Author's Note: Chapter 9! Weee! I blazed through this yesterday at work. Meaning I wrote it with a quickness and efficency, not that I smoked a doobie through the entire thing, lol.

I've been asked to write a sequal for the story when I've finished it. So ...er... okies. But it won't be riiiiight away, cause I've got alot of stuff to put up first. I'm almost finished with this one. This book, I suppose, is really just about Fox's change into the world of the damned. Have you figured out the McCloud curse yet? Ya will, in time. :)

I'm working on Chapter 10 today, as much as I'm able, as Friday is usually more busy at my job. Chapter 11 will probably be the last chapter of this story, so I'll make sure to hit two chapters of Similar Paths Taken, before doing chapter 11 of this, so don't expect the finalie until like... wednesday or thursday (5-6 days from now) But definitely check out SPT, since I'm going to do two chapters of that over the weekend. Anyway, when I finish chapter 10 by the end of today, i'll post it. and if it shows up by midnight tonight... then... !yAy!

Chapter -9- The Reality Of The Situation

The Gifted and Talented Flight Camp for Youth was a 30 acre campus two hours west of Corneria's Capitol City. James McCloud, ten years of age, pushed forward on the throttle, easing the flight yolk forward. The blur of green landscape swiveled beneath his canopy, several instruments on his dash altering their information as he changed course.

Behind him, two other children in specially designed subcompact fighters followed, keeping a tight triangular formation. The Delta Pattern was broken, simultaneous to the boy activating a screen of smoke with a button on his dash. The other two fighters pulled back into their own direction, ultimately creating a logo in a smoke trail.

"And... disengage," He said, pressing the button once more to deactivate the smoke. Looping upside down, coming back up, the other two fighters came behind his craft again, forming the delta pattern once more. "All right, guys. Let's land these birds and go get our certificates," Jaye said, lowering his landing gear.

The trio of specially designed children's fighters came together in a very tight formation, before the two behind him dropped back, so that they weren't cluttering the landing strip. Jaye was the first to set down, coming to a complete stop on the runway infront of the graduation committee. The other two fighters came to rest on either side of him, their canopies opening and three judges and a woman approaching.

Jaye squinted at them. He recognized the woman. His head tilted in curiosity, realizing it was his sister. Wasn't she supposed to be in the grandstands with his parents, during the graduation ceremony? He was about to become angry if his family was getting special treatment because of his father being a celebrity. He liked the attention that the second generation fame brought, but he didn't like getting treated special, over any other pilot. He was all about fairness.

"Congratulations, James McCloud," One of the judges said. "You and your wingmates have passed the Gifted and Talented Course and the camp is proud to have hosted your talent and abilities, here at our facilities. I've brought your sister here, because we will be excusing you from the duration of the graduation ceremonies and giving you your certificate early. But I will let her explain why." The judge then approached Jaye and handed him a plaque and sheet of paper. They exchanged a paw-shake, then they turned to head back towards the main staging area.

James looked back over his shoulder at his wing mates, confused. They didn't say anything. Vixy placed a paw on Jaye's shoulder and nodded to the side for him to follow her. With a shrug, the boy fell into a step besides his sister and frowned thoughtfully. "What's wrong, Vixy?"

"C'mon, Jamie, I changed my name, you know that," She said with a soft, sad tone.

"All right, Kimberly. Whatever floats your boat, don't call me Jamie, then. What's the special occasion?" He asked of his sister, as the two continued to walk, alone, down the runway away from everyone else.

"I've got bad news. Dad couldn't make it," She started. Jaye was about to cut her off with a dozen questions, but she put one paw up and the other on his shoulder, again, to keep him quiet. She then took a long, slow breath and continued. "We had... I had difficulty reaching you for the last few days, and that's how you've not heard yet. But we need to talk and I need you to be a man about this, because you're going to be stronger than I am, it's your role in life, and... It's..." She sighed, how did she go about telling him?

"Just spit it out, what happened? Was dad called to active duty? Break his leg? Have a car accident? I can handle it," He said, folding his arms across his chest.

"No," She said softly. "He was confirmed as murdered, James. He was shot several times in an Alley in the uptown area. It was ... confirmed... by the surveillance tape, through the window of a bank, across the street. He went to help some lady, who got killed. But someone took his body and drove off in the family car and..." She was growing more hysterical with every word until finally she couldn't say anything any more.

