Book One: Echoes

"We are will and wonder,
Bound to recall, remember,
We are born of one breath, one word,
We are all one spark, the sun becoming."


Residuum

Katt stirred, unable to push herself out of sleep's grasp. It made sense that, within the next few hours of struggling, she hadn't heard the alarm. Claws dug into the sheet. She pushed herself from the inky stew of slumber, slowly rising. Disappointment plastered her face. How many times had she slept in now? If she kept it up, life would slip her by. Not that it already wasn't it. She outstretched her arms, yawning, cool bedroom air rushing into her lungs. A gentle wave of energy began to creep up her spine, eventually settling somewhere at the base of her skull. She glanced over at the alarm, sheets still entangled over her pink, furry thighs.

Oh great, I'm awake and it's exactly noon.

The sun outside beckoned. Katt swept her legs over to the side of the bed, staring at herself. Bra and panties; not exactly ready for an afternoon walk. Panther told her on many occasions to ditch the clothes and roam naked in their apartment, but she could never fully do that. Granted, she did oblige his desires from time to time by making dinner in nothing but an apron.

That was her life: perversion and laziness. The mercenary work had gone downhill. Whatever Corneria had done resulted in a dramatic decline in crime, which meant fewer jobs. Once in a while, something would creep up from the void of unemployment. Not that it mattered; no, the days of money being an issue were essentially over. Moot was the point of frugality. She sighed, resting her snout into her paws. What would she do for the day? The sun had already risen, much like it had the countless morning before. Then she remembered the coffee she'd bought days ago, waiting to be brewed. It was noon, but what the hell? She sorted through a pile of garments, eventually settling on some 'mom jeans' and a light sweater of the dark gray variety.

She slipped on a necklace Panther had bought her a week or two ago, admiring the simple heart shape. Katt stood in place, yawned, and stretched, leaving her room behind. Government expansion came to mind as she paced down the carpeted stairs, the faint sound of kitchen utensils clattering. Whatever economic boom happened put the establishment in a peaceful, encompassing reign. "This was as close to utopia as they'd get," someone once told her.

"Morning," Panther's smooth voice drifted through the lazy living room.

"Hey babe," Katt said, walking past him to the kitchen.

For a three-bedroom condo, things were cozy yet spacious. It was the perfect oxymoron for any interior designer. She could only imagine the hell some of them went through – this has to go here, that must go there! - things like that. "Sleep in?" Panther asked.

Katt nodded. "As usual."

"Not like we're hurting for money," Panther said back to her as she stepped onto the cool kitchen tiles.

"True. Did you try that coffee I bought yet?"

Panther appeared around the corner, leaning on the entryway's frame. "No. But I thought I'd get up and come join you for some coffee. I assumed you were going for it. What's it again?"

"Lunar Dark. Local place," she said, scouting for the bag of coffee grounds.

"Ah."

Katt sighed. "I know we don't need it, but-"

"Have I found anything yet?" Panther crossed his arms and smirked.

She nodded quietly.

Panther shrugged and yawned. "No. No work. Can't say anything has been showing up in my terminals. We don't need it though like you said."

"I just…"

"Miss the calling?"

She nodded again.

"Katt," Panther approached her, running his paws down her sides, "we're doing fine. Things have changed since then. We're fine."

"Oh Panther," she turned to face him, hands on his chest, "I know, it's just, don't you ever get bored? Don't you ever find yourself wanting more?"

"Sometimes, but I'm beginning to enjoy this relaxed sort of style," he said, embracing her.

Katt sighed. "I suppose," she grabbed his rear, a handful in her left paw, "I still get adventure here, so I guess that's enough. Even if I feel meaningless and lost."

"I try to do a good job in that bed," Panther smirked.

She nodded with a wide grin, blushing slightly. "Always do. That tongue of yours… magic."

"Alright, alright," he gave her butt a little pat, "I'll let you get back to getting breakfast."

Katt giggled and, for a moment, forgot she was having an existential crisis. Panther tended to do that to her. "Alright. Did you eat yet?"

Panther shook his head. "No, but pancakes sound good. Want me to make some?"

