CHAPTER VI - THEATRE
Whilst Renee and Howard travelled to the theatre, long distant from their responsibilities considering they had earned their opportunity to celebrate… Those Renee had cut a deal with were silently panicking behind the scenes. Not only was Dr. Hung's research was compromised, many of his other subjects were mysteriously missing. Clarissa had cut a deal with those working at Science City long ago to study The Artifact, wishing to use its powers against the world and for herself. Her hope was to have some trace remaining inside of Howard but considering its disintegration from its position next to Howard's body, it seemed to have erased its own presence within some minds and terminals, too.
"You're fucking useless! You're telling me I spared both of those insolent detective dicks for nothing? Well, not for nothing because they actually let me in on the fact that there's a problem much bigger than having a tunnel to the other side of the wall! Shit! Those same rogues that we've been smuggling out have already turned against us and are the reason Monkeybutt is such a huge problem… Don't even get me started on the recession! Soon enough, people are going to know about my plans, they will demand for the wall to be taken down; Vancouver will collapse into anarchy and I will have nowhere to exert my power… We'll go back to the old ways of misogyny and scavenging, we can't afford to go back, not when we've rebuilt the ways of the old," Clarissa practically screamed at Eddie, Belle alongside her corrupt division of scientists. "You. What sort of process did you use to disintegrate The Artifact?" She waved her finger at Eddie, who nervously gulped whilst the singular orange light flickered above inside of the confines of this decrepit room.
"Well, we determined it was splicing his DNA and attempting to replicate his form or insert something inside of him. One thing that struck me about his recovery was the lack of neurological decay that had been noted. We threw a grenade at it loaded with an experimental organism that disintegrates once air reaches it. We simply rerouted the instruction process of The Artifact forcefully, prompting it to rapidly mutate into what is essentially nothing. We have no clue where the rest of our test specimens have vanished off to, the same goes for our research; all we have is their untouched containment cases," Dr. Hung nervously replied, his hands tied behind his back once more as Sooz held him at gunpoint.
"Have you ever considered that The Artifact may have been related to the other subjects and had some telepathic ability to communicate its instructions, Eddie?" Clarissa inquired, to which Eddie opened his mouth before slamming it shut. "You IMBECILE!" Clarissa tossed her gun directly at Eddie's head in a fit of rage. "YOU TOLD THE ARTIFACT TO REPLICATE THE CODE OF SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T EXIST, KILLING IT IN THE PROCESS? WE WERE SUPPOSED TO TERMINATE ITS OCCUPATION OF HOWARD, NOT THE ARTIFACT ITSELF!"
"I thought the specimens were unrelated to one another!" Eddie retorted but to no avail as Clarissa picked up her gun, pulled back the lever on her magnum and held it to his skull. "Go on. Kill Science City's greatest scientist. I dare you."
"...You're still too useful, For fuck sakes," Clarissa sighed as she started untying Eddie. "So, now we're at square one again? Years of research ruined because of a panic button and some detective who got a little too close to discovering our plot? You should know that he seized documents of our affairs with the Science Minister. You're lucky I was able to burn those documents before mass documentation reached the streets."
"Uh, excuse me for interrupting but… Why exactly are they being kept alive? Shouldn't you silence them like the rest of those who dare speak out against you or conspire?" Belle squeaked, finally mustering the backbone to speak as she too was untied.
"They're either the best detectives known to mankind or they've been unearthing something underneath my nose for years that I've been blinded to. I found out my own smugglers are conspiring with an unknown party across the wall as well as have some understanding regarding the politics of the Exterior Realms. This is dangerous considering nobody else besides those inside of this room are supposed to possess that sort of knowledge. I was tempted to seize the documents for myself but the pair of them are going to be building a case out of it and I'm rolling the dice to see how truly sophisticated it becomes," She elaborated, clearing her throat as she shifted her attention to the exit. "I've now got a clean slate to work with. I need to focus on something that isn't a superweapon. Shift your studies towards psychology, experiment on those unsuitable for butchering if you must. We need to know the most effective way to get into the minds of those already suffering besides using drugs to numb their ambitions," With the simple snapping of her fingers, she rearranged the entirety of her science team as she slung open the door to the chambers she was holding her victims inside of as Sooz escorted them to the exit.
"We understand, Ms. Bloodworth. We'll get to work. We shall forever be indebted to you and your generosity for funding our passion projects. If it's not too far fetched, we may find ourselves another Artifact," Eddie squeezed those words out of his mouth as he headed for the secret lab complex.
