Housepets! Always Save the Day
Chapter 7: Un-King Me
A "Housepets! Comics" Fan Fiction
Based on the characters by Rick Griffin
By: Fenrir Black
A Message from Fox
Here's what's been happening since last time. Kitsune and Lisa go see Rowan's parents who tell them the story of how Rowan and his brother were once kidnapped and held prisoner when they were kids. Whatever happened to them seriously messed them both up. Now Rowan is Revenant and, on the warpath, planning to corrupt every animal in the world and turn them against the humans. Crazy plan but then again Rowan did lose his mind after the battle with Drasil. In other crazy news, Kitsune and Lisa have maybe broken up because there is a lot of serious tension between the two. Speaking of human drama, apparently, there was another big reveal that left all of us shaken. King has a human son that he did not even know about until a month ago. Bailey is staying with Dad and me while they sort things out. I knew Halloween was supposed to be scary, but this is just too much.
The party was in full swing, but Lisa felt like it was more like a funeral reception. Of course, some pets were living it up, cheering, eating snacks, and laughing. Peanut and Grape were talking to Max. Fido and the rest of the K-9's were huddled together muttering to themselves. Sasha came over and took Kevin away and not two minutes later, Sabrina did the same to Fido.
Lisa wasn't in a party mood so why was she here. Some of the owners were all gathered in the kitchen talking amongst themselves. From where Lisa was standing, she could see the awkwardness circulating around them as they watched their pets interact with one another without a care in the world. Lucretia came up to them and offered a tray of some kind of pink meat which was met with a chorus of "No thank you" and "Not for me." The other humans were scattered around the Wolf house trying to pretend they were comfortable being there. Despite the fact, this was not the first party the wolves had thrown there was still a lot of awkward feelings.
Speaking of which, Lisa's eyes fell on Bailey and Fox talking down the hall. Lisa moved closer to try to hear what they were saying, but they were speaking so softly it was impossible to hear over the sound of music blaring from the speakers. She could see Bailey with her arms wrapped around her body, shaking her head while Fox pleaded with her. Lisa did not have to hear what they were saying to know what they were talking about.
It had been several weeks since Babylon Gardens was rocked with the news that King had a human son from his human years. The only reason anyone knew was that Rockstar Hawk happened to make friends with him at school and brought him back to the house. Unfortunately, he was the spitting image of Joel, so it was not long before the truth was revealed. Lisa only knew about it because Nick happened to play a significant role in the events and told her after her return from visiting heaven.
Bailey turned away from Fox and sprinted out the front door. Lisa swore she was crying. She looked back down the hall to see Fox looking utterly defeated. Feeling sorry for the husky, Lisa wandered over to him and gave a weak smile.
"I take it that didn't go well," Lisa said.
Fox sighed and leaned against the wall. "No. That was the millionth attempt to get her to talk to him. She's hurting, and I can't blame her, but it's not like it's King's fault."
Lisa opened her mouth but immediately closed it. It sort of was King's fault for not using protection but telling him that would not help the situation. It wasn't his fault that his former fling didn't tell him about their son, but she had a good excuse considering Joel was in jail. From what Nick told her about the conversation King and Donna had apparently it had been a one-night stand that led to an unexpected surprise. By the time Donna knew that she was pregnant and tracked Joel down to tell him, he had been arrested. She didn't want their son apart of whatever Joel was doing and cut him out of the picture. She never told their son, Kyle, about his father. That was until King and Nick showed up on their doorstep and confronted Donna about it. It was quite a shock to her but a bigger shock to Kyle who had snuck in from the back and overheard enough to know he now hated his father who just happened to be married with three kids and a dog. Lisa thought her life was complicated.
"Where is he?" Lisa asked already knowing the answer.
"In his room," Fox said pointing down the hallway. "He hasn't come out in a while. Miles and the others are worried, but they are giving him space." Lisa nodded, if anyone knew the complications of having children, it was Miles.
"I wish I knew what to do," said Lisa.
"It's not your job to fix all our problems," Fox said firmly. "For the first time, this is not your fault." Lisa let the jab slide mostly because it was true. The last time something like this happened, it was because Rowan left a comic book lying around. This drama predates the comic itself. Go to show that some secrets can't stay hidden forever.
"Why does it feel like I should do something though? King is my friend too, and he's hurting. He should at least enjoy the party," Lisa said.
"I don't think Halloween is really his thing," Fox said scanning the room. "Not to mention a lot of us aren't in a party mood."
Lisa understood what he meant. Fox wasn't dressed up in a costume either. She thought about throwing something together but decided against it considering everything that was happening. Part of her wanted to stay home, but she still wanted a bit of normalcy. She apparently wasn't going to find that here.
Fox walked away in a half-dazed state. Lisa watched him wander over to Mungo who was currently dressed as Satau down to the golden markings. Apparently, Tarot and Sabrina put him up to it as part of a bet they made. She could see Grape make occasional glances at him while Max pretended not to notice.
Turning her attention back down the hall, she could almost feel the grief radiating from King's room. Her fear and worry for him were like a bitter taste in her mouth. One of the reasons she felt so sorry for him was because of her own relationship with her father. He left her behind and would give anything to see him again. To hold his hand and for him to tell her everything was going to be okay. King must have felt the same way about Kyle or at least she hoped he did. She at least got to spend eight years with her father while King spent a total of eight seconds with his son. The worst part was that because of this he couldn't even see his other children. Bailey had shut him out of their lives completely.
A presence appeared beside her, and for a moment she thought Fox had come back, but this one was felt different. Lisa turned to see Nick standing next to her frowning. He was dressed in a light jacket and wore a Panama hat on his head.
"Okay, who are you supposed to be?" Lisa asked.
Nick rolled his eyes and threw his hands in the air. "I'm Todd Grace." Seeing the blank look on her face, he sighed. "The main character from my book." He pointed to the hat, the main character's trademark.
"Oh, right," Lisa said feeling guilty. The truth was that Nick had given her a copy of his novel a few months before after he had moved into the mansion with them. It was currently sitting in a drawer untouched and unopened.
"Speaking of your novel," Lisa said quickly changing the subject. "How is your second one coming along." Nick had been struggling with writer's block for over a year and was allowed to stay with the Milton's on the condition it would be finished by the end of the year.