Jaye's first reaction was that of wanting to shout in disbelief, but the more upset she got, the more he tried to bottle the emotions as men often do, and pull her into his arms to comfort her. His heart was pounding now, but he had a duty as a man, to hold her for a moment. She was 4 years and 9 months older than him, but the 15 year old sunk to the ground in a fit of sobs like a child, and he was left standing, pulling her head to his chest, just holding her. He, too, sunk to his knees and they wept together, quietly. They were alone, but they had one another.

His worries about passing and graduating from the course were all in the past now. everything before 9:45 am, that particular Friday morning was from a different life time, and the rest of his life would be altered for all time. It was the first day of the rest of his life. And he was afraid. He was trembling. But first and foremost, he had to protect his sister, who wept in mourning, clinging to her only remaining family member. Her brother. This would be some measure of theme for the rest of their lives. Nothing would be as simple as it was in the past. Nothing would be the same, ever again.

-

"Look at him, he's so puny like this," quipped Wolf O'Donnell. He pulled his paw from Fox's muzzle, after shaking the kid's head by his jaw. To Wolf, Fox would always be a kid. But in reality, Fox was always Wolf's only equal. The only thing that let Fox shoot down Wolf in the past was the fact that Fox was taping into his rage against Andross, when flying against the lupine previously.

"Hush, Wolf. He's family now. You will treat him as such," Said the baroness, looking down at the unconscious McCloud. She turned to Fara and tilted her head, offering a sigh. "Why did this happen? I thought we all agreed he should stay alive for the children? You haven't even asked permission. This could bring down the damn King and all that crap, it's just a mess. You know how they are about keeping the public spotlight off of our kind. He's a celebrity, Fara." The anarch leader shook her head, folding and refolding her arms, looking distracted.

"Ruffian shot him several times. He'd taken a blaster hole clean through his body, followed by two more gunshot wounds. I couldn't let him be taken away by a street thug!" Fara cried, pounding her fist on the nearby coffee table. She now wore a black dress, with a velvet sash and bodice. Gray sleeves hung from her shoulders, loosely surrounding her arms, wrists and paws and the light fabric of an upturned collar all made this apparel that adorned her body a sort of fashion statement. The dress itself was more of a skirt length piece. Wolf shook his head, looking back from her to the slumbering form of Fox McCloud who was now laying in a state of torpor.

"Dammit," the Baroness muttered. "All right. Feed him. Let's wake him up. I see you've given him just enough to sustain him. I appreciate the fact that you brought him to me in this condition. It allows me to figure things out first. At any rate, wake him."

Fara bit her tongue with a fang, then leaned forward, placing her muzzle to Fox's own. After a moment, Fox woke into the kiss, his new instincts causing him to deepen the kiss by suckling her tongue into his mouth. After a few moments, Fara pulled back, willing her tongue's wound to heal. She gave him an adoring smile, then turned to the Baroness, letting her make the introductions.

When Fox's gaze fell upon her, she wore a masquerade ball mask, that covered most of her face. Wolf's was in his hand and Fara's was on the table, having just come from the gothic theme ball downstairs, in the Club. Fox looked passed her, seeing Wolf, and sat up quickly, in alarm. Fara stepped up hastefully, placing her paws on his shoulders, to calm him.

"Relax, Fox. No one here is your enemy." His eyes panned to the left, stairing directly at his Wife. His jaw dropped, just gawking at her. He was simply floored by all of this.

"What the hell is this? Am I dead?" He asked, trying to keep his composure.

"Shut up, pup," Wolf snapped, "If you were dead, do you honestly think some benevolent, all powerful being would put us together? Heaven or hell, it's an unwritten rule to keep us separated. Shit, Fox, just because your dead wife is here doesn't mean you've gotta start jumping to conclusions."

"Ease up, Wolf," The Baroness said softly. "He's a little confused. It's understandable. He took 3 bullets then wakes up infront of his wife, just ease off."

"Fine," O'Donnell said, going to sit on the near by sofa. Beneath them, Carnal Sins was in full swing. Ambient bass could be heard, thumping under the floorboards. Fara turned back to her husband, placing a paw on his shoulder and speaking in a soft, well enunciated voice.

"Fox, my love, none of us are alive, but I need you to take into consideration that the world isn't quite as sugar coated as we were all lead to believe in our lives," She started.

"Sugar Coated? I lost my parents, my sister, my wife, some lady in the alley... There's nothing sugar coated about life," Fox said, shaking his head.

