Chapter:17
Samantha wakes up and stretches. Only two of the kits are with her this morning. The music played, and she knew it was time to get up. That first morning, when she jumped out of bed with her ears burning, was the worst. The kits cried, and the computer apologized, saying it thought she knew about procedures. She had to admit that the alarm was very effective. She reset the alarm for her for one hour before they had to be up. She let the kits sleep a bit more. She had a leisurely shower and got ready for the day. She then went into the kitchen to fix breakfast.
Marsha would be down shortly to help with breakfast. Marsha was learning to cook from Samantha. Samantha had been one of the cooks in the burrow from a very young age. So, she knew her way around the kitchen. Marsha, on the other paw, had never cooked before. She wasn't inept but had never been shown how to cook before. Samantha got out the ingredients for breakfast and started to organize the kitchen. Marsha showed up a few minutes later. Sam showed her how to mix the batter for waffles. She made some fruit spreads for the waffles.
She found the fruit spread recipe on the counter of the burrow kitchen several years ago. Bonnie had gotten it from Vivian, who had gotten it from Daniel. Soon, the wonderful smell of waffles wafted through the apartment. The kits started to appear shortly after and before the alarm happened. They sat at the table, knuckling their eyes, as Sam passed them all juice. Alex comes in and, going to the kitchen, kisses his wife. Samantha blushes at how passionate their kiss is. It's kind of a turn-on. They all sit down to eat, and Alex has a play fight with Stuart. Stuart stands up in his chair and gets all huffy. Alex puts a dollop of fruit spread on his nose. Laugher happens as he tries to lick it off.
Samantha laughs and thinks about how her life changed in three short weeks. She now has a job and her kits; in another week, she will also have her mate. She was vibrating with anticipation. Marsha sees her vibrating and lays a paw on her arm. "It will be soon, Sam. I'm excited to hug my brother after all this time." "Yes, it's been a lifetime for me as well." They hug and then prepare the kits for the exercise class and daycare.
They head down the street to the gate and enter the complex. They all head for the gym and change into a karateka. They then all head for the front of the class. Thomas is leading this class. The joker of the family stands on his head to do the routine. Thomas was shocked, but he let it slide as he did it correctly. He did the whole routine on his head. Thomas thought he would have a headache if he spent that much time on his head. But the little guy was ok. He remembered an old song titled "Try Everything," Who was Thomas to say there was one right way? He hoped he would outgrow it soon. Other kits were in the room learning, as well as their parents.
Alex has a heck of a time getting the boys into the shower. Marsha and Sam help herd them. Sam's not bothered by nudity, as she came from a burrow. Naked family members were the norm. But soon, they all get clean. Alex passes the boys off to Sam and Marsha. He kisses his mate and heads out for work. Sam and Marsha herd the kits to the daycare. Over the last three weeks, they had become very rambunctious. They still listened to their mother but were very boisterous and often ran around. They huddled together the first time they went to a public park, staring at this strange place. But they soon played with the other children on the playground equipment. Same with the splash park. They all had fun in the water. Sam had difficulty getting them out when it was time to leave. Marsha was the center of attention when in public. You would think they hadn't seen a Jackalope before.
They were all sitting down in the daycare, having coloring time in their books, when Sam heard an announcement come over the radio in her head. She was Leary of this tech but could see the benefit of it. ("Would Samantha Hopps, Marsha, and Alex Antlerson come to conference room "B" in the main offices? I repeat, would Samantha Hopps, Marsha, and Alex Antlerson come to conference room "B" in the main offices? Thank you.")
When they arrive, representatives from the ZCIA, the FIB, and the Commonwealth Combine sit at the table with a ream of paperwork and folders in front of them. Jessica and Thomas attended this meeting as well. "Good morning, everyone. My name is Hamish Haddish; I'm the representative from the combine. We have a bit of an update for you all." He shuffles some papers and, looking at the three of them, he then begins. "I'm sure you are aware of why we may be here. You are all connected to our action against those deviants three weeks ago. How are the kits handling their freedom"?
