Disclaimer: I do not own Fossil Fighters, any of the vivosaurs or characters (Except for Creed and Vestello), and am simply writing this for my own amusement.
A/N: As the sequel to my previous fic, Dark Horse Gambit, this story will continue building up on the foundation I have already laid down. It shall detail the adventures of novice Fossil Fighter Vestello Leoncor as he competes in the infamous Caliosteo Cup. What sort of troubles will he face? You are welcome to read and find out.
Acknowledgments: Firstly, I would like to thank Devaro Ayanami for his wonderful help as both my Beta and my sounding-board. Secondly, I would like to thank Tempest Bound for encouraging me to post this story now, rather than later. Thirdly, I would like to thank Vathara for all the wonderful stories -which I highly recommend you read- she has posted. Reading them has helped me find ways of expanding my own writing style.
Note: Apologies for the delay, I was swept away on the river of life.
Merry Christmas everyone!
/\/\/\/\
Chapter 8
Tournament Finale I
From: Leveche
Subject: Last Warning
I'm getting tired of these random absences and evasive answers. If you don't respond within the next few hours I'm going to come to the island and check up on you myself.
/\/\/\/\
Todd was of mixed feelings involving the whole right-out-of-a-comic-book adventure he and the Patrol Team were on.
They found the Bare Bones Brigade's hideout? Great! He was too chicken to even go in the front door? Not so great, and Vestello had looked annoyed then, where usually he was tolerantly amused. They had had Don Boneyard pinned? Best news he'd heard since Vestello had made the finals. Vestello had to fight him alone? Well…he'd have thoughts about what could have happened bouncing around his head for weeks, to say nothing of the nightmares. Then Vestello ended up in the hospital after winning? If that wasn't a recipe for Nightmare Fuel of epic proportions he didn't know what else was.
At least he'll recover soon. The blonde thought, remember Joe's firm, calming voice cutting through the utter panic that had washed over the Patrol Team when they had entered the demolished throne room to find Don Boneyard nowhere in sight and Vestello unconscious on the ground, his skin all gray and cool to the touch.
"Vitality Drain." Joe had explained as he had scooped up the unconscious teenager. "Happens sometimes. Fortunately it's easy to recover from. Don't worry pards', he'll be up and about again before you know it."
His words, while relieving, did nothing to erase the sense of wrongness Todd had felt upon seeing Vestello lying motionless on a white bed in a sterile room. His friend was never so still. Ever. Even if he was apparently standing still his eyes always danced with a promise of mischief. Heck, even when he was asleep he'd fidget and twitch, and then wake up a couple hours later.
Vestello had been unconscious for almost two days.
That wasn't healthy, no matter how much those pretty nurses assured him otherwise.
Then, just earlier that day, he'd gone into Vestello's hospital room and nearly had a heart attack on the spot to find an empty bed.
Todd's face grew warm as he remembered the following Epic Freak Out. He'd run all the way to Joe's office, screaming how Don Boneyard was out for revenge and had kidnapped Vestello and they needed to go rescue him…
Then Joe had fixed him with a look and all that panic had kind of…floundered. Then the cowboy had patiently asked Todd to slow down and explain. That had been kind of weird, like something had held him still and then the words just came out without him actually planning on saying it.
Anyway, Joe had listened, and then chuckled. He explained that some Fighters just couldn't stand sitting in a hospital bed and thus made escapes to someplace sunny and quiet where they could rest with their vivosaurs. Then Pauleen and Rupert and been called in so they could all spread out and look for their missing friend.
Which was why his boots were now filled with sand as he trekked through the Dusty Dunes. The others were searching Rainbow Canyon and Mt. Krakanak. So far there had been absolutely no sign of his friend. And they had been looking for hours.
Why would Vestello come out here anyway? He wondered. Quiet, I can understand, but sunny? Why does it matter if a place is sunny or not?
Hm…that box canyon over there looked promising.
I'd want someplace dark where I can sleep. You can't sleep when the light burns through your eyelids, unless you have a face mask. And that last bit Joe had mentioned…about resting with his vivosaurs…what was that about?
He rounded a bend and entered the box canyon and stopped.
What the…?
A veritable mass of colors crowded at the far end of the canyon. Vivosaurs, Todd realized, all huddled together in what looked like one great big dog pile. Looking closer he recognized Vestello's ice-colored Raja and his Tricera.