"Thank you for reminding me. Abandon all searches for unstable or foreign lifeforms. They are truly useless to me. You may resume your experiments all you wish but you are now forbidden from conducting research on new lifeforms found outside of the wall. I am not going to take my chances with something that nobody can grasp the understanding of, nor something that has such a simple killswitch. We shall fester a new plague, one that sprouts within the minds of the beholders and forces them to bow from inside. We shall now use our ability to manipulate the minds of the vulnerable into handing over our desires on a silver platter," Clarissa's voice bellowed as she turned back for one more snarky remark. "Oh, and thank you all for being so cooperative. I am glad I didn't need to execute anyone today," With that chilling remark, she exiled herself from the presence of her associates; destined for a place shrouded in mystery as the world turned whilst surrounding her feet.
"He still blames me for his downfall but I know he was doing and dealing drugs far before I forced him to move out! I still regret how dumb and selfish it was, but regrets are how you learn from your mistakes; I guess. Shit, I don't know, Renee. Ever since I've gotten into this whole situation, I've felt like I've blended between two sides of myself that never dared to interact before that thing took over me. I still don't know what it was or what it did, probably never will… But I feel a little kinder, wiser and enlightened to the perpetual cycle of bullshit that plagues this city and presumably what lays beyond the wall," Howard started the process of wrapping up his conversation, a conversation he had been hosting with Renee for roughly half an hour ever since she picked him up in her relatively cramped but convenient black van.
"Perhaps caring a little bit is for the better, Howie. You never know, you might go back to being your all-too-charming dryly humoured and sarcastic self once the thrill of almost dying passes by. Maybe, you'll end up looking out towards the horizons of life with a slightly enlightened perspective. I mean, you've seen a lot of the truths you tried to ignore for so long, I guess you've now realised that you may have more purpose than initially thought," Renee pulled up to her parking spot which was across the block from The Rogue, powering down the engine before gazing upon Howard whilst wearing a black suit with a red tie. "I feel bad for everything that happened with Larry, though. Just know it isn't your fault. Sometimes, people refuse to reach out for help because they know they are helpless. Addictions can only be overcome if you wish to do something about it and in Larry's case, I expect remaining attached to the drugs he does helps keep him sane, like self medication… I sometimes do it, too. Not hard drugs, mind you, just something soft," Renee stepped out of the van shortly thereafter, gazing upon the glory that was Howard dressed in a royal blue blazer accompanied by a white undershirt alongside blue tie whilst being wrapped up neatly with some silky navy blue trousers.
Furthermore, one thing that caught Renee's eye was the fact that Howard appeared to be wearing the hat of a navy man, which she pondered the origin of. She was unsure if Howard had ever served in the armed forces before, although it was highly unlikely given his species alongside his attitude for the world itself… Why would he protect the rich assholes that repress his very kind based on their abstract order?
"What do you take soft drugs for, if you don't mind me asking? I know there's a lot to deal with in this world full of insanity but is it for your anxiety?" Renee simply shook her head, somewhat ashamed of the past that she had with her episodes. "Alright, message received. I won't ask again, you've got as much of a right to your privacy as I do."
"Maybe it's for another time, let's just say it helps with the anxiety and another part of my life which presents anxiety as a symptom. Sometimes it's nice to relax and escape from the world, whether it be gazing upon the few places that haven't been turned into some skyscraper made out of gold and quartz or venturing across the sea to do some fishing… At least we've got some freedom to entertain ourselves, right?" Renee nudged Howard whilst pointing over to The Rogue which was directly opposite them from the small parking allotment she had parked at. "Gotta quickly feed the meter, I'm going to pay for twelve hour parking because the entirety of this street is filled with opportunity. I do have one question, though," Her curiosity was practically eating away at her thanks to the black and white hat wrapped in gold with an anchor stamped onto it which Howard wore to their "date".
"Ask away, Renee. I've got a whole night to make conversation with you and if this is our idea of bonding separate from being partners and developing a friendship then I'm alright with being interrogated by your curiosity, heh," Howard chuckled as Renee eyed up his hat, feeding the parking meter a couple of loons before grabbing her ticket.
"Were you a navy man? I noticed the hat you're wearing. It belongs to the Coastal Defence Division!"
"Basic training for one year, nothing special, met some cool people along the way but as predicted; I was ejected from the program two weeks after earning my uniform for being a raccoon. They thought I was too untrustworthy or savage to explore beyond the horizon. Bear in mind, this was when I was a little desperate and I wasn't getting anywhere as a photographer. However, it did teach me a lot of neat things about criminal minds and it sent me on the course of revisiting my old ambitions to become a P.I. A year of studying, being approved by the Investigation Agency and many lame cases with your spice of mystery involved with some later and I'm here!" Howard had a somewhat vague answer to offer but basically confirmed her suspicions. "Unfortunately, I have no cool navy man stories other than people being racist during bootcamp… Oh, and that one time my entire platoon fell off the deck except for myself during a nasty storm that hit when we were training. A lot of people look back on this sorta stuff as good times but not me, it just became a source of income whilst I figured out what the fuck I wanted to do with my life after photography slumped as a profession."
