In the weeks that followed, I kept mostly to myself aside from occasional greetings to anyone I passed in the halls. It wasn't because I didn't want to make more friends, or become more sociable. But because my mind was being plagued by more nightmares.

Every night, I could see faces that hurt to remember. Accusing me, screaming at me. Telling me I did terrible things that I didn't have any memory of. I always wake up trembling, my head pounding, and I would lay there for hours in darkness afraid to close my eyes again. Because when I did, I saw a thousand dead faces staring back at me, screaming as I take their lives.

What did I really do in the Pit? And why couldn't I just leave that life behind me?

"Sven? Are you okay?" I was snapped back to reality by the voice of my employer. "You've been hammering the same nail for almost twenty minutes."

"O-Oh, sorry..." I set my hammer aside with the other tools. "I got distracted."

"You look tired," The gecko pointed out, "Have you been getting enough sleep lately?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it," I lied, standing up and stretching my muscles. "Just a lot on my mind right now."

"Hmm, well I think it'd be best if you stopped coming in to work so early," Milo replied, pausing to look around at the display, "Nice work by the way, I'd say we're finished with this room."

"You think so?"

"Yep! I'll get to work on painting it tomorrow after cleaning up." He chuckled, patting my leg, "I think you can head home for today."

"You sure?" I asked, noting all the tools scattered about. "Let me at least finish cleaning up."

"Well, I suppose I physically can't stop you..."

Milo had been more than accommodating of my lack of skills, and true to his word we were learning about renovation and the proper use of tools together. It made progress in refurbishing this place slow, but I enjoyed it a lot. Most of the time, it distracted me from the thoughts creeping in the back of my mind. I was evidently a fast learner, but we still had a long ways to go before this place was ready to be opened.

Once everything was finished, my tools packed and the extra scrap moved to the dumpster outside, I said my goodbyes and departed for the weekend. Making my way home on the same route I usually took, passing by various store fronts in the markets. The sun was setting, and I hoped to get home in time to see it from the top floor.

"Look look!" The excited voices gave me pause, as I waited to cross to street. "We'd better hurry home, they'll be starting soon!"

A couple of younger animals, teens watching a monitor display through one of the storefronts. I recognized a large stage, instruments at the center of a massive stadium. The banner running across the bottom told me all I needed to know, reminding me of names I hadn't thought about in awhile.

"Miss Divine and Unity Performing Live!"

I took a deep breath and sighed, before continuing on my way. "Well, I hope they're all happy, at least..."

I continued on my way, nearing the apartment complex. Though, the various stops waiting for cars to pass along the way had caused me to miss the sunset. Unfortunate, but when I reached the Hidden Condo, there was an unfamiliar face out front.

He was reptilian, a big one at that. Massive with green scales, but he had wrinkles around his eyes, maybe he was old? It was hard to tell with reptiles. His clothes were so plain, I tried to pass him by without saying anything but he seemed to take note of me. I could feel his eyes burning into me as I passed, and upon seeing my long reptilian tail he released an audible gasp.

"Oh! You're- Well, that's just wonderful!" His words were so... Excited? Warm?

"Uh..." I paused briefly, "Excuse me?" That was hardly the usual reaction that I got when people noticed my hybrid nature.

He laughed lightly, waving me off. "Apologies, I just love seeing hybrids thriving out in the world." Still wearing that big smile, something about his face... It was almost familiar.

"Well..." I wasn't even sure how to respond to that. "I don't know if I'd call this," Motioning to the Hidden Condo, "Thriving... But uh, thanks?"

"Eh, could be worse," He shrugged, before leaning against the wall outside once more. "Say do you happen to know Legoshi? He's a grey wolf, I heard he lives here."

I quirked an eyebrow, "He does, but I don't think he'll be home from his day job for another hour or so." Curiosity getting the better of me. "You have business with him?"

"Sort of," The lizard laughed lightly, rubbing the back of his head. "He's my grandson, you see, and I wanted to take him out to dinner!"

His answer felt like a slap across the face, but I did my best not to show it. "He's your... Was he adopted?" I asked bluntly.

Earning an even louder laugh from the reptile, "Of course not! He's my own flesh and blood!" Now that he was smiling, I could see it, the resemblance between the two. "Of all the people, I didn't expect you to be surprised by mixed blood."

Right, that probably came out wrong. "Sorry, its just... He doesn't show it all," I explained, slowly pulling off one of my gloves to show my scaled hand, with avian talons. "Not like me." I guess he was just lucky.