"You haven't lost your wife, Fox. I'm right here. I've always been right here. I've always been following you, loving you. Just hear me out, Angel," She said, sitting down besides him on the futon, placing a paw on his chest, easing him back once more. "I'm going to be blunt about this, it's not a joke. We're vampires."

Fox quirked a brow, glaring at her. "Not a joke, you say?"

"Fox, honey. Sweetheart, close your eyes. What can you feel?" Fara watched him, listening intently for his ability to sense the surroundings and become aware of them.

"I'm laying down," He said. "Your palm is on my chest," he added.

"No," She said quietly. "Go deeper. I want details of every little thing that you feel, physically. Temprature, everything. Tell me what's touching you, tell me what texture you feel on your body. Let yourself become part of your immediate surroundings. Proximity aside, I want to know everything that's touching you in detail. Feel, Fox."

"I'm... wearing pants. Shoes," He said, wiggling his toes. "Socks. A shirt, my wedding ring," he added.

"Deeper. Details," She said.

"The ring is a little cool, I usually don't realize I'm wearing it, because I never take it off," he said. This earned a groan and the shake of a head from Wolf, over on the sofa. Fox ignored it and went on, at his wife's whim. "The mattress I'm laying on is cool under me, like when you lay down on a spring evening, and the fabric is cool and fresh to the touch. It ... it feels like the tongue of my left shoe is pushed down to the side a little bit. I usually don't realize when it gets that way, because I don't feel it," He said. The more he thought about every little detail, the more he realized he could feel everything.

His wedding band was cool and it's smooth surface clung to his ring finger, directly infront of the first knuckle. Even through the light fur of his dexterous digits, he realized he could tell there was an imperfection against the bottom of the band, where the inscription was engraved. There was a wrinkle in his shirt, above the left breast pocket, and another further down, above his abdomen.

He opened his mind, letting himself be drawn into to every separate sensation of each fabric that touched his body and each hair that responded to the way the fabric lay over his form. It was like wearing wool for the first time in years. You could feel every itchy inch, but this was more intense and at the same time, less annoying than the itchy wool feeling.

Fox realized that he could feel the writing against the bottom of his watch, against his wrist. He could feel a piece of lint from his socks, against his left big-toe. He could feel every imperfection, an out of place strand of fur against the auricle of his right ear. The lay of the chenille sewn fabric of Fara's sleeve overtop of the cotton shirt he wore. Irrefutable imperfections of that isthmus where his shirt ended and the waist of his pants began, where cool air could be felt against his tummy fur.

He realized, also, that he could feel Fara. Not the Fara that was touching him now. Not her compassionate, soft-natured soul that he had married. But Fara who lay on this futon only a matter of hours ago. The Fara that lay across this very surface he now touched when he lowered a paw to the cushioned surface, who was racked with worry over how her husband would feel about what she had done to him, when he wakes up.

His eyes fluttered open and every sensation that he allowed to overcome his senses was gone. He shook his head, sitting up again and said, "Fara. You... you were so worried about me earlier. You were laying here, dreading the possibility that what you've done to me would upset me... but... I'm not."

She looked shocked. Even the Baroness leaned forward, Wolf also turning his attention back to Fox. "How could you have known that, Fox?" She asked with emotionally glazed hues of a brine-like aquatic green.

"I felt it, when I touched the cushion with my paw," He said, mirroring the confusion in her eyes. "It was as if I was living that moment in time, through you, by the touch of this cushion. It was recent. I, I can't explain it."

"An interesting and useful ability," The Baroness said, shaking her head softly. The ability to garnish information from the detail and sensations received from simple touch. It would be useful, indeed.

Fox shook his head, gently pulling Fara into his embrace. She settled onto his lap, there on the futon, letting him slide his arms around her. He lifted his muzzle, his nose touching her ear as he spoke softly, for only her to hear. "Never worry. I want you to trust that I have faith in us and that everything happens for a reason. So long as I'm with you forever, that's what's important. Is it true that we're... ... not... able to.. die?"

She turned and whispered back to him. "Yes, my sweet. From a cherub to a seraphim, you're still my Angel, but now we'll never be parted. That's all that matters," She said with a kiss placed against his brow.

"Yeah," Wolf said with a chortle, hearing Fara's return reply to her husband, "And you're the family cockatrice. So what, Fox can touch the contours of an object and tell who touched it last, what's that do for us?"

"Wolf," The Baroness said, visually disappointed that he wasn't seeing the picture, but then again, here were two rivals, sitting face to face, she didn't expect a lot from either of them at the moment. "If a hunter drops his weapon, Fox can pick it up and learn something from him, like from where he came, where his home is located, anything. It's an incredibly perceptive ability."