Sam speaks up. "They're handling it just fine. They have begun to make friends with other kits. They are developing at a normal rate for kits of their age and size. Their intellect is well above their age range, however. Not sure why at this point." "A leading expert has told us that it has something to do with their DNA. They all have ten percent of their DNA that can't be identified. This may be the reason for their intellectual growth." "Why can't it be identified"? "Not sure, Thomas"? "Right, they have the same problem as a few other individuals. I'm not sure what this ten percent is, but it is not detrimental to their health and well-being and may well be an advancement in our evolution as a people." "Thank you, Thomas."
"So, as to the reason we called you all here today. We have confiscated all assets of the perps who were at the feast. We are now distributing these funds to all the victims and families. All persons will receive an initial payment of one million dollars. Once all the court cases for the accessories have been completed, we will distribute the rest of the funds accordingly. Garth will receive this payment for all the kit skulls we found on the walls of the trophy room. Plus, himself and his surviving kits. All told, we have fifteen hundred victims we are aware of. Thomas, can you identify the skulls from which we can't get DNA"? "We should be able to." "Good, most of the furs and hides have been identified, but we have a few with no corresponding DNA on any record. Not sure we will ever be able to identify them." "Send them along, sir. We will see what we can do." "Thank you. I was hoping you would give them a go."
As for you, Marsha, and Alex. We have an unusual situation which has just recently occurred. One of our victims had kits about fourteen months old. She was distraught when her family rejected her for having kits out of wedlock. Her family is ultra-religious, and we didn't foresee her sneaking out of the building and climbing onto the roof of said building. Before we could stop her, she took a dive off the building. She left a note asking Garth or his kin to look after her girls. Could you possibly"? He says, giving her an imploring look. Marsha looks at Alex; they talk fast, and Alex nods in the affirmative. Marsha turns back to the representative. "WE'LL DO IT." She all but shouts. Her face and ears go red at her enthusiasm. Alex smiles at her.
"My, such enthusiasm. I think you are going to need it. The girls have not spoken a word since their mother's accident. I don't think they have grieved for her either. Hopefully, you can bring them out of their shell." Where are they now"? "In conference room "A" at the moment." "Can I see them"? "We can have them brought in if you like"? "No, I think Alex and I should be the ones to go to them." Both Alex and Marsha get up for conference room "A".
Both Alex and Marsha open the door and look in on the girls. They have a lot of hair between their fingers and toes, like a snowshoe hare. They are sitting at the table with coloring pencils and coloring in some books. They don't look up as they enter. The person watching them looks up at the two of them with wide eyes. She then gets up and leaves the room. Everyone else in conference room "B" watches through the monitor that had been set up. Marsha goes and sits down on one side of the girls, and Alex sits down on the other side of the girls. None of them look up as they do so.
("Well, I guess it's the changing of the guard. I wish they would get rid of us like they did, Mom. Are we not worthy of being eaten"?) Marsha recoils at their thought speech. ("NO, no one deserves to be eaten.") The girls, as one recoil in shock and look up at Marsha. It's then they look left at Alex. They see two individuals that look like them. The oldest of the group looks up at Marsha. The mind voice they all heard was feminine. ("Why not? Everyone else was.") Marsha racks her brain for an answer.
("Your mother, little ones, was not eaten. She couldn't handle the rejection from her family and decided you were better off without that kind of rejection. I'm sorry this left you without her, but most people in her position stop looking at the bigger picture. Their world narrows to the point where they see only one way out of their pain and take it. This is not a reflection of yourselves but of the state of your mother's mind.") ("Is there something wrong with us for her family to reject us, having never seen us"?) Marsha sighs ("There is nothing wrong with you. Her family believed that having kits out of wedlock was a sin against the almighty. They didn't take into account that your mother wasn't a willing participant in the atrocities that happened on that farm.") "Thomas, when are they going to start speaking to them"? "They have been speaking to them this whole time, major. It's a form of silent communication." He raises his brows in incredulity.