Where did he find all of them- No, wait…how did he have the time to revive them all? He wondered, slack-jawed. Even after all that time in the various Dig Sites he had only managed to revive a handful of new vivosaurs. Skull fossils could be surprisingly illusive and, more-often-than-not, he broke a fossil or didn't clean it well enough to use in revival or simply ran out of time, which was always embarrassing.
Not that that was important right now, he had a friend to find. Was Vestello buried somewhere in that mass? The evidence strongly suggested yes, but there was only one way to actually find out—
Maybe he should call the others first? That Kaishin had awfully big teeth.
Something chattered loudly and Todd ducked a diving feather-ball of white and gold.
Wait…that's Vestello's Aopteryx.
The Aopteryx was shaking sand from its feathers and shooting Todd a very nasty look. Which, didn't make sense, what had he done?
A series of clicks and the tiny vivosaur bounded forward towards its nearest dozing companion. It stopped, stared at its looming cousin, then let out a yip. The mass of white-with-blue shifted a bit and Todd recognized it as the equinas Vestello had used to beat Pauleen. The unicorn-like vivosaur didn't respond to the noise other than shifting its tail a bit.
Expectant dark eyes landed on him, then the aopteryx bounded down the exposed route.
No dummy, Todd followed his apparent guide. Carefully, he tip-toed passed the collected vivosaurs, marveling at all Vestello had found.
That's a Parium, and that's a Shanshan—wow, those are really rare- a Ceros, a Maia, wow these are all amazing. Something tickled the back of his neck and he turned, then looked up. Then up a bit further. That vivosaurs was really big…and familiar.
Eh, heh, nice Allo, good Allo, you don't want to eat me- Todd did a double take. -Holy crow is that a T-Rex?
An impatient chitter broke him from his petrified awe. The strangely-familiar-allo let out a soft chuff, then lay its head down again while the t-rex, apparently using the Allo's back as a pillow, slept on without a care.
Todd turned towards the chittering. There was Vestello, cradled on the arms of his Aeros—nastiest vivosaur Todd had ever met, it had tried to take a piece of him more than once—with his face buried in the feathers of the aeros' breast. The Air Bone vivosaur in question was studying Todd with an oddly neutral expression.
The blonde froze under its gaze, hardly daring to breathe. Would it try to eat him now that Vestello wasn't awake to call it off?
Oh man, I hope not. Todd shivered. I like my limbs attached, thank you very much. And now was not the time to wonder if he had managed to get all that grape jelly out of his clothes… Or remember Vestello chewing on his sleeve and everyone knew vivosaurs tended to pick up the quirks of their Fighters—
Not helping!
But the vivosaurs made no move in his direction. Instead, it lowered its muzzle and gently brushed the sleeping Fighter in its arms. One nudge, two, then a sleepy sound of complaint escaped the bluenette as he shifted in place. A soft croon sounded and the little aopteryx wriggled under one elbow to tickle the soft part of Vestello's neck with its feathers.
A disgruntled amber eye opened and glared half-heartedly at the two guilty vivosaurs. Neither of whom looked the least bit repentant, but somewhat amused.
The aeros nudged Vestello again, and then stared at Todd. Still sleepy-eyed, the bluenette blinked up at his first vivosaur, then followed its gaze. Amber met blue, amber blinked again to clear the slightly glazed expression.
The blonde could almost hear the click when Vestello's brain finally cranked into gear. The bluenette sat up, eyes wide, wobbled a bit where he sat and flopped back against gray-white feathers again.
Todd bit his lip, noting the distinctive lack of Vestello's usual tan. He's so pale. He needed to say something, so he blurted the first thing that came to mind.
"You were awesome, Vestello! You pretty much took out the entire BB Brigade by yourself!" The other teenager winced a bit. Concern and confusion blatant on his face.
Did I say something wrong? "Hey, what's wrong? Try to look happy, alright?"
Vestello shook his head.
[Me, D-O-N *affirmation* notice]
"Huh?"
Okay…'Don' was obviously Don Boneyard, Todd didn't blame Vestello for not wanting to finger-spell the Brigade Leader's full name, so he got that much. But that wasn't the sign for 'inform', nor was the motion right to imply it. Maybe it was one of the synonyms for 'notice'? What was it again…'aware of'? That didn't sound quite right. Wait, the sign for 'notice' could also mean 'recognize' in the right context and Vestello had used the positive-confirmation signal so that meant-
"Don Boneyard knew who you were?"