She sipped on her freshly brewed coffee. "For once, let me cook. You can't always be the one cooking. I'll bring some to you. Get cozy on the sofa and I'll join you for some snuggling."

Panther laughed. "Only snuggling?"

"Well," she turned to the stove, flicking on the first burner, "starting with snuggles."

"Sounds good. I could use something sweet. I'm hungry. Not just for food," he winked at her, making his way back to the living room.

Katt shook her head. Panther was mischievous, perhaps more than her, but he always knew how to make her feel better.


She boarded her craft without much effort. The sun was still hanging high in the Cornerian sky, drifting like a cosmic light bulb. Katt didn't have a destination in mind. Flight to wherever seemed like a good enough place to be, and unless there was something critical Panther absolutely needed, she'd take the time to herself to ponder. Meditation was necessary. There was beer, even, tucked away in the back of her personal craft in a small icebox. She dialed into the controls, set the ship for lift-off, and left the apartment's hangar, flying toward the horizon. At some point, for some reason, she'd named it Madeline.

The warm hues brought images of a desert. She thought about the patch of land two clicks south, a plane of sand and an arid climate, of which she could tolerate. The day was cool enough, anyway. By the time she got there, the evening would be upon the area. In her mind, it was the perfect time to watch a cool desert sunset, counting all the different shades of vermilion, violet, and blush-pink blanketing the far-off clouds.

Katt needed her own personal sanctum once in a great while, and that great while would be today. She nabbed a cool bottle of water from the nearby cup-holder, the ship's engines still purring. It was a secondhand craft, but she'd tuned it, tweaked it, fixed it up, and modified parts she could. At one point, Katt Monroe had given it a new paint job, its exterior adorned in deep crimson and obsidian blacks. Even the glass had been replaced with something more modern. Apparently, the new stuff was better and protecting against projectiles. It wasn't like she needed it, not now when her line of work had slowed to a crawl. The days of being a mercenary were long gone and now, the only thing she hunted were memories and possibilities of the future.

The ship sped forward with contrarian grace and after a little while, she was at her destination. A flat patch of desert land looked like a fair enough place to land, Katt flipping a few controls and steering her craft to a stop. Loose dust kicked up plumes before eventually settling, Madeline's thrusters coming to a rest. She unbuckled her seat belt, removed her visor and headset, and made her way to one of three exits. Her choices varied from the back ramp, the side door, and an emergency exit, of which she chose the side door.

It was partial laziness but also practical; there was no sense opening the rear bay doors and slinking through the emergency exit. She stretched and yawned, snagging a hard carbonated drink from the icebox. Katt didn't consider herself an alcoholic, but after dealing with boredom for a while, she didn't mind having a cold one by herself from time to time. Aside from scant rocks and a surplus of warm desert sand, nothing moved in all directions for several miles.

Katt found a flat rock to sit on, adjusting until she was comfortable. With a precise claw, she popped off the bottle cap, sipping down the first refreshing gulp of Avare Crystale. The first sip cooled her throat. She exhaled, sighing. A quarter of the bottle was already gone. Katt didn't guzzle Avare to get a drink – it just so happened to be tasty and quenched her thirst. The mild buzz was a bonus. It hit her then that she was alone. Her pink fur caught rays of sunlight, gentle heat radiating through her coat. She adjusted her top, the new bra she'd purchased barely noticeable. She kicked off her shoes and crossed her legs, hunched forward, still sipping on the Avare. She wondered how Panther felt about her flying off for solitude, wondered how he felt about her sporadic depression.

Katt wondered how she felt about anything at all, given how slow things had gone. And that's how it's gonna stay, right kitty-cat? Fading, fading, fading.

She shook off the negative thought loop. No, there had to be more. If it meant pseudo-meditation to find the answer, then so be it. This was a puzzle she could piece back together. What was it then? Mercenary work had dried up, a lot of crime had vanished and ultimate peace had been achieved throughout Lylat. What else? She was older, not a spry feline full of energy in her early twenties. What didn't change? Sex, she still loved a lot of that. The desire, the hunt – all part of the mercenary work that had gone the way of so many extinct species. The near-dizzying thoughts of obsolescence were broken with a digital, high-pitched suddenness, not unlike that of a chime. Katt extracted her phone, flipping it open to reveal Panther on a video call. "Hey babe, what's going on?" she smiled, coy.