"I'm guessing you chose to wear the uniform with some mysterious intention behind it, then? It's a shame that you had to go through all of that trouble during basic training, though. I've already debunked the myths and the rumours, plus the way of order itself. No race is technically superior to the other, it's all about advantages that one receives on a silver platter; handed down from their ancestors to form this backwards means of governance," Renee quipped following her initial question, the pair of them were practically ready to cross into the high street at this point, of which it shone before them with its neon signs of magnificence glowing against their fur from across the street.
"Like joining the navy briefly five years ago, today reminds me of a new beginning… A new chapter of my life, if you will. Oddly enough, my brief time in the navy offered me some guidance and well… Stepping out into the world with you by my side, practically guiding me ever since you stumbled across me in that park? It may be nothing but I see this as a new beginning in my life, got no clue how to phrase it but I know it when I feel it," Howard simply replied, offering his arm to Renee. "I hate misogyny but if we're on a date, may I take you to the theatre, m'lady?"
"I see your dry sense of humour hasn't changed. Sure, just never call me m'lady again, please," Renee brought her arm underneath Howard's, wrapping around him as he merely stood an inch taller than her. From afar, Renee looked to be the tallest one but that was only thanks to the fact she had worn high heels with two inches of lifting room to stand tall above her date. "Out of all of the chapters I've been through in my almost thirty years of existence, I never knew I would be guided by a raccoon into a theatre whilst on a date," She playfully remarked, inciting a little chuckle from Howard as the pair of them started to cross the street once traffic had come to a momentary halt.
"You're very insistent on calling this a date. I swear you promised that this was just a hangout opportunity. Then again, we do look like members of high society with our suits and all. I'm surprised I was able to afford this back when I bought it many years ago but that's the price the apes would pay to make sure nobody tries to use a raft to escape beyond the wall… It does make you wonder why exactly we need a navy, though," He ventured across the road with Renee gently walking alongside them, inevitably ending up in a vast queue for The Rogue, with plenty of time for the pair of them to further their conversation. "I know it's for guarding the coasts but it says a lot about where the apes place their trust."
"Pff, what trust? It would profoundly amuse me if the apes actually trusted those that work beneath them, including Clarissa herself. It makes me wonder if in this game of chess, the knights, the stallions and the monarchs themselves may seek to use them as prawns; regardless of their value, they are still a victim to their power hungry desires," Renee's voice was almost drowned out by an overwhelming tsunami of noise which emerged from The Rogue as one of the brown bears wrestled with someone who was resisting their authority. "Oh, to add onto everything, Howard. The reason why I call this a date is simple… Because I've never gone out of my way to hangout with people whom I consider friends or partners," Renee had dropped a massive hint for Howard right then and there for him to enjoy, that's if his mind wasn't too consumed by the commotion in front of him.
"So I'm guessing I'm dancing in limbo between friends, partners and something in between?" He sharply replied back, still trying to lift himself above the crowd to see what sort of disturbance was occurring before his very eyes. "Because you should know that I never usually make time for anyone I work with, nor friends; I more or less bump into them. These are plans and even then, it's even rarer for me to follow through," Howard winked at Renee all before his flirtatious demeanour collapsed upon sighting who was being kicked out of The Rogue.
"Holy shit… Is that your friend?" Renee pointed forward at none other than Larry, who appeared to be nothing but a mess as he was thrown to the floor. "Should we help him or-"
"YOU SONS OF BITCHES! ALWAYS STOMPING ON MY PLANS! JUST BECAUSE THERE'S A PLAY HAPPENING, DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO RIP AWAY MY SUPPLY LIKE THAT! I WAS BEING WELL BEHAVED- LET ME ENJOY MY ENTERTAINMENT IN PEACE YOU ASSHOLES!" Larry's screams were unlike anything Howard had ever seen before as he quietly ducked down alongside Renee. "YOU MOTHERFUCKERS HAVE NO RESPECT FOR THE STRUGGLES OF OTHERS! IT WAS A LEGAL TRANSACTION, YET YOU STILL ACCUSE ME! GIVE BACK MY BAG- UNHAND ME!" A black wolf dressed up in enforcer's clothing soon emerged from a police car, handcuffing Larry and sending him packing into the backseat of the vehicle.