Lisa could tell Nick wasn't falling for her ploy but told her anyway. "It's coming along despite the drama that seems to surround this entire neighborhood." Nick had made it clear several times that he did not belong in the mess the residents of Babylon Gardens consistently found themselves in. Unlike Lisa who thrived by throwing herself in the heart of everything like she was itching to do now. The only reason Nick went with King to Donna's was that like King he was once human, but unlike King, all he wanted to do was change back. "How are things with you and Kitsune?"
Lisa cringed. He knew how to get to her. This was his way of getting back at her for not reading his novel. She kept forgetting that despite Nick's mild manner and tendency to avoid conflict, he had a bite to him.
"I don't know. I haven't spoken to him since we got back from New Bern." The memory of that trip was a heavy weight on her heart. From the things she learned about Rowan's past to the harsh words, Kitsune said to her afterward. In a lot of ways, she understood where Bailey was coming from. There were just somethings that just could not be forgiven. "All I know is that he's watching over Pete and Dragon to make sure Rowan doesn't try anything."
It was no secret that Rowan hated Pete for what he did to King. From what Lisa now knew about Rowan she understood where that anger was coming from. Lisa found out later that Rowan attacked Pete and Dragon the night Dakota almost killed them. He wanted information about Dragon's temple and was not afraid to hurt them to get it. She often thought that if she knew about that before, maybe she could have prevented what was happening now. With the power Rowan was collecting, Kitsune feared that Dragon and Pete could be a target for him like they were for Drasil.
"Are you two broken up," Nick asked bluntly.
Straight to the point huh, Nick, Lisa thought. "No, not technically. We just haven't spoken. I needed space from him, and he's busy, so it all worked out." She glanced anxiously around the room as if expecting him to appear since they were talking about him. He did have a tendency to appear when his name was used. Thankfully he was nowhere in sight. "I don't want to break up with him but after the things he said about Rowan—I just can't see him," Lisa told Nick about what happened in New Bern. Right now, she felt like Nick was the only one she could confide in. Before she had Rowan and Kitsune, but they were both gone. The pets were busy with their lives and wouldn't understand. She thought about confiding in Fox but what King drama that wasn't an option.
"As much as I hate to say it, I do have to agree with Kitsune," Nick said.
Lisa looked to him like he'd slapped her. Her mouth hung open slightly as her eyes widened. He continued, "I mean he was pretty messed up, and that changes people. Look at me. Before the curse, I was a completely different person."
Lisa felt no sympathy for him mostly because she knew that was a flat out lie. She knew that he had spent the last few years held up in a cabin, too ashamed and embarrassed of his wolf form to interact with people. Beyond that he was always like this, she knew that. She decided to try not to listen to him.
"I don't care. Even if he thinks that he should have known better than to say it to me. He knew how much Rowan means to me." Lisa said letting her hair fall over her face.
"What does he mean to you?" Nick asked. Lisa looked up at him. His face was all serious. What did he mean to her? She wondered that herself ever since the dream when he came to her. When she woke up, she admitted that she loved him. The problem was she was not sure she loved him the same way she loved Kitsune or what it something more.
"I'm going to check on King," Lisa said. She walked away feeling Nick's tense gaze as she made her way to King's room.
She paused at his door before knocking three times. No response. He most likely figured that anyone else would assume he was asleep or just wanted to be left alone and abide. Not her. She barged in the room and shut the door behind her. The room was exactly the same except there was a sense of emptiness now. It was as if all the life had merely been sucked out of the window. In the middle of the bed was a small lump huddled under the covers.
Lisa plopped on the edge of the bed and watched as the lump slowly made its way to the far end away from her. King's head appeared and gave her a dirty look. She appreciated that the old King was still in there. It was a look that she had seen hundreds of times in the comics and one he only reserved for people he was truly angry with.
"Did you not get the message that I want to be left alone?" King asked.
"I did, but I ignored it. You should know me better by now. I do what I want."
"Clearly," King said as he pulled the cover back over his head.
Lisa was having none of that. She was in a foul mood because of what Nick said and her own frustrations. With one heavy tug, she tore the sheet away from King and threw it across the room. King laid on the bed staring at the ceiling. His eyes were red like he had recently been crying. It took Lisa a second to understand why. He must have overheard Fox and Bailey talking, she thought. Her heart broke a little at the thought of King standing at the door listening to Bailey tell Fox that she still couldn't see him. Did Kitsune feel the same way about her?
"How long are you going to mope?" Lisa asked. Part of her wanted to drag King to the party by the leg but knew that would be the worst thing for her to do. The thought did make her smile slightly. "I know things are challenging right now but hiding her is not going to fix things. You need to talk to Bailey."
"I've tried," King said. He sat up. "I texted, called, and gone over to the house several times, but she refuses to see me. I thought about talking to her tonight, but clearly, she is still angry."
"I realize what happened was not entirely your fault," Lisa said. King raised an eyebrow at her. "You understand this is hard. It would be hard for any relationship. What about Kyle? Have you tried talking to him?"
"I called Donna a few days after I went over there, but she said the same thing. She doesn't want me in Kyle's life, and Kyle feels the same way. I believe her considering how he reacted when he saw me."
"I hate to ask this, but do you want to be a part of his life?" Lisa asked.
King stared at her. His face was unreadable like he not sure himself. "You know what my parents were like," he said finally. Lisa did know that King's parents were terrible people who were one of the reasons King ended up where he is now. She had plenty of experience with terrible parents herself. It was one thing they both had in common. "I don't want to be like my father. I want to show my children that I love them. All of them. Rook, Olive, Ace, and Kyle."
King's father was one of the great mysteries surrounding him. That and his actual age. From what Lisa knew, his father was the real reason his childhood ended up the way it did. When she spoke to King's mother in heaven, she cast most of the blame on her husband for how King turned out. He was the mastermind behind most of the crueler decisions they made when raising Joel. Somewhere out there he was alive, but no one knew where.
Howling erupted from the other part of the house which told Lisa that the party was getting more intense. King ignored it and stared at his paws. He flipped them around and examined them like he was checking for some unseen wound.
"I hate being a dog," he said abruptly. "I wish I could go back and never end up like this."
That caught Lisa off guard. She knew he was depressed but to say something like that was too much. Being a dog was the only thing that was able to heal the wounds that had been inflicted on him growing up and gave him a second chance at life. But at the same time, she knew he had nothing right now, so it was natural to feel like that.
"Well, if I could snap my fingers and make everything different I would." To emphasize what she was saying she snapped her fingers. Suddenly a blinding flash of light consumed them and then there was nothing.