("So, we aren't food"?) ("NO, you were never food. You are four beautiful girls. And don't let anyone tell you, you are food. Do my mate, and I look like food"?) The smallest one looks at Marsha with tears in her eyes. ("If we are not food, then what are we"?) ("You are four beautiful Jackelope girls. My brother is your father, but I can be a mother figure to the four of you. I can never take the place of your mother, and I won't try. But I can be a person you can look up to, and I would treat you like my children.") ("Why should we? I mean, say we believe you what's in it for us"?) ("Oh, little ones, you get a family in my mate and I. You get to grow up in a loving family. No matter what you do, we will always love you. That's what a family does. We may not be perfect. We may make mistakes, but we will own our mistakes and make it right.")
Marsha can see the girl's shields are cracking. Alex also has tears in his eyes, listening in on the conversation. ("What if we don't want you as our mom"? Or him as our father figure"?) ("Then, little ones, we will bow out of your lives and let you continue on your own with someone else.") Marsha stands up. The littlest girl screams "NO" and jumps at Marsha. Marsha grabs her out of the air, holds her to her breast, and sits back down. Two turn to Alex, and the last one turns to Marsha. Marsha and Alex hold the crying girls. Alex tries something he has been thinking of for a long time. He lowers his shields and brings all the females in the room into what he wants to call a mind hug. They all feel comfort and security and begin to cry. Thomas and Jessica see this and smile at one another. "Well, sir, I think it was a resounding success. They will be a family unit." "Are you sure"? "Yes, sir, we are. Do the girls have names"? "They do, though they can be changed." "I don't think that will be necessary. Unless the girls want to change them." They all turn back to the monitor and continue to watch.
Alex brings them into a family hug as well as the mental one. The girls cry for what was lost and what has been found. It takes about ten minutes for the girls to cry themselves out. Alex reaches for the tissue box and passes it around to everyone. ("So, what do we do now"?) "Why, you come home with us. And use words, please. Silent communication weirds out most individuals who can't do it. We all want to appear normal to everyone else." The littlest girl tentevly reaches up to touch Marsha's antlers. Marsha smiles and leans her head down. Alex does the same. Four little girls explore their antlers.
"Are we going to get antlers like yours"? "You sure will. Just like your brothers and sisters." "I thought you said our family rejected us." "Not your dad's family, just your mother's family. Your dad is my brother." "But why don't we go to him"? "You could, but he is still in a repair tank and should be out later this week. The person looking after your brothers and sisters has ten kits to look after. I won't stop you if you decide to go to your father. I'll still be around in your lives; you just won't live with Alex and I." One of the little girls had fallen asleep in Alex's arms after crying herself out.
"Will we be seeing our brothers and sisters"? "Of course, they're in the daycare right now." "What's a daycare"? "A daycare is a big room with teachers and kits running around. I'm one of the helpers in the daycare. So, you will see me all the time. And I will look after you all." "And you really want us"? "Don't you ever doubt it. You are my kits from now until you get married. And even then, you will be my kits. You will live with your mates and probably have your own kits to look after." Ewhh, no, boys have couties." The smallest one says. Alex and Marsha both chuckle.
"So, what are your names"? The littlest speaks up. I'm Caramel 'cause I'm golden colored." "I'm Candy 'cause I have brown strips like rock candy." Says the second one in Marsha's arms. "I'm Cinnamon 'cause I'm light brown. And the one sleeping is Chocolate 'cause she's a darker brown." "Those are foods, not proper names. All your brothers and sisters will go through a naming ceremony; you four can also. You can keep your old ones or choose a new one for yourselves." "Are we really not food"? Marsha rubs her nose to hers. "You are not food. I will tell you that every time you ask until you believe it." "I love you, Mommy." Said the littlest one as she hugged Marsha. Which has Marsha choking up and the tears threatening to fall again. Marsha gets herself under control. "Would you all like to meet your younger brothers and sisters"? The three awake nod yes. Alex and Marsha get up and exit the room.