"I would like to make a formal apology to those who are currently waiting in line. Performances at The Rogue will resume shortly, we unfortunately busted this guy in the bathrooms cutting up Monkeybutt and using it to amuse himself. This guy is a repeat offender, some of you may know him, but I see a lot of new faces amongst the crowd this week. Again, we apologise for the inconvenience and the south-side bathrooms will be covered in red tape as we launch an investigation into this once and for all. Thank you for your understanding and please enjoy the show," A large bear soon took down a sign which prompted the line outside of The Rogue to grow to such an extent to begin with as the police car soon drove off into the evening.
"Un-fucking-believable," Were the only words to emerge from Howard's flabbergasted self as he merely shook his head in shame. "I trusted him. I knew he had a problem yet he told me that he had gotten over it years ago. He helped me with The Bite but he very well could've been one of their suppliers. It wouldn't surprise me if his whole struggle with homelessness is a charade."
"Should we launch an investigation and build a case when tomorrow comes? Perhaps inquire about this when we meet Clarissa tomorrow night?" Renee politely asked.
"I'll worry about that later. As for now, we're on a date… I don't want Larry ruining yet another bonding experience between myself and someone I consider close to me. Before you ask, yes, there's history there, too… I'll explain once we get checked in and take a seat," A blanket of silence soon fell over the pair of them as they rapidly marched forth, entering the mouth of The Rogue whilst being surrounded by the sweet smell of freshly buttered alongside popped popcorn as well as their ears were blessed with the sound of an endless fizz emerging from the cola dispensers.
The pair of dates immediately found themselves immersed within a picturesque scene of grandiose nature, they both assumed the building was much smaller on the inside yet even appearance alone could be deceiving. With staircases that stretched down into basements that made up the theatres accompanied by grand halls that spared no twist or turn relating to any form of expense followed by the alluring smells and marvellous mosaics, The Rogue truly lived up to its glory following the remarkable restoration the apes had personally sponsored.
Both of them were searching for their inevitable destination amongst the crowd, the first performance scheduled by a wolf and a vixen known as Shan and May in years. The pair of them were one of the most notorious couple's acts in history up until a small-scale conflict broke out in Granville, permanently ruining The Rogue with no profitable alternative being constructed up until around a year ago. Both Howard and Renee blended into the sea of people, eventually reaching the relatively humble line which would lead them to their destination.
Howard was admittedly intimidated by the fact that there was a bouncer named Crowley at the front, who stood at a colossal seven feet tall and was known to be privy regarding those of the middle class. Renee may have been hurled the insult of being a tricky fox but the fact that Howard had to deal with being called a striper as well as a thief by certain bouncers made him uneasy. Thankfully, for him, Crowley seemed to be relatively forgiving as he merely waved at the two before inspecting their tickets.
"Ah, you two have come to see the couples performance, how romantic! I never knew people would be into live action theatre, still. Nowadays, everyone just records everything onto film and then projects it; it doesn't quite capture the true essence of theatre in my opinion!" Crowley remarked, which is when Howard learned of Renee's intentions thanks to the brown bear's remarks. "You're free to go in, just don't give me a reason to separate you two later on!" Crowley handed back the tickets as both of them walked into the massive chamber which was the theatre.
Before Howard had any time to ask any questions, he was taken aback by the picturesque chandelier that stood roughly fifty feet in the air, not to mention the wide variety of crimson and royal blue seats that were on offer. Thankfully, for the pair of them and their mild concerns for people, the theatre was relatively quiet. You had your usual patrons sitting at the front wishing to become one with the show, some couples in darkly shaded corners destined to make out or perform other illicit acts that should remain the shadows as well as a few groups of friends dotted throughout the establishment.
Renee was eager to take a seat near the top of the theatre, considering everything cascaded down onto the stage below and having a top-down view was her preference for theatre. Howard, meanwhile, wasn't too experienced with plays considering he never had a massive interest in them as a child, teenager or young adult. If anything, film noir was more of his pace; it may have been pre recorded but to him, it was equally as entertaining as being amused by a play.
"So you're telling me you didn't want this to be romantic when you're taking me into a relatively empty theatre for a play run by a couple with couples in corners and groups of people lining the rows? Are you serious?" Howard whispered all the while Renee let off a slight snicker. "You tricky fox… Why am I sort of impressed by that?"