Lisa opened her eyes and blinked in the morning sun as it streamed through her window. Carefully, she lifted her head and looked around the room. She was back at Milton Manor but how did she get there? She ran a hand through her hair and thought back. The last thing she remembered was the party and talking to King. Did she get drunk somehow? No that couldn't be it, there was no alcohol in the wolf house. She didn't drink anyway. It reminded her too much of her mother.
Her throat felt dry and scratchy as she made her way to Nick's room. She knocked on the door and seconds later he opened it. He was already dressed, looking clean and groomed. Seeing him instantly reminded her of the things he said to her the night before, but she was willing to forget about that for the time being.
He looked her up and down before speaking, "Well, someone looks like they had a fun night." She gave him a confused look before bursting past him and made her way to the mirror. It was true. Her hair was full of knots, and there were dark circles around her eyes. The worst part was how pale she looked. Her skin made her look like she had come down the plague. Strangely, she felt exhausted despite having just woken up. She glanced at the clock on Nick's open computer. 11:38 a.m. It was so late so why was she so tired.
"Do you know what happened last night?" Lisa asked as Nick set down on the bed behind her.
"Well, after our less than productive discussion you got upset and stormed out the Wolf house. After that, I don't know. I came home, and your door was shut, so I assume you were here."
"Wait, that's not what happened." A dizzy spell overcame her, and she grabbed on the burrow to keep from falling down. Nick made a move to help her, but she held out her hand to stop him. "After we talked, I went to check on King."
Nick gave her a questioning look. "Who's King?"
Lisa's eyes widened as she studied Nick's face, but there was nothing there but confusion. "That's not funny, Nick." She told him feeling fear begin to claw up her chest. "This is not the time to joke about this. He just lost his wife and kids."
Nick looked puzzled like he seriously did not know what she was talking about. "I really don't know who you're talking about. Have I met this King person? I thought I met all your friends already or is this one of those celestial characters."
Lisa didn't speak. She ran out of the room and down the hall. This wasn't happening, she repeated to herself over and over. When she arrived at her destination, she threw open the door of Keene's old office and startled Lana so severely that the ferret nearly fell out of the chair.
"Lana, you know who King is don't you?" Lisa asked breathlessly.
"Um, sorry I don't know that name?" Lana said politely as she resettled down in the chair. Lisa made a strangled noise and flew out of the room so fast it was like she was never there.
When she made it back to her room, the grabbed her phone and called every pet she had on speed dial. They all said the same thing. They had never heard of King before. Frustrated she threw the phone on the bed and could feel tears begin to fall down her face. What was going on? She felt like she was going crazy.
The phone rang and for a second Lisa felt like ignoring it. It was most likely one of the pets calling her back to ask why she just freaked out on them. Giving in, she reached over and picked the phone. The number on the screen was not one she recognized. Curious, she pressed the answer button and held it to her ear.
"Hello?" she said.
"Lisa! Oh, thank god this was the right number."
She recognized that voice instantly. "King, is that you?" Relief washed over her like a cold wave. She hadn't completely lost her mind.
"I need to see you right away. Something is seriously wrong," King said. Lisa could hear the panic in his voice.
"Okay, where are you. Are you still at the Wolf house?" she was already pulling out a fresh set of clothes and beginning to change when he responded.
"No, I don't know exactly where I am, but I can give you an address."
Lisa paused then said, "Text me it, and I'll be right over." With that, she hung up and waited. Seconds later an address appeared on her screen. She bent over and read it. The first thing she noticed was that it wasn't in Babylon Gardens. The second was that it was an apartment building.
Lisa wasted no time stealing one of the Milton's cars and driving to the address sent her. The building in question was on the east side of town almost opposite of Babylon Gardens. It was a standard looking building with a small parking lot behind it. Thankfully people were working so she could find a place. There was no elevator, so she had to walk up several flights of stairs until she reached the room King wrote. Before she could knock the door flew open and standing there was the last person she expected to see.
"Joel?" Lisa whispered.
It was Joel alright. King's former human self and this was the first time she had ever seen it outside of the comics. He looked almost exactly the same as he did in the pictures only there was one noticeable difference. He was much older.
"You might want to sit down. I know I do," he said as he stepped to the side and let her in.
The apartment itself looked like one would expect for a single man in his late thirties. No real furniture or pictures on the wall. There were a couch and coffee table in the sitting room as well as a large flat screen hanging on the wall. In the kitchen was a card table with a pizza box partway open. The garbage can was overflowing with take-out. A large sliding door that Lisa assumed led to a balcony was hidden by long navy-blue curtains. The apartment itself smelled musty.
Lisa set on the couch while Joel pulled up one of the chairs from the kitchen. Neither one said anything. It was Lisa who broke the silence.
"What on earth is going on? Why are you human again?"
Joel threw his arms in the air and shouted, "I don't know. I just woke up like this. Imagine my surprise when I suddenly didn't have fur. Then I noticed I wasn't in my bed but in a stranger's. After panicking for an hour, I remembered our conversation last night, and so I called you."
Lisa thought back to the night before. King wished he had never been turned into a dog and she snapped her fingers. Her eyes widened as she looked at her hands. Did she cause this? There was only one way to find out.
"Kitsune!" Lisa screamed standing up. "Get your tail over here right now."
"I was wondering when you would call," Kitsune said. He appeared out of nowhere. "I knew if I waited long enough you would miss me." He smiled at her, and for a second, she could feel her heart melt. She pushed down those feelings. Instead, she gave him a furious look that said, I'm still not talking to you, but this is serious.
"What is going on? Why is King Joel again? Why doesn't anyone remember him?" Lisa asked.
"Wait, what?" Joel asked clearly surprised by that bit of news.
Kitsune's smile faded. In its place was a look of anger and concern. "King wished he had never been turned into a dog and you granted it for him."
"I, what," Lisa said abruptly.
Kitsune's brow furrowed. "You took on the power of a celestial being. A goddess. Even though you used that power to destroy Drasil, there are still some remaining sparks. Remnants of that divine power."
Lisa sat back down not taking her eyes off of Kitsune. She remembered him telling that to Tarot, and the others are the diner. Then there was Res who could still change into his weretiger form. She never once considered that the same thing could happen to her or that it would manifest itself like this.