"It's a damn convenience," Wolf said, looking the other way, arms folded across his chest. "I always knew he was a touchy feely weenie, anyhow. Nothing new, there," Wolf snorted.

The Baroness smirked beneath her masquerade mask, looking back at the lupine. "Remind me to personally spank you later."

"And what if I like it?" Wolf said, running his fingers up through the spiky tufts of fur between his ears. She waggled her brows at him, not that he could see it through the mask. He just took her silence with grace and grinned. "That's what I thought. Now tend to your new addition to the flock, dear."

-meanwhile-

Collobulous knelt before the king, folding his right arm across his chest, lowering to one knee momentarily. While he was far older than the acting monarch, he had a heavy respect for this one and his mate. They were intelligent and did this city a service by running a tight ship. Once bade, he rose gracefully, curling his tail around the back of his right ankle.

The king spoke with a calm, smooth voice. Not a deep, rumbling voice, or anything that would have been stereotypical for some great leader, but rather, a collected, smooth gentleman's voice, his tone was one of commanding quality. "What news have you, for me?"

"The Anarch, Fara McCloud has used our gift to restore her murdered husband, Fox McCloud. Their current residence is in her club in the center of the Shire, M' liege," Replied the tall, white tiger, his head lifted but his eyes averted.

"A town. A Capitol City, Collobulous. That is what they call it now," Said the Monarch. "Anything else?"

"They will no longer be able to play Arbitrator to our war with the other sect, My Liege. They're now a target, from what I understand," Collobulous replied.

"Thank you, my friend and ally. Your trusted word and information is an appreciated source of knowledge. What brought about the Mercenary Pilot's murder?" The king asked, keeping his form concealed in the shadowy cover that he was able to control in a way that even Collobulous couldn't fathom.

"In an attempt to save, and ultimately avenge a female innocent, Fox McCloud lost his life to the fourth of a quartet of thugs. Three gunshots finally took his life. He is now in training under the Anarch group," Collobulous said in respectful tones.

The king nodded, although it was difficult to discern his actions. The shadow that surrounded him was unnaturally masking his every feature. "Fair enough, my scourge. Allow yourself to continue the exchange of favors between yourself and Miss McCloud. If you're able to sway them to see our ways, I will find you a suitable reward. Perhaps if they act to be in service to our cause, we'll learn the name of the Anarch Baroness. I dislike knowing that her identity eludes us both."

"I will continue these efforts in your name, my Lord," Said the surprised judge. He had thought that his actions were completely safe and his secrecy was secured, but when the leader of The Fellowship could command the very fabric of darkness, he could be anywhere and unseen by all, at any time.

A silky tendril of matter-less tar-like ebon reached passed the Tiger, latching itself about the nearby doorknob. It swung the door wide open before lowering to the ground. Collobulous watched the shadow move with liquid-like grace, before disappearing beneath his own feet. The fact that the King could obtenbrate his body in the form of a shadow, itself, made it possible for him to walk beneath the footsteps of any being, unnoticed. It gave him the power with which to throw his opponent with their own shadow, or cover a light or extinguish a flame. His gift was truly unique.

The White Tiger nodded once more, so very respectfully, then took the signal to depart. He made it as far as the door before an arm of the abyss reached out from underneath the door of a nearby closet, wrapping around his wrist, turning the feline's entire being about, at 180 degrees, standing in the doorway.

"One more thing, my trusted fellow," Came that calm, collected voice.

"My king? What is your bidding?"

"Do not let Fara and Fox fall into final death in the upcoming war against the remains of Dengar's brood. They will be attacking the Anarch's soon, for the murder of Pigma and his foolish foot soldier. I demand that the McClouds are kept alive until our purpose for them has reached a conclusion. You may introduce it as a temporary alliance if you must. ..." The king paused, then smiled. The most eerie part of his smile was the fact that Collobulous could see the Cheshire smile through the darkness. The grin of a canine-like creature. It was the most known about his leader.

"Would you like that I visit the Anarch Haven? If they are prepared, their chances of survival increase dramatically," Inquired the city's feline scourge.

"You may try, but do not expect them to trust you. Remember, I wish for you to ascertain the identity of the Baroness. Keep this information silent until you've returned. Do not fail me... Fair well."

Collobulous nodded softly. "I've never failed you, I hope you have faith in my work, Sire."