"I'm your tricky fox for tonight, besides… Do you really think I'm going to be a cheapskate when you've just been liberated from a week-long coma and a gigantic stay in hospital? I know I said I don't want normal and that we'll never know it again but you deserve to have some sense of normalcy. I know I fucked up making a deal with Clarissa, I know she's most likely projecting her power into all corners of this city; consider this celebrating until we're reintroduced to our rigorous work hours again," Renee whispered back, taking a seat underneath one of the dim spotlights shining down onto the stage which had a small set already ready for a performance. "Also, I would get comfortable with the silence whilst it lasts. A lot of couples are probably going to pour in within the next five-ten minutes considering we're early and many people got off work at five."
"Why thank you for the heads-up. Plus, you should know that I've got no hard feelings against the deal you made with Clarissa. I'm just glad to be alive, I don't know if that will be a good thing in the long run as Clarissa's quite twisted, demented and was most likely ripped from the pits of the underworld but I am going to hear out her deal as I owe her one for keeping me alive. Sure, I probably have a use to her and when that use is worn out, I'm most likely going to have to dodge having my expiration date re-written almost constantly but I know she takes care of the people she works with based on my experience interrogating that liquor shop owner," Howard, for the first time, already felt himself opening up a little bit regarding his own ventures without the aid of any Monkeybutt to loosen up his tongue. "Yeah, not my proudest achievement but I needed to know where the fuck that Starling Cider van was going. I just can't believe how everything sorta spiralled out of control. One minute, we were tracking a fake cider van; the next minute I was snooping around terminals uncovering an operation to get people across the wall via Clarissa all before I was destined to sneak into Science City… And then the next thing I knew, I was destined to wake up here," Howard's retelling of the day offered some insight to Renee regarding the effects The Artifact had on him, considering he was unable to remember anything from that day.
"I still remember going over the case with you that day, seeing how exhausted you were yet determined. My regret is leaving to grab something whilst you put your feet up… And for being a coward by running away when I saw the van pull up," Renee let off a dismayed sigh as the theatre started to erupt with whispers due to that aforementioned wave of couples pouring into the establishment. "I knew if I were to stand up and fight, I would've been shot upon being sighted and our case would be closed. I knew Clarissa had come to talk to you and I knew that rat bastard I had asked to track the Starling Cider van was a double agent when I noticed him on several alleys I went past when looking for clues independently. I just wonder what exact information Clarissa wanted from you as I know she's aware of pretty much everything that goes on in this forsaken city."
"Huh, I never really thought I would be talking about this on a date but she asked me who I was working for; she knew that I was working with you judging by the fact you were a she. I remained apprehensive until the end but she somehow still found you and presumably cut a deal… About what? I don't know, but we work for her now and I'm not going to oppose it. As much as I hate to admit it, this could be a huge opportunity for us," Renee tilted her head in confusion. "Think about it for a second. We may be dealing with the devil, but the devil has weaknesses that can be exploited. If she hollows out the ranks of the apes and spouts her propaganda regarding how the species pyramid is a load of bullshit… We could rise above stereotypes and finally fulfil our dreams. I could put families and their nightmares to rest without being called a striper and you could create written documentaries outlining the truth; teaching everybody about it in the process! - I don't know if it's Clarissa's true intention, I've got about as good of a read on her as you do but she seems to want power but it comes at the cost of her own superiority. She has to rely on herself, not her family or her prestige… And I don't think people are going to be relying on her for much longer if the truth were to slip out to the public," Howard concluded his little scheme, his voice shielded by the influx of theatre patrons finding seats nearby.
"Are you proposing that against all risks… That we become double agents? We work for ourselves and Clarissa?" Howard nodded in response, kicking up his feet against the back of the empty chair in front of him with a wide smile on his face. "I admit, that has a stupidly high amount of risk to carry with it, plus I don't know if it would be the wisest idea… But if there's one thing I learned from you, it's the fact that winging it can truly allow one to see the reflection of their own grace… Let's do it. But we're not keeping physical evidence, everything we have will remain in our own minds and we shall gather evidence at the opportune time; when time is ripe and the fruit of truth is ready to plunge from the branches of the apple tree."
"Sometimes you make me wonder how on earth you went from being a writer to somehow getting yourself tangled in this mess with how poetic you can be. Ah well, I'm here for the ride, I might as well buckle up and get comfortable," Howard reached into his pocket to pull out a small back of popcorn that he'd managed to sneak in behind Renee's back. "Speaking of which, want a snack? I think the performance is about to begin!" Howard kindly offered, to which Renee pulled out a similarly sized bag with a comforting smile beaming from her muzzle.