"Okay, if she did this can she undo it?" Joel asked. The annoyance in his voice was unmistakable. Once again, his life had been turned upside down by divine forces. Lisa felt a surge of guilt. It was her fault, again. "Can you do something? You gave me a choice to live as a dog. Just do it again."
Kitsune shook his head. His tails flicked uncomfortably. "I can't do that for several reasons. One it was Lisa's power that did it, and because it is not normal, I have no control over what it does. Secondly, I did what I did before because of the Game and because Pete had already broken his control over you when he changed you back to normal originally. Finally, I couldn't do it because you don't want to go back to being King."
"Um, excuse me," Joel said. "I think I know that I want to go back to my family."
"Your family who doesn't want to see you. You made that wish for a reason. It's going to take more than a few hours to make those feelings go away," Kitsune said.
"There must be something he can do. Something I can do," Lisa interjected. "I caused this. So, I should be able to fix it."
"Yes and no." Kitsune turned to her. There was pity in his eyes and something else. Grief. A part of her wanted to throw her arms around him, but this was not the time. "If you had more control over your powers maybe but even then, I doubt you would have enough to undo such a powerful spell. The last one drained you." Lisa did feel tired even now. "But there is something that you both might be able to do if you are serious about returning to your old life."
"What is it?" Joel asked leaning forward.
"The Wonderful Life Effect."
They both stared at Kitsune. "What does that even mean?" Lisa groaned.
"Just like it sounds. You've both seen It's a Wonderful Life, right?"
Lisa nodded. She only had watched it once with her father years ago. The movie was a vague image in her mind, but she knew where Kitsune was going. So did Joel judging from the expression on his face.
"You're saying that for everything to go back to normal, I have to learn a lesson or something?"
"Something like that," Kitsune said trying to suppress a grin. "Really you have to want to go back fully and completely. There can be no doubts in your heart that you want your old life back. I would suggest following the movie's lead and seeing your old friends and how their lives are different without you. I would suggest checking the alley beside Bert's Pizza."
On that final note, he popped out of existence leaving Lisa alone with Joel. Lisa laid back against the sofa cushions while Joel laid his head in his hands. Neither of them had a clue what to do next besides follow Kitsune's suggestion. Bert's Pizza? Lisa thought. She had never heard of it. Why would one of their friends be there?
Pushing herself up off the couch, Lisa decided to find the bathroom and think about the situation in peace. She saw a hallway hiding off to the side and found herself looking at the bathroom, but that did not draw her attention. On both ends of the hall was a door. One was slightly ajar while the other was closed entirely. Curiosity overcame her, and she checked the room with the open door.
It was an average bedroom or an average grown man. An unmade bed, a closet filled with various shirts, ties, and formal wear. A borough with a shaving kit and a set of books neatly pressed together. Joel's bedroom, she told herself. She turned back to the hall and stared at the other door. When she walked down the hall, she paused halfway and looked at Joel who was still moping.
"Is this a two-bedroom apartment?" Lisa asked.
Joel sat up, regarding her curiously. He wasn't sure, Lisa could tell. Slowly she moved to the far door and turned the knob. Opening it slightly she stuck her head in just in case it was occupied. Thankfully it was empty, but someone had stayed there. As she examined the room, it became clearer who that was.
The bed was neatly made with a table beside it. A lava lamp set on the table next to an Amazon Echo Spot. The pictures hanging on the walls were that of action movies and various anime. There was a small TV in the corner sitting on a set of cubicles filled with drawers, movies, and games. She walked in and examined the room more closely. Something caught her eye. Sitting on the dresser was a framed photo of two people. Reaching out, Lisa picked it up, and as she looked at it, she could feel her heartache. It was a picture of Joel and a young boy that looked exactly like him. Even though she had never seen Kyle before it was obvious that this was him.
"What is all this?" Joel said standing at the doorway.
Lisa was so started that she slammed the picture face down on the dresser. Joel clearly didn't notice because he was too busy scanning the room. A look of realization spread over his face, and Lisa knew that he had come to the same conclusion she had. He noticed the picture she had failed to hide. Walking over, he picked it up and stared at it.
Joel's eyes began to water as he sat on the bed still holding the picture. Lisa did not know what to say to him. There was nothing that could be said. The writing was literally on the wall. Hanging over the bed was the name "Kyle" spelled using different shapes and designs.
Joel," Lisa said sitting beside him. She laid her hand on his.
"What does this mean?" he asked expecting her to have an answer.
The truth was, she did have a theory. One thing she noticed about this room was the lack of clothes. The closest was almost entirely empty. Her mind was drawn back to Rowan who kept everything in a suitcase even after they started staying at Milton Manor. It was always meant to be temporary.
"You must have gotten partial custody," Lisa said, and that was all it took. Joel placed the picture beside him and cried into his hands. Lisa could feel the torment pouring from him like sharp needles sticking into her skin. She looked around again. This was the life he was deprived of. The life Pete stole from him. The life that not even Kitsune could give him back.
"I don't understand. How did this happen?" Joel asked wiping his eyes with his shirt sleeve.
"If I had to guess. I would assume that either you or Donna reached out and you found out about Kyle after you were released from prison. You got your life together and got this apartment."
"It's so normal," Joel said like the word was foreign to him. Lisa understood. Nothing about his life had been normal for the last nine years. "I have a real life."
"You have a life back in Babylon Gardens. A life with Bailey and your kids. Your other kids," she added quickly.
"They all hate me. Bailey hates me. Kyle hates me. The pups probably don't even understand why I left."
"They are only three," Lisa said. "But Bailey will come around eventually." She wanted to say that Kyle would too, but they both knew the chances of that happening were beyond slim.
Joel stood up. He placed the picture back where they found it and walked out of the room. Lisa quickly followed him unsure about what was happening. "Let's go," he told her.
"Go, you mean to check on the others?"
Joel nodded. "I need to know. I need to know if their lives are better without me in them."
The first stop on what Lisa started calling "The Wonderful Life Tour" was Burt's Pizza. Liza parked the car on in the side of the road and fished out a few quarters from her purse. Since she did not know how long they were there or what they were even looking for she dropped them all in. The meter changed to 2 hours, and they were set.
The restaurant itself was not very remarkable. In fact, it was kind of gross. A place that Lisa would normally drive past and never give a second look. The front window had a cartoon of a fat man with a mustache holding a pizza out like he was offering a slice. They went inside and set down. The dining area was almost empty which was a surprise considering it was lunchtime. The table was covered in a red and white checkered pattern plastic table cloth. Lisa picked up a menu from the middle of the counter. It was sticky and unpleasant to the touch. Joel kept looking around like whoever or whatever they were there to find would pop out like a neon sign.