"If I didn't, you wouldn't be here." And with the King's final word, he offered a flat panel of shadow beneath the feline's feet, which now acted like a rug, scooting forward, causing him to slide back from the doorway. Another tentacle of abysmal obsidian reached forward, from beneath the feline, to pull the door shut. Once the door clicked into place, all the shadows in the fairly-well illuminated hallway, dissipated from all around him. Only the one attached to his feet remained. Untrustingly, the feline lifted his feet, as if to check for gum stuck to his boots.

It was unnerving to know that even the most simple shade, cast against the most typical wall from the most average light bulb, could be the King of The Fellowship, watching his every manuver. If only he knew something more about the King, his curiosity would be sated. Now, to head to the Carnal Sins.

-

Wolf O'Donnell tilted his head, glancing up at the soft knocking on the door. His gaze narrowed and he approached the door, peering through the peephole with his new left eye. He was going out of his way to break the habit of using his right eye for everything, after relying on it for so long. "What the hell? Is that John Karl?" He grumbled against the door. "What the hell is he doing here?"

Fara walked through the room, passed the Baroness, and opened the door. Wolf tilted his head at the man in the doorway. He looked like John Karl, but it wasn't John. She put her hands on her hips, glaring at the man who had the nerve to show up at the Anarch Door. "What the hell do you want, you have some nerve showing up at my Haven, unannounced," Fara said in a low growl.

Collobulous shook his head slowly, his eyes trained upon her form. "I've come to offer a truce. As much as our sides have their differences, I want you to know that you fight against the same enemy. Common ground comes first, we can solve our differences at a later time."

"You flatter me," She shot back, glaring at him.

"First of all," He said, lifting his chin, "I would like to say that I am impressed. You kept your word, not telling Fox McCloud, but instead, bringing him to our way of life. Please, if you will allow me to explain why you're all in grave danger, I will make my point short and informative. But it is not something I would like to discuss in the hallway. May I come inside?"

"Who is this idiot?" Wolf said, watching the man over Fara's shoulder another moment, before stepping back to keep the doorway from getting too crowded. Fara looked over her shoulder at the Baroness, who finally nodded. With that, Fara also stepped aside, motioning for the beast to come inside. She shut the door behind him, then sat down besides Fox once more, on the futon.

"For those of you who are new, I am Collobulous. I am the Judge and scourge of this city. For those of you who do know of me, I mean you no harm unless you've broken the code of our society," he said.

The baroness approached him, folding her arms, the mask from the ball still adorned her visage. "You are arrogant to have come here. Four of us, one of you? I commend your gull. But your guile is what causes me to distrust you. Earn your trust and we will have a Truce. What brings you here?"

"The survivors of Pigma Dengar's brood are enraged. They're forming a plot to burn this night club to the ground, on a night they know you're all here. Right now, word is that Fara has brought her new progeny here, but may be alone. I am here, to ensure that you're unscathed, because my leaders still wish to implement your sect into our own. You can't stay Anarchist Fledglings forever. You'll all have to grow up sooner or later," came the massively baritone voice of the Judge.

"Then you must believe we're currently safe, or you would not put yourself inside this office. And yet you're not asking us to evacuate, so you're not going out of your way to put us into danger, either," The Baroness concluded. She then pointed at the chair adjacent to the Futon. "Sit." Collobulous passed through the office and did so, sinking into the chair that seemed too plush and cushiony for his taste.

She then turned back to the rest of the group, a soft sigh offered. "For this to work, trust and faith are paramount. If we falter, we all lose our lives. Who, then, will protect this city? If Dengar's remaining faction wants a war in the streets, I say we hunt them one by one, before they have the chance to successfully initiate this war, to keep this matter from receiving any attention. Each altercation needs to be without failure or sloppiness. Don't let them find out their numbers are fleeting until they call upon their ranks."

She lifted the edge of her mask, slowly drawing it up over her muzzle, passed her forehead, over her ears, and tossed it to the floor. Collobulous' eyebrows lifted in interest, but he didn't recognize the girl. This was the first time he'd ever seen her face. Ironically, Fox knew the woman. His jaw dropped, his eyes widened and his body language accentuated his absolute disbelief.

"Oh... my... Goddess. That's... impossible," He muttered. Fara sat besides him, comfortingly, placing a paw over his. But his attention was now completely upon the porcelain visage of the Baroness. Shock stole his breath and he was left gaping. "How... is this possible?"

-

(next)

Chapter -10- War And Peace.