His friend nodded, still looking troubled.
"Aw, I wouldn't worry about it." A cheery, reassuring grin. "You're in the Cup Finals, you know? You're pretty famous already."
Vestello did not look all that convinced.
C'mon Todd, think of a better topic. "Hey, Joe gave me a bunch of granola bars to give you."
Intrigue flickered in amber eyes, the troubled look vanishing.
Success! Tin foil crinkled. "Yeah, he said it was real important that you ate some. Something about—" Surprisingly quick fingers snatched the offered granola bars.
[Power Leak.
*affirmation* know]
With a sense of numb fascination, Todd watched his friend all but inhale first one, then two, then three of the granola bars with no sign of slowing down anytime son. This from a boy who didn't even like granola bars in the first place.
"So…what's the deal with Vitality Drain, anyway? Joe mentioned it and Rupert and Pauleen seemed to know what he meant…"
Vestello shrugged, before finishing off his fifth bar. Or was it his sixth?
[Power-ours, V-I-V-O eat] The bluenette signed between granola bars.
Todd blinked. "They eat us?" the crack in his voice provoked several disgruntled rumbles from some of the nearer vivosaurs.
A sigh, then Vestello shook his head and opened another bar. The odd furrow in his brows meant he was trying to translate the concept into easily-understood sign.
[You-me, V-I-V-O, give-take relationship
1st: you-me *affirmation* strength
2nd: they *affirmation* support, lead, "food"]
Blue eyes narrowed at the last bit. "I just don't get that. Vivosaurs don't eat, everyone knows that! They recover their strength in their Dino Medals after a fight."
Frowning, Vestello chewed on his lip, thinking.
[All-them: electric
Us, F-I-G-H-T-E-R-S, apply]
That one was a bit trickier. He knew that vivosaurs were energy-given-solid-form, but why had Vestello called Fighters 'apply'? Okay, when in doubt context explains all! Vestello probably wasn't thinking of 'electric' when he used that sign. What could it mean when he coupled it with 'apply'?
Oh! He could almost feel the metaphorical light bulb clicking on.
"So…vivosaurs are like batteries, and Fighters are the battery chargers?"
A smile and a nod answered him so, feeling bold, Todd went on.
"But we're not wall outlets, we need to recharge too or we 'turn off' if we charge up the batteries too much. Right? That's why you passed out?"
Vestello cocked his head.
[So-so
O.K!]
Okay, so that meant he wasn't completely getting it but Vestello thought he was close enough.
"So…if you passed out because you ran out of energy, shouldn't we be taking you to an All-You-Can-Eat buffet? How are those tiny little candy bars going to help?"
A sly I-know-something-you-don't smile.
[Special candy]
Todd felt a tic develop in his eyebrow. "But you're not going to tell me why, are you?"
The Cheshire grin was all the answer he needed. One part annoyed, one part frustrated, and one part satisfied that he'd lightened Vestello's mood, Todd was about to indulge in an overdramatic sulk to prolong the teasing atmosphere when he spotted amber eyes drooping. Realization and a flicker of shame struck him.
He's still tired. I bet his energy levels are still in the red, and here I am getting him all worked up.
Well, time to calm things down again. One step, two, and then he flopped down in the sand next to the aeros' claws. He grinned at Vestello's somewhat startled expression.
"Joe said that the Final Round of the Cup will happen a week from now on Ilium island." A strict look and a wagging finger. "So you better rest up and get better soon so you can beat Rupert!"
A blink, then a tired smile formed as Vestello settled back against his feathery bed again, munching on the remains of granola bar number…actually, Todd had lost track. It didn't take much longer for the bluenette to fall asleep.
Smiling, Todd settled back on the sand to watch over his friend.
Now…why do I feel like I'm forgetting something?
/\/\/\
From: Harmattan
Subject: Re-Last Warning
I'm really sorry for not responding. The fight with Don Boneyard left me pretty out of it for the past couple days and I only just got around to checking my emails.
/\/\/\
With a cheerful spring to his step, Vestello made his way to the cleaning room with a fossil-heavy case.
The islands are safe, the BB Brigade's been slammed down so hard they're not even going to think of causing any more trouble, and I can connect with my team again!