A young waitress, most likely a college student trying to pay for tuition, came over and took their drink orders. She asked if they knew what they wanted to eat. Joel and Lisa exchanged one look, and Lisa ordered a plain pepperoni pizza.
When the waitress was gone, Lisa leaned over and whispered, "What are we looking for exactly."
"This is just like Kitsune to leave us hanging like this. He only gives vague information. Just once it would be nice to have the entire answer. Go to this place and then what?" Joel retorted.
"He did tell us about the spell and how to undo it, so that's something?" Lisa did not know what she was defending Kitsune. Part of her assumed it was loyalty to her boyfriend which he technically still was. "He did say check the alley. I don't know why we came inside."
"Why would someone we know be in the alley. We're nowhere near Babylon Gardens."
Lisa didn't have an answer. This entire situation was strange which was saying something considering everything they had been through the last six months. They stayed silent while their drinks arrived and after the pizza showed up. Lisa took one bite and concluded while it was not the worse pizza, she had ever had it was not in the top five. Joel ate the entire slice and then scarfed down another.
"Stress eating," he told her when he caught her staring at him.
When they were done, Lisa paid using the Milton's credit card. Technically she was still their employee even though the plans for the second season of their show were still in the works.
When they walked out of the restaurant, a heavy silence hung between them. They moved to the alley which Lisa felt was a bad idea. The last time did something this the one waiting for her was Drasil. At least then she had Rowan. This time it could be something far worse, and all she had for a companion was Joel, who even though he was human, was a middle age man who looked like he had never set foot in a gym.
As they entered the alley, Joel spoke up. "I can't help but blame Pete for all of this. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't be torn between two worlds, feeling like my head and my heart are about to split in half."
"That's why we're doing this," Lisa told him. "Kitsune told us to follow up on our friends and see what their lives are like now that you were never apart of them. If you can overcome whatever you're feeling, then things will go back to normal."
"I don't know what normal is anymore," Joel said lifting his face to the sky. "Nothing in my life has been normal ever since Pete kidnapped me and made me his avatar."
"What did you say?"
Lisa and Joel instantly froze. A low growling sound was coming from behind a large dumpster farther down the alley. From the shadows a large animal emerged, still growling. The first word that popped in Lisa's mind was Rottweiler. His entire body was covered in black fur with a brown muzzle. His teeth were bared as drool dripped down his lips. He was large. Larger than an average dog, Lisa noticed. She couldn't move or breathe. The burning hatred in this dog's eyes was almost as bad as Drasil's. Her eyes fell on the spiked collar around the dog's neck, and her blood turned to ice.
It was at that moment that Lisa realized two things. One was that without Joel, Pete would have had to find a different avatar. Second, it was King who stopped the Game before a formal victor could be declared.
Hanging on the dog's collar was a charm that was eerily similar to King's only this one was in the shape of a bishop. They were looking at King's replacement avatar. Clearly, Pete went for pure power instead of crafting a powerful avatar.
"You two know Pete and Kitsune," the Rottweiler growled. He balled his paws into fists. He was ready to kill them both just for knowing Pete and Kitsune, who was this guy? Lisa wondered.
"Who are you," Lisa managed to blurt out.
The dog narrowed his eyes at her and calmly spoke, "My real name is Jimmy Sanders. But I guess you should call me Bishop."
"You're Pete's avatar," Joel said like he just figured it out.
"Was his avatar. We lost the Game, and as punishment, I was trapped in his body scrounging for scraps like a feral beast." Every word out of his mouth was drenched in hatred.
The urge to run away was overpowering. This dog must have been another convicted criminal like Joel. What did he do?
"Now how do you both know about Pete and Kitsune?" He took another step towards them. "Don't try to run. I know I'm much faster than you two." He smiled. It was a horrible smile that caused every instinct Lisa had to scream "Runaway."
Lisa did not know what to do. If they told him the truth, he might not believe them. What would happen if he did? Bishop looked at Joel and asked, "You were Pete's avatar, once weren't you?"
"How did you know that?" Joel responded.
"I wasn't sure until now," he replied. Lisa wanted to kick Joel right there. "I don't know how but I can just tell by looking at you both this is somehow your fault. Calling it a lingering trace of my avatar powers but I can tell. So what would happen if I were to kill you both right now?"
"Run," Lisa said then much louder repeated herself. "Run!"
They sprinted from the alley and tried to get to their car. Lisa wished they had not had to park so far from the restaurant. Bishop was right behind them. Lisa could feel his paws trying to grab her shirt.
"Your mine," he said. Lisa risked a glance and could see the intense bloodlust in his eyes. The darkness that came from losing everything and only knowing to suffer. It was the same darkness Rowan had when he attacked the neighborhood. Pete made King's life miserable, but he was able to get away and find solace with the neighborhood dogs. She doubted this guy would be able to make friends with anyone.
With no other option, Lisa swung her elbow and slammed it directly into the side of the dog's face. It slowed him down slightly, but it also made him even angrier. "Why you stupid…" He never got a chance to finish that sentence because Joel immediately swung his foot and roundhouse kicked Bishop so hard that he fell to the sidewalk, bleeding from his mouth and nose. Lisa didn't have time to be impressed. Curious onlookers were now coming out of businesses and buildings to see what was happening.
Lisa and Joel jumped into the car and pulled out without even bothering to check for oncoming traffic. Lisa sped down the road back towards Babylon Gardens.
Neither of them spoke until they reached the neighborhood sign. Lisa pulled off to the side of the road and parked the car.
"That was impressive. Where did you learn how to do that?" she asked. She wanted to ask why you haven't ever done that before but decided against it.
"Prison," Joel said. "You learn how to defend yourself early on, or life gets a lot harder for you."
Lisa gave Joel a worried frown. "Are you sure you want to do this? After that ordeal who knows what will be waiting for us."
Without looking at her, he replied, "I have too."
Lisa put the car back into Drive and drove into the neighborhood. Unsurprisingly everything looked the same on the outside. As they maneuvered down various streets, Lisa mentally flipped through the comics trying to remember everyone King interacted with. Each time she kept coming back to the same ones, the Wolves and Fox.