"Wow," He breathed out as he looked upon the soft palm and scaled knuckles, "You're more than just two species aren't you?"

To which I nodded, "Three." Slipping my hand away quickly, unnerved by his staring. "Anyways, I'm going to head up... It was a pleasure to meet you." Though I wasn't entirely sure about that.

Maybe he could tell I was uncomfortable, or maybe he knew I had a lot on my mind somehow. "W-Wait please! Miss," He called out, pushing off the wall. "Sorry, this might be imposing a bit... But do you think you could help me with something?"

I quirked an eyebrow, looking back at him. "Depends..."

"You see, on the weekends I work at an kindergarten for hybrid children," My ears twitched involuntarily upon hearing that, "They're very self conscious about how they look... I give them all the support I can, but I think seeing an adult hybrid would make them feel better about themselves."

"Hybrid... Children?" The words repeated over and over in my head, an entire kindergarten of them? And just seeing me was supposed to make them feel better? "I'm not sure that is a very good idea," I answered, turning my head away from him, briefly looking down at my gloved hands. "This body isn't something other people should be forced to see..."

"Hey now," I stiffened as his hand landed on my shoulder, I hadn't even heard him close the distance between us. "Don't say something so cruel about yourself." His tone was firm, yet gentle. "There is nothing wrong with the way you look."

"Most people would disagree," I scoffed in response, shaking my head and shrugging off his hand. "Rather than lying to them, you'd be better off helping those kids get used to the feeling." The rejection, the prejudice.

"I'm not most people, and I don't think its a lie," His tone became a bit more firm, as he puffed out his chest a bit. "If I thought you were ugly, I'd be forsaking my own daughter... Even as a hybrid, she was beautiful in my eyes."

Was?

Well, compared to most people I spoke with... He certainly seemed honest, "Fine... Sure I'll help, when and where?" Why was I agreeing at all?

"Thank you, I'll be by tomorrow morning and we can walk there together." He nodded with a smile, friendly tone returning in an instant. "You won't regret this, I promise."

"I hope not..." Though I had a bad feeling about this. It was better than spending the weekend here doing nothing I suppose... "Who are you anyways?"

"Oh right! How rude of me!" He laughed, right back to being a goofy old man. "My names Gosha, pleasure to meet you!"

"Uh... Likewise," Of course I wasn't very convincing. "You can call me Sven..."

. . .

Moxie

. . .

"Hey Moxie, we're on in thirty, you alright in there?" The abrasive, yet worried voice of Bruce came through my dressing room door, which I'd left locked.

"Yeah yeah I know, I'll be ready." I called back, already dolled up and ready for the show. But I wasn't in the mood to see them, to hang out with the others before we went on.

It had been weeks since we heard the news, that Sven disappeared from the hospital. And I hadn't been able to stop worrying about her, knowing she had a bounty on her head. Bruce didn't care that she was gone, and Maria seemed... Indifferent, pacifying me with platitudes to make it sound like she was just as worried as me. But... I don't know, it almost seemed like she was expecting this outcome.

But why? Why would Sven run off? I know she was... Irritated with Maria, but to just disappear without saying a word? I thought we were friends but... Why would she just leave?

"Ugh!" I slapped my cheeks to try and clear my head, "Stop it, focus!" Today was a big night, not just because it was our last show in this city, but because... It was my last show.

To be honest, that night when we were attacked changed me. I started to look at the people around me differently, I started to question some of the things I'd been raised to believe. But most importantly, it made me realize just how quickly life can be cut short. I was ready to move on, pursue my own life outside of Lady Maria's influence.

I said before, that there had to be more to life than this... And there is, I just have to go find it.

I was tired of running from place to place, performing for these people that would never acknowledge my own work as mine. I was going to break away, I was going to be free.

And I was going to leave, letting the world know what I thought about our society.

"Moxie?" Maria was at my door now, and I knew why. "Got a sec to talk about our closer tonight?"

"Yeah sure." I wasn't going to back down, or hide in her shadow anymore. I opened the door, letting her in, "What's up?"

"I was just going over the list, are you sure you want to close to Timeless Dissonance?" She questioned, looking concerned.

"Yeah, it's a great song," I shrugged, "You don't like it?"

She shifted nervously, "It's just... A little dark, don't you think?" Putting on a faint smile, "It's our last show in this town, so why don't we end on a lighter note? Give the people something to cheer for ya know?"