Smug greens flecked an expanse of joyful blue-green
:: Next we'll take the Cup and make it a clean sweep!::
Jest rubbed soft feather-down against his Fighter's jawline, purring loudly all the while. A lazy click of chitin foreshadowed a startled yelp as surprisingly dexterous spines plucked a stray feather.
A tremor dusted warning orange-reds against calm gray-blue stone
::Perhaps, but the wolf-pup will not be so easily swept aside.::
How funny was it that the unflappable Monster Shield saw Rupert the same way Vestello did? He even used the same terminology.
Hissing, the Ancient Wing Vivosaur snapped in the trilobite's direction.
Agitated reds splashed across disdainful burgandy.
::Leave my feathers alone! And even that skull-of-earth crumbled before us! The heir will be child's play!::
Stoic responded by plucking another tail feather, and then hunkered down just out of reach of Jest's incensed snapping.
Alright, time to step in before more feathers fly.
::That's enough, Stoic. He's right, though, Jest. You don't give Rupert enough credit. He is a skilled fighter.::
Scoffing, Jest tossed his head as he re-settled on Vestello's shoulder, feathers carefully tucked up out of easy reach.
Mocking burgundy blending with confident reds
:: The skull-of-earth was maxed out, even if not-all-there. The heir is a half-found fledgling, not yet leveled up even mid-way, hardly the same cla-::
A startled hiss escaped the Ancient Wing as Vestello flicked the side of his head. Hard.
::That was out of line!:: Vestello glared at the vivosaur. ::If you say something like that again you're going back into your medal. Am I clear?::
Snarling, Jest made to snap at the bluenette's ear but Vestello was faster and caught him by the neck. Squawking, the little vivosaur squirmed in the Fighter's iron grip, trying to free his neck, but Vestello was having none of it.
::Am. I. Clear?::
Something in the mental tone, perhaps the accompanying sense someone would have upon realizing that what should have been solid ground was in fact a crumbling cliff-edge, froze Jest in place. Wide black met smoldering amber and the aopteryx whimpered and went limp.
::Better.::
Relaxing his grip, Vestello continued onward, earlier smile now gone.
Unnoticed by him, Jest and Stoic exchanged worried looks.
/\/\/\
Behind thick glass a juggernaut of muscle and armor shifted from one pair of pillar-like legs to the other pair.
Shifting gravel blended anticipatory scarlet with questioning pale orange
::Orders, sir?::
Oh he'd missed this. The first tentative connections with a newly revived vivosaur, feeling a new personality coming into being through exposure to his own, and feeling the connections strengthen with each breath, to say nothing of when first physical contact was made.
Priceless, precious…
The bluenette breathed in slowly and simply basked in the warmth of the latest of several blossoming links. He could feel the telling nuances between them, between a newborn vivosaur and a matured one, between a regular vivosaur and Super Evolved one, even between the different types of Earth Vivosaurs. How had he not noticed this before? Each was like a specific band in a rainbow-shadow of tones and hues.
Another dusting of questioning pale-orange flickered at the edges of his mind. Three-pronged, this time.
::Sorry:: And how odd it was, to be able to feel the apology filter down to them. ::Distracted, kind of a lot.::
But not distracted like he was used to. On one hand his thoughts kept fluttering from one thing to another like a leaf on the wind, or a riled kitten after the latest—Ooh shiny! Heh… But on the other hand, he felt grounded. Solid in a way he hadn't been before, and he was aware of each scattered thought yet still could focus on what was going on around him, well mostly.
All together it sort of had him wondering if he should stop by the hospital and have his temperature checked but he didn't have the chills that accompanied a fever…
An almost patient, yet pressing, thump snapped his attention back to the tank and the vivosaur within. Had he described Regal as a graceful battering ram? He had nothing on this one.
At over eighteen meters long, practically streamline for all its impressive girth, and with enough razor-edged spines to make a Rogue jealous, the buldor made a Heracles look like a complete lightweight.
A sheepish grin. ::Sorry, Militant. Guess I need more Earth to keep me grounded, eh?::
An amused rumble, matched by the phantasmal shifting of yellow-greens answered him just before the vivosaur's metal clattered into his hand.
"Congratulations on reviving your latest vivosaur, Master Vestello." Felic drifted over. "Will you be doing any more cleaning today?"
Vestello hummed, fingers tracing one geometric edge thoughtfully.