Their first stop was the Wolf house. Bags of garbage from the previous night was lied outside waiting for pick up. Beyond that, there was nothing out of the ordinary. Joel looked longingly at the house but said nothing. They both came to the same conclusion. King may have lived with them, maybe been part of the pack, but his presence did not have a significant impact on them.
As Lisa drove off, she tried to comfort Joel by saying, "You know if they remembered you then they would miss you. You were part of the family. Without you, there would be a corgi shaped hole in all their lives."
Joel said nothing but continued to look out the passenger side window. Lisa could see his reflection and saw the sadness he was trying to hide.
The next stop was Bill's house. Lisa parked farther down the road because Fox and Bill would be the only two people in the neighborhood who would remember Joel because they met before Pete. Lisa got off the car and walked to the house. The entire way she tried to think of an excuse to check in on them. Drawing a blank, she decided to wing it.
She knocked on the door and expected Bailey to answer but instead Fox opened it.
"Lisa," he said mildly confused. "What are you doing here?"
I wish I knew, she thought. Out loud she replied, "I wanted to…" Something flashed in her head like an alarm. "Shouldn't you be at work?"
Fox scratched his head. "What do you mean?"
"Your job. You work for the K-9PD."
Fox let out a hoarse laugh. "No, I don't. I always thought about it, but it was always just one of those things that never happened."
Lisa's heart sank. It was King that pushed Fox to join after their trip to Heaven and Australia. Without his influence and adventure, there was never a reason for Fox to join.
"Is Bailey around? I need to talk to her." Lisa said looking into the house for some sign of his cousin.
Fox gave her a confused look. "Bailey is in Kansas. If you really need to talk to her, I can give you her number."
"Wait, she didn't move in with you after her owners moved?" Lisa was growing more concerned.
Fox shook his head, "I offered, but she said that there was no reason for her to come all the way here. She found herself a new home in Topeka. I haven't talked to her in a while."
No King meant no Bailey. Lisa gritted her teeth. There was one person who King had a positive effect on. Two people actually. She needed to tell him.
"Thanks, Fox. I need to go." As she turned to head back to the car Fox called to her.
"Are you okay, Lisa. I know things have been hard with Rowan missing and Kitsune breaking up with you."
"What? He didn't…we didn't," she tried to speak, but the words kept getting caught in her throat.
"We'll find Rowan again. He was my friend too. He's out there somewhere. Tarot and Sabrina are both looking for him right now. What Drasil did, he won't get away with it," Fox said calmly.
Lisa felt the pavement slip from under her. King was Drasil's target. He set him up to free him from his prison. If Joel was never King, then he was not capable of doing that. That would mean that Drasil would need someone else. Someone who was neither fully human or entirely something else. Kitsune's words resounded in her ears, "I am more certain they performed some kind of ritual on Rowan so that he was able to absorb massive quantities of magic. That kind of transformation, it alters a human's mind and psyche."
"Oh god, Rowan." Lisa covered her mouth with her hand. Tears fell from her eyes as she fled. She did not look back as Fox called for her. She ran past the car not stopping. Joel threw open the door as she ran past. She kept running until she found herself in the middle of the woods.
Wiping the tears from her eyes, she screamed, "Kitsune. Come here. No more games."
"I'm here," Kitsune said from behind her.
She turned on him. His red eyes were soft as he stared at her. She felt like she was about to crumble right there. There was a hole inside her that only seemed to be growing larger. No matter what happened. No matter what they changed, Rowan was still gone.
Tears fell from her eyes as she spoke, "What happened? I know you know what happened in this reality. That's why you sent us on a suicide mission to find Bishop. Where's Rowan?"
A cloud obscured the sun as Kitsune spoke. "Without King, Drasil needed someone to let him out of Tartarus. Bishop would have been the obvious choice, but he was unstable and had nothing to lose. When you and Rowan showed up, Drasil could sense that Rowan was different. I think it was the same reason he sought out Dakota." Lisa's body grew colder. "This time Drasil took it too far. He took Dakota which sent Rowan spiraling. His anger and fury sent him on a solo mission to Tartarus. Drasil expected him to free him, but he underestimated Rowan's power. Whatever power Rowan has was in full force when he confronted Drasil. That along with the magic of Tartarus made him an unstoppable force. He destroyed Drasil, but by doing so, the power destroyed him. I managed to rescue Dakota in time, but Rowan was already gone."
Lisa watched numbly as Kitsune moved towards her, but before he was within arm's length, she stepped back. "That doesn't matter. My Rowan is still alive and out there somewhere. This—" she waved her hands in the air. "None of this is real. It is an illusion I created and as soon as King realizes what he lost it will be gone."
"Are you sure?" Kitsune said in his gentlest voice.
"I know he will see reason and want to go back to his family," Lisa said.
Kitsune shook his head. "Are you sure Rowan is still out there? Even back home he may be gone as well."
Not this again. Lisa glared angrily at him. She didn't have time for this. Joel was waiting for her, and she was going to make him see reason even if she had to force it into him. The thought of seeing Rowan again was the only thing that enabled Lisa to find her way back to the car. Joel was waiting by the trunk playing with his phone. Without a word, Lisa stalked past him and climbed into the driver's seat. Joel took that as his cue to follow suit.
"Where are we going next?" he asked.
Lisa turned the ignition on and spun the wheel. "Back to your apartment. We have a lot to talk about on the way there."
The entire conversation on the way back was one-sided. Lisa talked, and every time Joel tried to interrupt, she would talk over him. She explained what she learned from Fox. How he had never joined the K9PD, how Bailey was still living in Kansas, and how Rowan was gone since he was not Drasil's target this time. Her voice broke slightly when she talked about Rowan. She kept having to remind herself that he was still out there back in their own world.
When they arrived back to the apartment building, they climbed the stairs and reached the door. As Joel turned the key in the lock, a strange sensation overcame Lisa. A sense of wrongness. When Joel opened the door, they found that the apartment wasn't empty.
"Kyle," Joel whispered.
A teenage boy stood up from the couch and smiled at Joel as they walked in. Lisa noticed the curtains were drawn allowing for sunlight to pour in. The remote for the TV still in his hand, Kyle walked over to his father like the only person in the world. He wore a green shirt with a yellow circle that instantly reminded Lisa of the outfit Joel had on when he kidnapped Fox. He really was Joel's son, she realized.
As if noticing her for the first time, Kyle scowled at her than at Joel. "Dad, really? Isn't she a little young for you. She's my age."