Sam comes out as they come abreast of conference room "B". Marsha can also tell she was crying. She takes the one sleeping from Alex and holds her tight. The Major looks out the door and sees the group walking down the hall. "Well, I guess that concludes our conference for today." "If you like, sir, you can send all the paperwork to my office, and I will get them to sign it." "Thank you, Thomas. I will send all the paperwork. If you could send me the kit's chosen names, I will get the paperwork done for the new names on their birth certificates. A birth date would also be helpful." "I will find out and send that to you as well. With advancements in genetics, I should be able to narrow it down to at least the month. We will have to pick a day after that." "Thank you. That's more than we have at the moment. Their mother could not give us a date, as she was kept in some sort of isolation cell. She had no outside contact, not even a radio. Not sure why they did that, and in interrogation, they wouldn't tell us."
"I think they were trying to find out how long a bunny would survive without social support. We all know bunnies are social creatures, and living without social support is really hard for them. The girls had their mother, and she had them. But it wasn't enough when her family turned their collective backs on them. She lost it at that point. I'm sure many years from now, her family will come to regret their collective decision. God doesn't care if children are conceived and born out of wedlock, just in what you do about it."
"You seem to be very knowledgeable about God's motives. Do you have a direct line to him"? he said with a chuckle. "In a manner of speaking, yes, I do. It's called the good book. Everyone has the same direct line. All they have to do is read it. I have a scroll that was written A.T.A. It translates perfectly to modern books." "You have a complete scroll"? "I do." "Wow, many fragmented scrolls exist, but I've not heard about a complete one, just fragments from many scrolls that make up the complete story. It should be in a museum somewhere." "No, I will keep it safe. It's been in my family for generations. I have let Scholars study it over the years, and all agree it is complete. Carbon dating places its creation at about A.T.A. forty." "How did your family come by it"? "Legend of my family states that one of my great ancestors wrote the scroll after he met a missionary of the one true God. Who had come to the Gloucester area. He did a copy of the one the missionary had. It's a family heirloom." "Wow, can you prove any of that? "Not really, that's why I called it a legend." "Well, it's still a great story." "That it is, that it is." Said Thomas, standing up. The major started to sort out paperwork to leave with him.
By the time they left the office building, all the girls had fallen asleep in their arms. It was between coffee break and lunch break, so there weren't many people walking the grounds. As they walked, Maggie came running at them from the side and a little behind them. As she got close, "Alex, son, I heard the announcement. Are you in some kind of trou…."
She stops dead in her tracks, and her hooves go to her muzzle as Alex turns to look at her with a smile. He's holding a kit in his arms. "Shhh, Mom, you'll wake the girls." "Who' s kits are those, son"? "These are the kits promised to us by the one true God. Their mother is no longer among the live, and we are adopting them." "I'm a grandmother"? "As of now, yes, you are." Maggie has tears in her eyes as she reaches for the one Alex is holding. Alex passes her over as she wakes up. She gets a bit frightened, looking up at this huge mammal, but Alex reassures her. "Cinnamon, you are being held by my mother, your grandmother." She gives Maggie a sleepy smile, "Hi, you have beautiful antlers." Maggie cries for a bit as she nuzzles the kit in her arms. The feeling is returned as Cinnamon nuzzles her back. They then continue to walk to the daycare. Cinnamon falls back into a light slumber.
The noise of the daycare wakes them all up, and they cling in fright to the person holding them. Their ears and heads are on a swivel, trying to take it all in. They all walk over to the section they had sectioned off for Elisabeth's kits. Vivian was rocking the bassinet her great-grandkits were in. She didn't notice the arrival of everyone. "Are you ready for more kits, Grandma"? Said Samantha with a smile. Vivian looks up with a smile that falters, seeing the new kits. "They're not yours to look after, Grandma. That's Marsha's job as their new mother." The girls are set down and huddle together, taking everything in. Vivien gets off her chair and sits on the floor. She holds her arms open to the kits.
The girls realize what the gesture means, but they are still Leary. The littlest one separates herself from her sisters and looks up at Vivian. "Are you going to eat us"? Vivian's paws fly to her muzzle, and tears form. She looks at Sam for confirmation. Sam, with a sad smile, nods yes. "No, little ones, I'm not going to eat you. You're not food." Hesitantly, they go to her and touch her leg. They then all crawl into her lap and proceed to hug her. Vivian encircles them in her arms. Vivian cries as she does.