Now what to do with this one? He could always save it for later or… Dark brows furrowed , the stirrings of an idea taking tentative shape, like a stray spark escaping smoldering ashes-
Vestello blinked, considered the not-quite proposal, and smiled.
Why not?
In the recesses of his mind, he could hear Vicious, among multiple others, groan coupled with several laments of 'will-you-never-learn?'.
The smile broadened into a grin. With teeth.
::Oh, come on. It'll be fun!::
A breeze of exasperated blue grays wound through wary red-brown.
::That's what I'm afraid of…::
/\/\/\
Red-rimmed medal dancing across his fingers, Vestello eyed still-steaming chunks of multi-colored glass, and the too-curious bundle of energy bouncing to and from melted stone. Beneath him, his perch shifted with a low rumble.
A soft rumble shifting amused yellows across calmer blue-greens
::Excitable little leaper.::
::He is indeed.:: Vestello agreed, one gloved hand moving to pat yellow and blue-streaked hide. ::Settle down, Madcap, or you'll go over a ledge.::
As if on cue, stone crumbled beneath one taloned foot, provoking a startled yelp as the foot's owner arched away from open air and flopped back on more solid earth.
A tremor disturbed sheepish green sand from laughing yellow dunes
::Eh-heh, oops.::
Vestello rolled his eyes at the Thick-headed vivosaur's antics. Small was a relative term for the eight-plus meter orinthopod, though the Pachy lacked the overall bulk of other vivosaurs the same length. To say nothing of the larger classes of vivosaurs, such as the one the bluenette was using as a lawn chair. The carchar's impressive fourteen meter length was wrapped loosely around a sun-warmed boulder with length to spare.
Dark red eyes, rimmed by kohl-like markings, tracked the bouncing menace.
A warning shift of earth, highlighting rebuking red-black streaks
::Our Fighter has better things to do than retrieve your careless medal from the ravine floor.::
Again Vestello patted tough hide.
::It's fine, Benign, let him have his fun, and if he slips…:: A shrug. ::Well, I'd call that a learning experience, what say you?::
Madcap whined, directing hurt puppy-eyes towards his Fighter. Benign, on the other hand, simply let out an amused rumble and settled back down again. Chuckling, Vestello leaned back again, when an all-too-familiar pop nearly startled him clear off the Jagged-Toothed vivosaur's head. Twisting around, eyes wide, he zeroed in on the source of the noise~
Blinked. Then a wide grin split his face.
A short while later found him sitting cross-legged in Benign's shadow, nibbling on a Vital Bar. Now, this alone wouldn't have been cause for alarm had anyone happened upon the area. In fact Todd would have seen it as a fairly regular, and thus mostly normal, situation. Unless he spotted the Fighter sitting across from the blunette, then he would have promptly dragged Vestello to the nearest hospital screaming about a possible brain transplant or alien possession.
At least, that was the calmest of possible reactions, Vestello mused as he peeled back a bit more tin foil. Others, depending on who happened by, wouldn't be quite so…tame.
"This~" Lola mumbled around moist granola, "~makes, like, soooo much more sense when I can actually, ya know, see how it's supposed to be done."
Stripping the remaining half of his Vital Bar of its tin foil, he stuck it in his mouth like he would a carrot, still gnawing on it as he brought his hands up again.
[Books. Practice. Different]
That got a snort and an amused eye roll. For all the trouble Lola apparently had keeping the different signs straight, she could sure pick up on non-verbal snark and sarcasm, something even Todd still had trouble with even after all their years as friends.
[Your-question, my-response, *affirmation* understand?]
A thoughtful nod. "Mostly, liiike, a bunch of Don B's lessons are~" A pink bubble popped, "~starting to make sense."
Why is she still chewing gum when she's eating? Vestello wondered, but refrained from asking.
[You-know much.
*Affirmation* Surprised]
A grin. "Don B is just groovy like that, ya know? He's a reeeal good teacher, despite, like, not having hands and all." A pause and the BB Commander looked down, unusually quiet.
Frowning, Vestello cocked his head, almost feeling cheerful blue-greens spiral down into almost depressed gray-blues, which was ridiculous since she was human~
A gentle tap on the arm made the hippie look up again.
[*Inquiry* Wrong?]
"Weeeell…"She trailed off, gnawing on her lip, visibly debating whether or not she should continue. "It's just that…after your fight-which was tooootally groovy, by the way. You, like, fought Don Boneyard and won.-But after the fight, Don B just…disappeared."