"I'm twenty-two," Lisa said before the rest of his comment sunk in. "We're not…I'm not."
"She's an old friend of mine and is helping me with a problem," Joel said. It wasn't a lie but still wasn't the entire truth.
Kyle rolled his eyes like he didn't believe him. Lisa couldn't blame him. Despite the vague excuse their being together made no sense unless you knew the entire story. Kyle stared back at Lisa, and a look of recognition spread over his face.
"Aren't' you the host of that show on Animal Planet. That one that is about that neighborhood across town."
"I am," Lisa said. "What are you doing here?"
Kyle turned back to Joel. "Did you forget that it's your weekend. I've been here for like an hour. I tried calling you, but you didn't pick up."
Lisa remembered Joel playing his phone. The serious look on his face. Why didn't he pick up if he knew it was Kyle?
"Sorry, my phone was on silent," Joel lied. "I'm glad you're here. Sorry, I forgot about your visiting. Things have been really hectic today."
"Should I call Mom to come to pick me up?" Kyle asked.
"No," Joel said immediately. "Things are less hectic now so we can spend as much time together as you want."
Lisa gave him a "what are you doing?" look which Joel promptly ignored. He gazed at his son like he was a lost treasure that he had spent his entire life looking for. Lisa felt a pang of guilt. The way he looked, right now. She had only seen him with that expression when he watched his pups play or sleep.
"No offense Dad, but I just wanted to know where you were. I'm fine chilling here." Kyle's eyes shifted between Joel and Lisa. "In fact, I'm going to go to my room for a little while. Let me know when you are done hanging with your old friend." Lisa could practically see the quotes around "old friend."
"Kyle," Joel started, but it was too late. Kyle tossed the remote on the couch and disappeared down the hall. They heard the door shut and then silence.
"What are you doing? We're supposed to find a way to get everything back to normal," Lisa told him.
Joel was not listening. He slowly trudged to the couch and sat down heavily. Lisa spun around the room as if trying to find something she could use to hit Joel over the head. He was blinded by something that wasn't real, and the worse part was that she couldn't blame him. She would have given up just about anything to see her father again.
"What about your other kids?" Lisa asked. It was obvious what was going through his mind at that moment. "Rook, Olive, Ace. They need their father. They deserve a father."
"I know. I know," Joel said a little too loudly. Lisa glanced at the hallway listening to see if Kyle would check on them. "I miss them. I do love them. They are still my kids but so is Kyle. How am I supposed to choose between them?"
An age-old question, Lisa told herself. "Hello, Kyle is still out there. Your pups don't exist here. But back home in the real world, Kyle does. There is still a chance to connect with him, but you'd rather mope in your room." Emotions that had been building up for the last few weeks exploded out of her, and unfortunately, Joel was about to receive the full force. "You are pathetic. Bailey came to see you last night, and you knew it, but you'd were too much of a coward to confront her. I wonder if it's really is Bailey who is the one who is talking this whole Kyle thing the wrong way. You wished you could have been human again, but maybe instead you should have just tried to be a man instead. Talk to her about what you're feeling instead of avoiding her." Lisa's voice faded out as she realized that she was doing that to Kitsune. He came to her each time she called. He was waiting for her, but she was too angry to give him a chance. She'd rather be angry than deal with her feelings. Her anger towards Rowan for leaving her and her anger towards herself for driving him away.
"I drove him away," Lisa whispered. "I drove them both away."
"I'm glad you've come to that realization."
Lisa turned to see the dark face of Rowan standing in the doorway. The front door was wide open, practically knocked off its hinges. His body was covered by the same black cloak as before, and part of his face was obscured by a hood, but she could still see his eyes. One was glowing purple while the other was a sinister gold. He took a step forward, and Lisa could feel dark power radiating from every pore on his body.
"Rowan, you're here," Lisa said. "How?"
He gave them a lopsided smile. "You think that your little magic could affect someone as powerful as me. I must admit I was impressed by the magic you used. To think you still had that kind of power lying inside of you."
"What do you want, Rowan?" Joel asked standing up from the couch.
Rowan raised an eyebrow as he studied Joel. Lisa realized this would be the first time he had seen King's human self as well. "My you have not aged well. I think Pete did you a favor."
"Don't say that name." At that moment, Bishop appeared from the entryway. He scanned the apartment with disgust on his face. His eyes fell on Joel, and he began to growl.
"I brought a guest for you." Rowan waved his hand at Bishop like they were old friends. "I took the liberty on filling him in on what is really going on."
"You stole everything from me. Ruined my life," Bishop growled. "Now I'm going to take something from you."
"Dad, what is going on?" Kyle picked the worst possible time to come out of his room. Several things happened at once. Bishop's turned to Kyle, and their eyes met. The Rottweiler sprung at Kyle who screamed and tried to cover his face. Joel pounced on Bishop, colliding in mid-air. They sailed to the wall and fell to the floor. Bishop did not waste a moment before snapping his massive jaw on Joel's arm. Lisa screamed and tried to help him, but Rowan stood in her path.
"I don't think this involves us. We've done enough interfering for one day," Rowan said smoothly.
"Why are you doing this?" Lisa asked. She searched his face for some sign, a flicker of the old Rowan that was still there. "I know what happened to you. I know about the Hillside Kidnapping."
That caught him off guard his calm demeanor shifted for a second. "I know you gave yourself up for Dakota," Lisa continued, "Why didn't you tell me? I would have understood. I'm sorry I couldn't help you before."
Rowan's purple eye began to water. For a moment Lisa thought she was getting through to him. "You don't know what he went through. You could never understand what they did to him."
"Dakota is safe though," Lisa said. "You saved him. I know deep down that you will find a way to heal him. I'll help you." She was pleading with him now. Pressing her hand over her heart, she held out her hand to him. "We can do it together. Just come back to me."
Rowan closed his eyes and laughed coldly. "I wasn't referring to Dakota. Why would I care about him? I was referring to Rowan."
Lisa's eyes widened as her arm dropped to her side. "You're not Rowan."
With a single wave of his hand, Lisa was sent flying backward through the glass door. She slammed against the railing of the balcony which was the only thing keeping her from falling to the asphalt below. She could taste blood as she stared at the stranger moving towards her.
"Who are you?" she hissed. "What did you do to Rowan?"