At this point, Johnathon decides to jump out and see what's up. He still lands badly, but he is getting better at the landings. He comes over to sniff at the new ones. Vocal cues for down come from the Bassinet, along with a mind voice saying, "(Down, please.") Marsha reaches in, lifts the rest out, and places them on the floor. They all toddle over to see the new ones. As he sniffs ("Hi, I'm Johnathon.") Cinnamon turns to him. ("Hi, I'm Cinnamon. My sisters are Candy, Chocolate, and Caramel.") ("Hi, I'm Johnathon.") His sister and brothers laugh at him. ("You said that already, brother. Hi, I'm Millie. My other two brothers are James and Jimmy. We speak this way as it's easier for us. To form words with our mouths is a lot harder.") ("We know and agree with you.") Vivian has a full lap as they all crawl into her lap for a hug. Vivian sniffles a bit as she holds them all. The lunch bell decides to ring at this point.
Johnathon snaps his head up. ("Mom coming, I'm hungry.") ("Mom, when do we eat"?) asks Cinnamon of Marsha. "Right now, Cinnamon. You get to meet your brother and sisters right now as well." ("Are they nice"?) "Yes, they are. I'm sure they will be just as excited to meet you as you are to meet them." Marsha and Sam grab a paw from each of the girls and, picking them up, toss them over the railing and onto the mats on the other side of the barrier. The girls all laugh and go "wheee" as they are let go to fall on the mat laughing. Alex, Marsha, Maggie, and Sam all step over the barrier as Elisabeth's kits run around the enclosed place.
("freedom.") Yells John as he heads for the mat in the corner by the feeding chair. Vivian laughs at his look as she can imagine what he just said. Marsha and Alex turn and laugh at him. When Elisabeth comes in, she is mobbed for a meal. After hearing about Johnathon and his jumping out of the bassinet again, she decides that they don't need it anymore, and after lunch, she would get them a comfortable bed to sleep in. They all would get free reign of the fenced-in area.
They all walk over to the noisy cafeteria. As soon as Sam is spotted, the kits, as one yell, "Mom." They're about to get down when they notice the four girls. Sam sits down and hugs her closest kits. Marsha sits down with her kits as Alex and Maggie get them something to eat. Marc, Charlotte, John, and Oscar were also at the table. This was the second day of Marc eating solid food. The flavors were new to his taste buds, but he liked trying new things. Right now, he has four different things in front of him. But he would find out peanut butter and pickles didn't go together. But the grape juice washed the flavor out of his mouth.
"Mom, who are they"? Said the smallest one to Sam, pointing at the four girls by Marsha. "Well, little one, they are your sisters. Marsha will be looking after them." "My sisters"? "Yes, they are Garth's kits as well. The girls outnumber the boys now. Eight girls and six boys. This ratio is about the norm for the population. There are more females than males in the general population." Maggie and Alex set before the kits a cucumber sandwich and vegetable soup. Marsha expresses her thanks and begins to eat. The girls sniff at the sandwich and soup and only dig in after cinnamon does. Marsha smiles down at the girls every time she looks at them.
Soon, lunch is done, and all the children head for the mats for an afternoon nap. Most kits sleep for about an hour. There's some shuffling for positions in the sleep pile, but soon, they all settle down to sleep. Marsha's children try to form their own pile, but they are soon incorporated into the pile of the rest of their brothers and sisters. Sam and Marsha smile as they stare at their kit sleep pile. Maggie hugs Marsha and Alex before she heads out for her job. Alex kisses his mate as he heads back out to the hangar.
Maggie was a material handler for the complex. She wore an exoskeleton forklift. She felt so powerful when she put the suit on. She had learned how to operate this forklift with Scott's help. She also trained in space assembly. Soon, they would have to move into outer space to assemble the bigger ships. She would be at the forefront of this new venture. She was a natural in a space suit forklift. Though they didn't call it that, they called it an assembly suit. Some operated drones to do the same job, but Maggie was a hooves-on kind of gal who loved her job.