I crossed my arms, "The world is a little dark, Maria," I challenged without hesitation. "We aren't going to teach anyone anything about unity unless we confront it, and quit pretending that hopes and dreams are enough to bring everyone together." My own eyes narrowing sharply, "We have to face the ugly truths."

I could tell she disagreed, she wanted something simple, something to placate the masses. "I just think... The people want something... Easy to vibe with, you know?"

I softened my gaze, disappointment filling my heart. "Maria, when did you get so complacent?" I asked, shaking my head. "When did you start caring more about broad appeal than our actual message?"

She looked offended, taken aback by my questioning. "I-I never became complacent!" She barked back defensively. "I care more than anyone! But nobody will listen to our message if they don't like us!"

"So we focus on pleasing the masses rather than using our platform to do the right thing whenever possible?" I scoffed, as we glared at one another. "Half a dozen people in this city have been devoured in the last month alone, we've been here the entire time and never said anything about it to the public?" I pointed out, "Don't you care?"

"Of course I care!" She shouted back at me, "I'm here because I care! I recruited Sven because I care!"

"Bullshit!" Her words struck a nerve, the moment she mentioned her name. "You hired her because you were scared of carnivores, you hired her because you wanted a set piece for your image of Unity that would put her life on the line for you!" Her hesitation, the silence, told me I was right... Or at least close. "I never should have performed Guardian, I never should have let you use her image and what happened to us as fuel for your ego..."

Despite the immense difference in our sizes, Maria shrunk before me. "Moxie I... I never meant t-"

"We're closing with Timeless Dissonance," I said sharply, making my way past her. "After the show... We need a have a long talk about what we're even doing with Unity now..."

It wasn't just about punctuating my departure though, I wasn't lying when I spoke about facing the ugly truths of our society. This city, it has had six predations occur in the last month, a massive number in such a short amount of time. Herbivores and even other carnivores were being butchered in the streets. We can't just go out and play our music and pretend people aren't dying every day around the world. We need to address the problem, but we can't just blame carnivores for everything either...

The show went on as per usual, we took the stage, Maria said some inspiring words and we began. We went through songs one after another, replaying some of our hits. Maria even made a few changes to our original card as we went, putting in songs she knew everyone loved. I could tell she was worried about the reaction to our closer, but I didn't care.

This song, Timeless Dissonance, it was important to me. I felt more passionate about this song than any I had written in a long time. I didn't let Maria help me at all in writing it, I think that bothered her. But it also made me realize how much she tried to censor some of the things I'd written in the past.

And as we neared the end of the show, I realized just how far she was willing to go to avoid damning herself...

"For our last song of the night," She spoke to the crowd, as the stage crew quickly set everything up. Bruce on drums, Tector on guitar and a piano set up in the center for my use. "We've got something special, a song written not by me! But by our very own Moxie!" The lights fell on me, while I sat there in surprise. A roar of applause followed, people cheering for me. "She said herself, this song was important to her... So I'll let her take it away!"

Why was she doing this? Did she really want to risk me exposing our secrets? Or was she trying to make me back down by putting me under public spotlight. I was staring back at her with a questioning gaze as she placed her mic in front of me. Honestly, I don't know if I'd ever spoken directly to the crowd before, I was immediately on edge as I took the mic.

"Uh... Right, this song is..." No, there's no going back now. "This song is important to me... Because I want to live in a world, where we don't demonize carnivores or act like we herbivores are helpless and innocent all the time." They were all dead silent as I spoke, "There are many things in this society we have to confront, to make it better for everyone..." The look on Maria's face, I could tell she wasn't expecting this. "Recently, a carnivore friend of mine disappeared... And I can't help but feel like it's my fault, maybe something I said or did... I have no way to make it up to her, but... Maybe it's not too late for some of you mend the rifts in your life, created between herbivores and carnivores."

My eyes drifted down slowly, to my soft, weak hands. For a brief moment, I remembered that night, the terrifying and beautifully savage image of Sven.

"There's a dissonance between carnivores and herbivores in our society," I went on, "But if we weren't meant to learn, grow, and understand one another... Then what was the point of being born different in the first place?" A question they didn't need to answer now, a question I wasn't sure I had the answer to. I looked to Bruce, Tector, and back to Maria as I handed her the mic. Making sure it was away from my lips before I spoke, "By the way Maria... This is my last show."

(Song, Timeless Dissonance by noaon, can be found on youtube and is one of my favorite songs :3)

I brought my fingers down on the keys, as her eyes widened for the briefest moment. Bruce and Tector followed adding intense drum and guitar to my piano, the stadium exploding with sound and energy. It went on for almost twenty seconds, the prerecorded audio was playing so Maria had no choice but to play along with the routine or risk exposing herself. The music suddenly cut out, silence as the vocals began. The only instrument still following was my piano, slower and more grim than it had been seconds before.