A blink, both in surprise and the sense of hurt-yes hurt-that emanated from the commander in dark streaks of pained scarletts across a backdrop of shaken grays. How was that possible? Sure, vivosaur's projected to their Fighters if they were Synchro, and some Synchros—see: Joe Wildwest—could project their Fighter's Aura like a blanket around those nearby, but…
Pressure. A part of his psyche whispered. And he could remember the weight and the almost maddening need to run-runaway! that had accompanied his early encounters with the commanders.
They project their Spirit, too. He realized. That's what Pressure is, afterall. The Will-to-Win during a Battle. And Synchros projects their Spirit all the time, but Lola isn't a-
He could almost hear everything snap into place, and then he could see it.
I couldn't tell the difference between a newborn vivosaur, and an older one, before. Vestello frowned. But now it's clear as day. So…maybe it's not that Synchros always broadcast their Fighter's Aura, so much as they're the most obvious about it?
So every Fighter could project, Synchro or not. One just had to be sensitive enough to pick up on it and recognize it.
…And why did realization feel extremely, life-at-stake, important?
A low rumble vibrating through the ground and into his bones distracted him and he looked up. Winced.
Oops.
Because Lola had sort of, curled in on herself, radiating a muted sense of pain and loss and isheokay?
Reaching out again he gripped her wrist, trying to project warmth and support like he did when one of his Vivosaurs was worried. If it worked for them, and Fighters did pretty much the same thing on a much weaker level, then maybe-
Shadowed blue met concerned amber.
"Just poof, like a ghost. Soooo not groovy, ya know? And, before that he seemed…"
She trailed off then, but she didn't have to say more because Vestello could feel it. Faint, like the echo of an echo, yet still there, a sense of mind numbing fear-for-others. Like bracing sandstone shaken by a bomb's blast and at risk of crumbling and leaving all it was holding up to collapse and be buried alive. An even fainter sense of time-running-out and have-to-stop-it and…
Whatever else there was in that echo was interrupted as Lola stood abruptly, brushing stray crumbs from her shirt.
"Well, like, I hate to just learn-and-dash, buuuut~" A playful sideways glance, earlier distress gone. "I tooootally have to make sure Lester and Cole haven't, like, killed each other yet."
Standing as well, and trying not to sway as he did so, Vestello blinked at her, grinned and gave an exaggerated a bow of farewell. Don't let me stop you his posture portrayed, which got a laugh from the Hippie.
"Well, thanks for, like, not setting that T-Rex on me." Lola turned away. "And thanks for the lesson! It was tooootally groovy."
A flash of a medal, a crrraaaw of her B-Jara, and she was gone.
Alone again, Vestello let his grin fade.
What the heck was that?
/\/\/\/\
From: Leveche
Subject: Re-re-Last Warning
…Okay, I am now officially cross with you. Seriously kid, you're worse than me! I oughta come down there just on principle to make sure you don't keel over before you're legal! I'd say you 'didn't have the sense God gave a retarded lemming', especially after that stunt you pulled with the T-Rex, but then I remember Rosie…
So I take it you fought Boneyard and won? See, I told you that you could take him. (It's only because he's obviously a Master Fighter AND a Synchro that I'm letting your latest hospital-trip slide, just so you know) Did he let anything slip? Did you figure anything else out? What happened?
/\
From: Harmattan
Subject: Re-re-re Last Warning
Um…please don't, I'm fine. Really. More than fine, actually.
Yeah, I fought him. It was intense, and I still can't believe I pulled it off. I can't really tell you what happened, though, everything's kind of fuzzy. But what I do know is that Don Boneyard recognized me. By NAME! And he sort of relaxed once he recognized me—though this was only after our Epic Boss Battle so I might not be remembering right…—I'm not quite sure how to describe it, less knife-to-throat and more grabbed-by-front-of-shirt if that makes sense.
All I do know is that something has him scared stiff and…I think he tried warning me about it but at that point everything was gray and spinning.
Why do I get the feeling that's going to bite me in the butt? Hard?
/\/\/\/\
Reviews are always appreciated. They let me know my story is not simply collecting virtual dust. And by reviews I mean something a bit more than 'awesome story' or the like. Tell me what you enjoyed, and even what you did not (though please refrain from going on a tangent).