"I already bought my own! Let's make ourselves comfortable, partner," Although she was one for utmost decency, nobody was clearly going to be sitting next to the fox or the raccoon thanks to the social stigmas surrounding both of their species respectively. Thankfully, it created a shield for them to do practically whatever they wished and to say whatever they wanted without anyone getting too close, which is why Renee made the decision to copy Howard and to put her feet up and lean back against her own chair; using the backside of the empty seat in front of her for support as the spotlights dimmed and the show readied itself for its beginning.
"Ladies and gentlemen pouring into the stands, couples of all ages, species and beliefs, please ensure that you seat yourself and remain seated for this is a performance you surely won't forget!" An overpowering male voice emanated across the room from the overhead speakers, all the while a smoke machine alongside some creative lighting obscured the stage whilst turning it blue, purple and red.
"The long-awaited return of Overtime and the performers behind such a masterpiece is now upon you. We have spent years in the indie scene and on street corners perfecting our art in preparation for this day. The Rogue has now been revived at last and it's time for one to feel their spirits reach into the skies as their souls become reborn!" Likewise, an equally as charismatic female voice boomed through the theatre as the majority of couples finished seating themselves with snacks all the while Renee keenly observed Howard's intrigue.
"A tale of how class is unable to separate true love!" The male voice rebounded back as Howard noticed the immense diversity within the species of couples as well as their ages, plus their classes.
"Where theatre comes together to tell a borderless story! - A story that you won't forget!" As some low drums made their way across the speakers followed by an eerie silence as the lights dimmed… A gigantic boom of noise followed by a vixen alongside a wolf emerging onto the stage, which is when a gigantic wave of roses, bouquets of flowers accompanied by confetti burst upon them from the stands above. "Everybody! Let's dance!"
"Oh no…" Howard immediately turned his head towards Renee as his expression spoke of pure betrayal. "This isn't a performance that you sit down for… This is a setup! You're trying to get me to dance with you!"
"Well, it's not like I was going to convince you by saying "Howard, let's dance!" - I know you a little too well to expect you to agree to that," Renee wittily responded as many of the couples around them stood up to engage within the activity of a lifetime.
"Your wit hasn't changed."
"Neither has your pessimism," Renee fired back. "Now that we're here, it would be a waste for us to say no to such an opportunity, wouldn't it?" She even went through the effort of fluttering her eyebrows as well as attempting to seduce him with an alluring gaze.
"You're so lucky I don't have anything better to do. Come on, then; darling… Let's dance," Howard was sparing no expense as some energetic jazz started blasting through the speakers all the while the red-suited wolf and white-dressed vixen locked hands; their boots ready for the tap dancing they had become renowned for in the underground scene.
"One step forward, one step forward, one step to the right, one to the left; repeat!" May, the vixen, instructed as everyone followed suit, including Howard and Renee. "Arms still, keep your eyes on your partners, y'all!"
"I can't believe you got me to agree with this. This is straight up designed for couples who are married," Howard mumbled underneath his breath. "Not even twenty-four hours of freedom and you're intent on humiliating me, hm?"
"Oh, come on, it could be a lot worse! It's only a bit of dancing, then the real show begins!" Renee gently replied, following on silently as Howard surprised her with a twirl which caught the attention of Shan, the lead wolf performer. "Whoa… I was not expecting that."
"Well, when you've got to find your way in this city, you often find yourself performing some strange acts to get paid… I happened to learn how to dance. Oh, did I mention I play the accordion?" Howard casually tossed Renee into the air in spite of his limited movement. "You said I was going to get to know you and I keep talking about myself. Now, anything juicy I should know about you other than the fact you've struck me as being a theatre girl?" His flirting with the vixen prompted her to blush immensely, all the while Shan continued to keep his eye on the pair of them as he grabbed the mic for his next instructions.
"Next step, ladies and gentlemen! Join your arms together and begin circling one another before taking a step back to admire the grace of your partner!" Shan's commanding voice echoed throughout the theatre as the music became more upbeat whilst Renee and Howard immersed themselves within their own world.
"I was once a photographer, too, you know. Managing the chemicals became a tedious affair when I started mixing ink in thanks to my writing. I am so glad someone invented the modern pen but I still prefer to reload the cartridges manually. I had to give up photography because exposure to the chemicals would awaken my bipolarism… Huh, I thought you'd be more surprised by that," Renee was taken aback by Howard's relaxed attitude as he merely let off a chuckle. "Oh, don't tell me I was that obvious!"
"Try to charm me in a bar one minute, stalk me the next, save my ass and bring me back to your hideout afterwards? I'm a private investigator, I put together the pieces from there. I also know quite a bit about you judging off that book… Published at twenty five years old? Impressive."