The kits begin to wake up after about an hour. Marsha had a delightful conversation with both Amber and Betty in the meantime. As the kits wake up, they get to know one another. Marsha listens in on their conversation in case they say something she should know. Soon, a few kits on the other side of the barrier come over and give imploring looks at Sam. Sam laughs. "Well, come on everyone, looks like it's story time." The kids on the other side of the barrier let out a whoop and holler at the news. Marsha and Samantha start to throw kits over the barrier. All the kits give out sounds of delight. This throwing thing, once it was established, became the norm. Samantha goes to her comfortable reading chair, sits down, and picks up the latest book she has been reading. Most children in the room were already in a semi-circle on cushions in front of her chair. Samantha takes a sip of water and begins.
Later, she is begged to read more but pleads off with a sore throat again. This is one of the games she plays with all the kits. But it is a bit of an ego boost. Sometimes, she reads more, but most of the time, she doesn't. The rest of the day is spent in games and activities. Come the walk home. The new girls look around in awe. They are a little scared, but if the others feel no fear in open spaces, then neither would they. They marvel at all they see.
After supper in the cafeteria, Sam gets snacks for TV and movie night. All the kits are logged in for the doors to the apartments. This was when Marsha and Alex were informed that their apartment had been moved to the two-bedroom next to Sam. All their stuff had been moved as well. As a mated pair, they had little free time to acquire things. This was not from work but from their inability to get enough of each other. Both knew having kits would put a dampener on this extracurricular activity. Movie night was fun for the girls. They had never seen anything like it. And were engrossed with the movie.
Marsha and Alex bid Samantha good night as they pick up their sleepy girls. They go to their new apartment and get ready for bed. They found a new box with clothes for the girls. They put all the clothes in the girl's room and organized the dresser drawers. They then all get changed into bed clothes and crawl into bed. Alex and Marsha spoon, facing each other with the girls between them. They kiss just before they all fall asleep.
Sam wakes up this fine Saturday and begins to vibrate. This was the day she had been waiting for. Garth would be coming out of the tank. She threw the covers off, realizing no kits were with her this morning. She jumps out of bed and hits the wall. She crumples to the floor with an expletive. She gets up in a daze and heads for the bathroom. She looks in the mirror and marvels at her stupidity. "Way to go, dunderhead. Hurt yourself on the day he comes out of the tank." She looks at her face to see if she hurt herself. Seeing no lasting damage to her face, she has a shower. She spends a lot of time there getting herself as presentable as possible. She even puts on some makeup. Not much, just a little eye and ear highlights. As she exits the bathroom, she smells breakfast.
As she exits the bedroom, she finds Marsha cooking blueberry pancakes with Alex. All the kits were in the living room watching Saturday morning cartoons. She goes into the kitchen to hug Marsha. Both were vibrating, and Alex just smiled at them both. Alex had heard Sam's story but wrote it off as wishful thinking. But if it was true, wow, just "wow."
"Well, Sam, are you ready to see your mate again"? Sam turns away. "What if he doesn't want me? What if he hates how I look now? What if he rejects me? What will I do? I can't live if he rejects me"! "Relax, Samantha. I'm sure he will still love you. You are looking after his kits, after all. And they say you are their mother. How can he reject you if the kits say so"? "I don't know. I may be worrying for nothing." "I'm sure you know my brother better than I do. Do you really think he will reject you"? "No, not really. I'm just worried, that's all." "Well, stop worrying. It's time for breakfast. "KITS, breakfast, come and get it." There's a mad dash for the table by all the kits. Breakfast is very chaotic. But Sam manages to orchestrate the chaos. Soon, breakfast is done, and they all head out for medical.
Garth comes to in the meadow again. The last time he was here, he witnessed Marsha's wedding to another person who looked like him. He marvels at how beautiful and peaceful it is here. "Hello, Garth." Garth turns around to see the big dog who officiated at Marsha's wedding. Knowing who he is, he fell flat on his face and cried. Sirius lifts him up and smiles at him.
