even though they're not old enough to drive. Secondly, I have decided to bring back Gillman, Kaz, Ken, and Horace Junior into the story again since this was needed for the plot somehow; after all, we can't throw them away yet. Third, Hal(liburton)'s wife has her name now revealed as Ai, short for Eileen in third person but hopefully not the one from Regular Show 'cause we named her first not that fucking mole.
Eileen [the mole (cries)]: WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH...!
Dominique: Finally, we've decided to lay around an aardvark named King Morgan as well as the terms "Triple Crown Alliance" and "Rednecks" along with it as clues for the next few chapters; therefore, whichever reviewer guess the right answer will be given an exclusive PM with a brief summary of the next chapter but 'til then everyone, good night, sleep tight young lovers, and please don't let the bed bugs bite.
Sanzo: That's it; that's all you can say?
Dominique: That and PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!