"Seems like I'm not the only stalker out of the both of us," Renee remarked back, letting off a soft smile. "It's flattering to know that you asked around when you were on the Starling Cider stakeout… I know they had a bookstore on that street, did you figure out something else along the way?"
"That I had let you into my life casually and wasn't regretting it… And two weeks and some crazy shit later, still not regretting it. I also realise how powerful you are, it takes a lot to get a raccoon to spill his secrets. Some would say that you come off as trustworthy based on the fact you're willing to listen," Howard spun Renee around once more, being mindful of his own injuries along the way. "Oh, and that you weren't running from yourself; just your past."
"How mystical! You'd be right there, my past isn't exactly too romantic… But I'm not here to address the past, I'm here to address the present-" Renee was soon interrupted by Shan himself pointing at the pair of them as the spotlight rained down upon the both of them.
"Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for the raccoon and the vixen at the top there! Can we give them some applause and praise! Look at their passionate dance! Now that's true love if I've ever seen it, folks!" His trendsetting mindset prompted everyone to pause their dances as both Howard and Renee looked onto the crowd below them, turned to one another and took a massive breath.
"Well, that we've got everyone's attention; there's no need to be undercover about this, is there?" Despite her limited strength, Renee rushed towards Howard's waist and did her best to lift him up from his position, spinning him around three times before embracing him within a warm hug. "Listen, it's hard for me to truly wrap my mind around everything happening in our lives but you should know I kept thinking about your note every night you were in hospital, every time I got an opportunity to be by your side. I, truthfully don't know if I'm ready for a true relationship or the commitment associated with it but I can tell you one thing… I love you, Howard," At that moment, a bomb was detonated within Howard's mind. It was true that he had festered feelings for the vixen almost immediately after meeting her, yet he never knew she would reciprocate those feelings.
"You-you-you do? I thought you weren't going to- y'know, even give love a chance considering what happened with Lukas. Then again, you have surprised me by taking me to see a performance," Howard gently wrapped his arms around Renee to the best of his ability, their wet noses collided with one another alongside their humid breaths as Howard's hazel eyes stood on the same ground as Renee's jades.
"Lukas never respected me, never truthfully cared for myself as a person; just vague questions about my happiness or if I was still taking my meds. We don't need to commit to anything serious if you dislike that thought, you can just take my confession with a grain of salt… But you, Howard. You care, and that's all I could ever desire."
"Well, this is happening," With all eyes on the pair of them, Howard tilted his head slightly, closing his eyes as he wrapped his lips around Renee's muzzle. Without even needing to process what was happening, Renee replied by doing the same, wrapping her arms around her dear Howard all the while she wrapped her legs around him by jumping onto him; being cautious not to put too much strain on his body as she merely wrapped her arms around the middle portion of his back.
Both of them felt their souls rejuvenated as the crowd erupted into a roar of fierce cheers for the pair of them, all the while the jazz music went from upbeat to somewhat seductive as the pair of them continued to kiss for a minute and a half. Their breaths were obscured by the confession of the truth through their actions, the flames that had remained dormant for years were suddenly rekindled and their fur spiked up to the skies for the first time since forming their first childhood crushes many years ago.
Before long, their lungs screamed at them to take in some breaths as Renee gently lifted herself off Howard's waist with a dreamy smile on her face the moment she separated from him; all the while Howard teased her with a raised eyebrow and an arrogant smirk spread evenly across his cheeks to neatly accompany the tremendous might of the unstoppable blush which encircled his striped cheeks.
"Am I dreaming or did that just happen?" Renee gently remarked, the crowd below her silent as the performance had come to a momentary stop. Her gentle voice echoed throughout the ampitheatre all the while Shan and May looked up to the pair of them. "Pinch me, Howie!"
"Oh, come on now, why would I do that? I wouldn't want to mistreat the lady cradling my heart!" Howard chipperly responded with glee filling his voice. "Besides, I'd say you've made reality far more desirable than my dreams," Who knew he could be such a flirt when given the right music to form his thoughts to whilst accompanying Renee.
"Well, would you look at that. No performance will ever be able to match true love, isn't that right, Shan?" May soothed the audience with her voice whilst talking to her canine lover.
"You've got that right, May… What are your names, raccoon and vixen?" Shan asked, to which Howard peered down with the first genuine smile spread across his face in years; at least, it was a smile that couldn't be erased as easily.
"Howard Lotor and Renee Wilson," Howard joyously replied.
"Couples in the audience, give it up for Howard and Renee! Hip-hip, hooray!" May encouraged the audience, to which everybody looked up towards the pair of them with awe filling their faces.