"No new gigs. I think it's a crap-shoot at this point. I'll keep looking though," he sighed, "just thought I'd interrupt you to say hello. So, hello."

Katt felt herself muster a small giggle; Panther had a charm that didn't exist with her prior partners. "You always know what to say and just the right way to annoy me."

"Meow. Someone's frisky." He winked at her.

Katt stuck her tongue out playfully. "I'll show you frisky later tonight. Well, thanks for the update, love."

"I'll probably be home later than usual. This whole thing has got me… down? I want a drink, maybe see some friends I haven't in a while. Are you okay with that?" Panther's voice was thin like he was worried about hurting her.

Katt knew everyone needed their peace, more so than most. If anything, I'm flattered you're asking permission. She nodded, the desert wind rustling her pink fur. "That's fine. I'll wait up for you. Just don't keep me waiting too long, okay?"

Panther grinned. "Never. See you around midnight?"

"Midnight it is. See you in bed. Remember, tonight is our movie night."

"I didn't forget. ALIENS, right?"

Katt, again, nodded. "Yep. See you there. I'll bring snacks."

"You are my snack."

"Quit being corny you handsome bastard. Later, baby."

"Fine, fine. See you later tonight, hon." With that, Panther ended the call.

Katt took another generous gulp of her Avare, its bubbles sparkling in liquid gems beneath the iridescent sunset. If there were another wave of depression to come, Panther would be by her side. He would prevent her from feeling forgotten, surely. And what else was there to feel in the great unification of Lylat? Getting old, fading away, and dying. Maybe, possibly, she would be a legend or memory living on in someone's mind until they too died. Maybe, possibly, but not surely. The future was uncertain; this was the only thing Katt understood as fact. She finished the bottle and fetched another, cracking it open. It too glinted in the sunset.


The taxi wouldn't take long to arrive. Panther didn't really have a night out with friends, rather, he had a night out with himself. The doldrums of a repetitive, tedious life had gotten the best of him. So, tonight, he'd make his way to The Chrome Dome, a small bar tucked away in a dome-shaped mall downtown and south. Twilight had come and with it, the appetite of the night. He couldn't remember the last time he had a drink. When was it, back in his days with Wolf? Wolf, what was he up to? The silver watch around his black-furred wrist chimed.

7 PM. Hours had gone since Katt left. Panther sat back in the living room's sofa, hands behind his head, staring listlessly. His Droid buzzed and vibrated; the taxi must have arrived. He made his way to the door, grabbed a hanging leather jacket, a pack of cigarettes he'd yet to disclose to Katt, and his keys. It occurred to him then to check his balance. He assumed there was something left over, possibly enough credits to even go out again shortly had Katt not reacted negatively to his excursions tonight. "JOY, what's my remaining balance?" he asked the AI built into the walls.

"24.5 credits, Panther." JOY responded, her voice cool, feminine, and synthetic.

"Thanks." Panther replied.

Katt rarely used the AI but, when Panther wanted, he did so. He could invariably check his balance on the Droid phone, but that required him pulling it out of his pocket; he was already at the door and would prefer to not run behind for the taxi. After a certain time, the charge would rack up. "Sleep now, JOY," Panther commanded.

"Sleep mode active. Good night, Panther," JOY replied before vanishing into silence.

Panther considered his luck. The apartment complex was bought in full. Through some financial loopholes and foreclosures, he and Katt had procured it for a reasonable price. It even included a hanger for their ships, of which they had three. His craft, The Onyx, was out of commission. He couldn't recall when or how it had happened, but some important part had destroyed itself during a routine tune-up.

He shoved the stray thoughts aside, leaving the apartment behind. Outside, the taxi waited for him, its engines purring in the city's dull evening lights. He waved to the driver, the back door unlatching itself, a comfortable suede backseat inviting him in. "Thanks," Panther greeted as he closed the door behind him.

"Chrome Dome, right?" the fox asked him.

Panther nodded in agreement. "Correct."

"Night out?"

"Yeah. Say, what's your name?" Panther leaned forward.

"Don," the fox replied.