"I told you before, I am Revenant." He bent down and gently brushed back some of the hair that had fallen over her face. Up close, Lisa could see that this man was more like a ghost than a man. His skin was so pale and cold. Even his touch sent chills down her spine. His purple eye glowed brighter as he continued, "I am all that remains of the person you knew. The lingering ashes of dark magic both from Drasil and the power forced on Rowan when he was just a child." He grabbed her chin and forced her to look directly at him. She could feel tears flowing down her cheeks. "That's what I wanted to see. The look of utter and complete loss. The man you loved is gone. He was consumed by darkness and pain specifically heartbreak. I am what remains."
He let her go and walked back through the broken door. Lisa struggled to push herself up from off the concrete balcony. She reached out for him like she could grab him and force him to stay. Her voice was shallow and empty as she tried to call for him. He strode past Joel and Bishop still fighting in the hallway. Lisa watched helplessly as he walked out the door and out of sight.
"Dad!" Kyle screamed as Joel was flung through the air. He landed on the coffee table which collapsed under him. He didn't move. Bishop limped over to him with the intent to kill. Lisa had to do something. She grabbed the railing and pulled herself to her feet. Her entire body screamed in pain, but she ignored it. Bishop stood over Joel and held out his claws.
"Stop it!" Lisa screamed.
Bishop brought his claw down on Joel's throat. Lisa's vision turned red. Bishop stepped back to admire his handy work. Out of nowhere, Kyle swung one of the folding chairs at the dog's head. There was a deafening crack, and Bishop fell to the floor. He laid there motionless.
Lisa leaned against the couch as she slowly moved to Joel. His throat was covered in blood. It ran down his shirt and from his mouth. Kyle bent over and tried to stop the bleeding. He looked at Lisa, pleading with her to save his father. Joel blinked up at them both. He gave a small smile.
"Joel," Lisa said letting the tears run down her face. "King."
"Dad hang on. I'll call an ambulance. You can't die," Kyle pulled out his phone, but his hands were too slick to press the screen.
"Kyle," Joel said weakly. "I'm so sorry. I wasn't there for you growing up. I wish things could have been different. All I wanted was to have a chance to be your father."
"Don't talk like that," Kyle said desperately. He continued to struggle with his phone. Joel placed his hand over his son's, and Kyle let the phone drop to the floor.
"I love you, Kyle," Joel said. His hand dropped to the floor, and his eyes began to close.
"I love you too, Dad," Kyle said.
White light filled the entire room, and then there was nothing.
Lisa opened her eyes and found herself in her room back in Milton Manor. She threw off the bed sheets and picked up her phone. The date read November first. It was the same day but what happened? The memory of Joel dying replayed in her mind. She ran to her dresser and put on the first thing she could get her hands on. She was out of the door and then racing down the street towards the Wolf House.
Lisa did not bother knocking or waiting to be invited. She barged into the house much to the surprise of Miles who was reading the paper in his chair. The house was still a mess from the party the night before. Lucretia stuck her head out of the kitchen to see what was going on.
"Where's King?" Lisa asked trying to catch her breath.
Miles stared at her nervously. "He's in his room. What's going on?"
Lisa did not waste a moment to answer. She ran through the house passing a still half-asleep North Star who was barely had time to move out of the way before he was knocked out of the way. She flew open the door and found King sitting on the edge of the bed staring at the floor.
"Oh God, King," Lisa said.
The corgi didn't seem startled back her entrance. He didn't resist when she threw her arms around him.
"Lisa…"
"I'm glad you're alright," Lisa said pulling away from him. She knelt down on the floor so that they were eye level. "You are fine right?" She looked for any injury or sign that anything that happened before had actually happened.
"I'm alright." Lisa could see his body was shaking slightly. What happened had an effect on him. "I need to go see Bailey."
Lisa nodded in agreement. They both stood up and moved to the door. Miles called from the other room, "King, there's someone here to see you."
King and Lisa exchanged looks both clearly thinking the same thing.
When they got to the living room, Lisa expected to see Bailey, but instead, someone completely different was waiting for them.
"Kyle," King said.
"Hey, there," he said nervously. He shifted back and forth on his feet like he was uncomfortable. Usually, when humans were nervous in this house, it was because of the wolves which were all currently watching from various spots. In this case, Kyle was apparently nervous about confronting King.
"What are you doing here?" King asked moving closer. "How did you get here? Does your mother know?"
"That is such a Dad thing to ask," Kyle said. "The answers would be to see you, Uber, and no."
"See me," King glanced up at Lisa who nodded her head. "Do you want to sit down?" King looked around and noticed the sets of eyes all staring at him. "Or not."
Kyle took a deep breath and spoke slowly. "This is going to sound strange, but last night I had a dream about you. About us." He turned his attention to Lisa. "You were there too for some reason."
Lisa's lips pressed together nervously. How much did he remember?
"Anyway, I was living with you, and everything was normal. We were in this apartment and us happy." His voice choked on those last few words. "Then all of a sudden, this monster dog came in and attacked me. You fought it off but before I could help you. He killed you." Kyle paused for a second. Lisa mentally encouraged to keep going. "I saw you die. I can still see the blood. When I woke up, I could feel it on my hands." He held out his hands as if checking to see if they were red.
"You told me loved me and that you sorry." Kyle turned away before speaking again. "When I woke up, I realized that I didn't want to go through that again. There is a part of me deep down that does love you and wants to understand you." He looked King right in the eye.
"I want to be a part of your life," King said. "If you will let me."
"Okay," Kyle said. "How do we do that?"
"Come with me," King said and strolled past him. "I'll take you to see your brother and sisters. They'll love to meet you."
"This is so weird," Kyle said.
King smiled at him and said, "It's doesn't get any less weird."
Lisa followed them out of the house and watched them turn the corner towards Bill house. She knew that things were going to work out for that strange little family. Head down, Lisa walked rapidly down the street almost automatically. She didn't know where she was going until she was there.
Standing in front of her was the oak tree where Kitsune first consoled her and standing in front of it was Kitsune. The wind blew by carrying with it the scent of fall. Lisa veered towards him and walked into his open arms. She let it all out. Pressing her face into his fur, she cried while he held her.
"He's gone," Lisa whimpered. "He's really gone. You were right."
"I'm so sorry, Lisa" Kitsune said softly as he gently rested his head on hers.
She had no idea how long they stood there like that, but at that moment nothing else mattered. To her, they were the only two people in the world.