"Hip-hip, hooray! Hip-hip, hooray! Hip-hip, hooray!" Howard felt tears come to his eyes all the while Renee shot him a compassionate smile, proud that she was not only able to confess the feelings she had truthfully been hiding ever since he wounded himself to begin with but also that he shared the same feelings; touched by his endearing and kind heart.
"Now what do we do?" Howard innocently pondered whilst Renee let off a laugh which incited a snort. "Well, I was not expecting to hear that tonight!"
"And you're probably going to hear a lot more in due time! Anyways, I think we hijacked the show a little bit; we best be leaving and get off to the true schedule for the night, hm?~"
"There's another schedule for the night?" He responded, bewildered by Renee's magnificence.
"The yes schedule as I'd like to call it. Now, follow me, my love… We've got a lot of bonding to do," Legend has it that upon their exit from the theatre, Renee and Howard would go on to earn themselves a trip to a nearby bowling alley, followed by them visiting Foxy Burger for some divine dining before supposedly loitering around an underground fight club for a while before eventually being ejected onto the streets at 11PM.
Furthermore, urban rumour speculates that Howard and Renee never went back to their respective apartments that night. Their adventure may have remained shrouded in mystery, but two things remained certain… Their hotel room door was sealed by a 'do not disturb' sign which warned strangers to stay away and Howard Lotor's soul had been reborn on this day.
END OF ACT I
[A/N]
-
Truthfully being honest for a second? Writing Act I has been an invigorating ride, although I do have some disclaimers for the future. Yes, I am aware that the ending being such a cliffhanger is beyond annoying for some people but hear me out; these chapters are averaging around eight-thousand words and I want to ensure I include as much crucial information as possible without it being boring! - And I do apologise in advance if this is a little boring for you all considering I wasn't initially going to publish this, this is something I was writing for my own amusement before I considered actually bringing it to the wider public for their viewing leisure!
Speaking of which, though. I promise that Act II and beyond will be centralised less around dialogue. It's an incredible difficulty writing descriptive scenery and environments for a game which mainly describes itself with its stunning cinematography whilst leaving the storytelling aspect itself to prompts that you interact with in game.
Again, I cannot possibly hold a spotlight, nor a torch; barely even grasp a candle compared to the originality and sophistication behind the story Eggnut have crafted for the original Backbone game. I have, admittedly, not put in as much time refining it as they would have. I am just one person who writes for fun, my work is not perfect but I can only hope that Act I has brought you some amusement and perhaps some relief for those of you who ship Renee and Howard out there!
I know, it might seem a little fast paced to pair them together but I'll be making the nature of their relationship clearer once I write and finish Act II. I know, you guys are most likely going to be waiting a while but I'm hoping that your patience will collectively be rewarded in the long term. I am writing these act by act so the project is not too overwhelming whilst I perfect this in my own eyes; we all have a separate definition of perfect so my view on perfect will obviously differ from yours!
Do I have a rough release in mind for Act II? No, I unfortunately do not. But I plan on publishing it by the end of this year with some luck. I'll also be pouring more time into making sure the details are refined and that the story reads more like a book instead of a labyrinth of dialogue… You might notice some alterations to Act I once I publish Act II, that's probably me ironing out mistakes and expanding on things to make sure everything connects together!
Oh, and as for the premise of backbone and the title in general? We're just scratching the surface when it comes to what I have in mind. I acknowledge it will be a slow and tedious process, but a process I am willing to pour my time into committing to. Plus, one more thing! If you made it to the end of this act and this message, you are a magnificent human being and I cannot thank you enough!
- TERMINAL ACCESS PROTOCOL OVERRIDDEN
- INDEXING DIRECTORIES
- MULTIPLE MEMO ENTRIES FOUND
- ACCESSING PERSONAL MEMO
"I'm in need of some good coffee and a break. Man, sometimes you don't appreciate the glory of your favourite things until you begin to expand on them yourself. You may be unable to see into the eyes of the creators of those you hold beloved to your heart, but so long as you feel passionate about your craft; you may humbly expand upon their work whilst eventually finding a path that will lead to the creation of your own stories. I should probably write some notes for this stuff, too; considering I wrote this all down in two weeks. It's been an interesting ride so far, I can't wait to see where this goes, from a writing perspective and a reading perspective. This is my own story, I guess it's time I shake the shyness that is presenting one of my absurdly abstract ideas as opposed to my usual work. Okay, I've been staring at my keyboard for too long, it's time for time to grip over my body like an indomitable wave and I will soon meet my passion project in due time."
- SAVING CHANGES
- POWERING DOWN TERMINAL
[TO BE CONTINUED WITHIN ACT II!]