"Yeah. No, kind of. Anyway, thanks for the lift, Don."

Don chewed on his lower hip, the vehicle gliding around a corner. "You paid me."

With what little I had left – and just enough for some drinks. Maybe I should put it on credit? Panther leaned back into the seat, exhaling. He'd smoke a few cigarettes, against his better judgment, and enjoy spirits of his choosing. It'd be a night to be himself, an independent creature away from his memories and ties to Katt. He didn't dislike Katt Monroe; he quite loved her, but once in a while, he'd forget who he was.

In what seemed like a few seconds later, the taxi had arrived. Panther parted ways with him and entered the bar, stretching as he walked. A dim light from stained chandeliers and maple wood panels cast the bar's interior in a hazy glow, sheets of cigarette smoke drifting lazily through the air. The place was nearly empty except for a couple of vixens at the far left of the bar and a bartender polishing cups. "Quaint," Panther muttered beneath his breath, slipping onto a bar-stool.

"Haven't seen you here before." The bartender set a clean glass mug down, his arms outstretched, his reptilian hands resting on the table.

Panther nodded. "Yeah. Kind of new. Got any smokes here?"

The bartender nodded. "Yeah. Any particular kind?"

"Reds," Panther said.

The bartender threw him a sealed pack of Reds, Panther already packing them. He slipped his card on the table, extracting one of the smokes and perching it between his lips. "A few shots of whiskey to start."

"I can do that," the bartender made his way to a shelf of various alcohols, sorting through a row of clear spirits.

Panther's left ear twitched, a feminine giggle and series of whispers coming from the far end of the bar. He glanced, making eye contact with one of the vixen's, catching her in the act of studying him. She was attractive, surely. A tight black dress, cleavage exposed, and lush, lipstick-red lips. "Whiskey," the bartender said, snapping Panther out of his curiosity.

"Thanks," Panther inhaled on his cigarette, exhaling and chasing the taste down with the sour-sweet mash of whiskey.

"May I have seat, handsome?" one of the vixens, her mascara, and eyeliner bold as volcanic glass, asked him.

Panther nodded. "Sure."

She managed her way onto the barstool, lighting a cigarette and smiling. "I don't see many studs come in. Where are you from? What's your name?"

Panther shrugged. "I'm from around. Call me Panther. What's your name?"

"Melissa," she winked at him, her cleavage apparent and covered in a golden-brown fluff, a patch of white between her breasts.

Panther remembered how Katt had held him that morning, the scent of her sweet feminine breath, and the softness of her paws. He had to. "Nice to meet you, Melissa."

"What's a cutie like yourself doing out so late, all by your lonesome?" Melissa took another drag of her cigarette, the aroma of alcohol heavy on her breath.

"Thinking," Panther replied.

She slid her paw onto his, stroking his jet-black fur with a clear desire, an obvious appetite. She stared at him deep with longing eyes, the kind of eyes that said: you, in my bed, now. "Well, maybe you shouldn't be thinking too much. You may miss opportunities."

"Is that so?"

She licked her lips and grinned. "It is."


Katt woke in the cockpit, rubbing her head. The sun had set hours ago, Katt carefully checking the time. It occurred to her then that she was late for the weekly film, a pit of guilt and panic in her stomach. She extracted her phone, pinging Panther to no avail. Why didn't she set an alarm? Panther was probably annoyed. She couldn't blame him. If she'd lost him, her life would be more confusing and lonely than it had ever been. Katt dialed again but, like before, there was no response.

"Ugh," she sat up, starting Madeline's engines. It purred to life, readouts, and information displaying the 'all clear' on her dash.

The desert moved beneath her like a racing snake, its canyons intertwining and twisting, slowly dispersing into more civilized land and green trees. Soon the monoliths of skyscrapers and sapphire glass were below, the barren sand plains of before replaced by society and life. The nightlife had come; neon lights and winding streaks of xenon glow painted the metropolis. Katt pinged for Panther again, biting her lip as she did.

No response. She sighed, flying toward the complex, hoping she hadn't ruined her relationship. The depression, perhaps, had brought out insecurities she didn't know she had. Insecurities she would fight with and, hopefully, be victorious.