"My woes flowing as rivers unending."

"Winter's cold embrace wraps around me."

"Lifeless, your words echo in my head."

"I see I have written my own demise!"

The stage once more roared to life, the drums and guitar erupting with sound adding to the performance as the light show went into full swing.

The stage crew putting their talents to work, cascading lights almost making it appear as though it were snowing over the stage.

"Can I take back the words that I've said to you?"

"Can we forget the curses I've made?"

"Summer's heat burns the strings of reality!"

"I grasp at nothing but empty words!"

"Please! Don't leave me!"

"Alone!"

"Please! Don't die on you're own!"

"Please! Kill me here!"

"NOW!"

"Bloooooood stained I fall!"

"FALL!"

As if to mimic the conflicting words of the song. Bright lights or orange and yellow emulated a burning sun, even as the fake snow fell upon the audience as well.

My fingers danced across the keys, I was already sweating from the intense motions.

"Seasons Pass!"

"A never ending story!"

"Yet your words refuse to fade from my mind!"

This song, it wasn't just my words to Sven. But any herbivore, that had turned their back on a carnivore simply for being who they were.

"How could a demon ever find peace in here?"

"How could a saint ever give you freedom?"

"Liiiies! Spilling out!"

"Repeating repeating the same curse of yesterday!"

"Cowering from the world outside!"

It seemed like no matter how many terrible things happened in this world, no real change came from it.

"Cuuursed! The tide flows on!"

Even the best moments, faded in memory as soon as it left the front page.

"Blessed! The tide flows on!"

The lyrics stopped, Tector went ahead with a powerful guitar solo as the piano and drums became quieter. The music hit its ultimate crescendo.

Before coming to a stop once more, with nothing but my soft piano keys following it.

"Pleeease... Don't leave me..."

"Please..."

"Don't leave me..."

"Alone."

The moment the word was finished being spoken, the music exploded to life once more. Carrying even more force than before, the lights rapidly shifting between warm summer and freezing winter throughout the stadium as people watched in awe and silence.

"Seasons pass!"

"The tide ebbs and flows!"

"Yet this curse is constant!"

"When will this end?"

"Only god knows!"

"But morning will come again!"

The guitar and drums came to a halt, the lights resting into a calming glimmer of orange like a sunrise.

While my fingers danced across the keys, carrying the final notes of this last song.

A solo to close out my time with Unity, that I allowed to fade away.

As the audience exploded into applause, a standing ovation unlike anything I'd ever heard before.

I stood from my seat, turned away from the crowd and the lights.

I walked off stage for the last time.

My new life, starts now.

. . .

?

. . .

"I gave you a simple job, just one... One little job," It was so hard to keep from laughing, as I looked upon the frightened, trembling visage of this fat old crow. "All you had to do, was bring her to me... And you couldn't even manage that?"

The crow swallowed nervously, fumbling for words and struggling to not look at the bodies I had left by the door. "L-Look I just need a little more time! I'll bring her in, you just gotta wait a little longer!"

"I've been waiting long enough," I sneered, voice trembling with barely restrained laughter. "You don't even know where she is do you? How pathetic... Heheh~" One clawed hand, slowly raising up to end his miserable, pathetic little life~!

"I do! I do know where she is!" He exclaimed, holding up his hands, "Please! I just haven't had the man power to send after her, not since she killed Orgo... And the Madaragumi want her head too! If I throw her to you, they'll just kill me too!" The crow explained, "S-So I'm screwed either way here! You've gotta understand, please!"

I paused briefly, eyes narrowing sharply at him. Before I knelt down, getting myself to eye level, as my fur bristled up along my back and shoulders, sharp spines poking out. "Okay Sloan, I'll give you one more chance to bring her to me, and in the mean time... I'll deal with the Madaragumi~" Before pulling away, and turning my back on the bird. The audible sigh of relief he released caused me to snicker, a few yelps of laughter escaping as I struggled to keep them in. "A-And if you fail me again, I'm going to pluck every feather you have and cook you up for dinner~" I added, looking back at him, a bloody grin splitting my face. "Understood?"

He nodded silently, not daring to speak anything that might agitate me further.

So then, I left, my laughter echoing down the halls of the now blood soaked Pit underground. At both the prospect of my upcoming match, and at the thought of skinning a few cats~