"Hello, Garth. Please look at me." Garth, still crying, "I can't look at you. I'm not worthy." "You are worthy, Garth. I don't hold anything that happened against you. I love all my children equally." Still looking down, "How can you love me? I broke many of the commands in the good book." "You did, Garth, but you saved twenty females and kits from the pots. And for that, your transgressions are forgiven. Garth, you didn't know most of what was going on for the longest time, and when you found out, you had the strength to change things. How can I fault you for doing the right thing in the end"?
Garth looks up at a smiling Sirius, "But what of my kits and my mate"? "Do you love me, Garth"? "Yes, I do. It was the one thing that got me through to the end of that ordeal." "Then trust me now when I tell you, you will have both. Your kits and mate are now waiting for you to wake up." "How can my Tabitha be waiting for me? She died." "Did she die? Yes, yes, she did. But is she dead? No, no, she's not." "But how is that possible"? "You should have figured out by now, Garth, that all things are possible through me. Our speaking time is ending, Garth, but know you are loved." With that, he hugs him and then walks into the meadow.
Garth becomes aware that he is lying in a bed in some hospital. He can hear the steady beat of his own heart on the monitor. He stretches briefly and feels the phantom pain from his lost limbs. He cries for all he's lost. "Where are my children"? He cries when he thinks of losing them. As that thought enters his mind, all the kits pounce upon him. Garth's eyes fly open, and he sees his kits clinging to him. All are crying and kissing his body. He lifts the first one up to his face and kisses his son. They all move to his face, and soon, he's drowning in a sea of Jackalope kits. The littles girl looks at her father ("Don't cry, dad, we're all here.") "Oh, my little ones, I'm glad you are all here. Who rescued us"? "That would be me, sir. We had help from all agencies to end all the atrocities on that farm." Said Thomas, standing at the base of the bed. "He's right, Dad. He was the one to save me from that wolf. He pulled his paw forward, and the wolf chopped off his own paw with that big, heavy knife. The big meany." Garth laughs a bit. It's then he notices there are more than eight kits surrounding him.
"Who are the rest of you"? Stuart stands up. "I'm Stuart, and my sister is Brittany. We are the only survivors of our family." Garth motions them forward. They come forward. "Welcome kits. I'm your father, Garth. Who has been looking after you all"? "Dad, Mom has been looking after us all." "Your mother died, little one. And I'm sorry the person looking after you is not Tabitha, your mother." "Yes, she is. The soul never lies." "The soul"? "Dad, we see the shape and color of all the souls around us. We see the good from the bad. The soul of our mother resides in the female looking after us. Her name is Samantha." Garth hopes it's not fantasy on the kit's part. He wants to believe that this Samantha is Tabitha. "When can I meet this Samantha"? "She's out in the hall composing herself, along with your sister Marsha and her mate Alex."
The door bursts in as Marsha runs to hug Garth. Marsha may have bullied a few kits out of the way on her way to embracing Garth. Garth is in shock seeing the one he thought was dead and gone. They both cry on each other. The kisses start and don't stop for a few. "Marsha, I thought you were eaten many moons ago." "As you can see, brother, I'm very much alive. As are you." "Alex will bring in our girls shortly." "You have kits with your mate"? Marsha laughs, "Not yet, brother, though we are trying very hard for our own kits. The four girls we have are your kits as well. We've just adopted them." Alex comes into the room, leading the girls by the paw.
"How…how long have I been out"? "Just over four weeks, brother. Thomas and Jessica needed time to regrow your legs and paws." It's then that Garth looks down and sees that the phantom pain he had been feeling was real. He had hind paws again. He bursts into tears anew as he flexes his toes and hind paws. "How is this possible"? He says through his tears as he lifts his leg under the sheet.
"Well, Garth, you are in the Hospital building of Wilde Industries. We do organ transplants here. It isn't too far of a stretch for us to use your stem cells to regrow your paws and legs. All organ transplants are grown from the recipient's stem cells. There is no fear of rejection as the organs are grown from the patient's cells. The general public would inundate us with requests if they knew we could regrow limbs."
"So why regrow mine"? "You had lost so much, Garth, and my wife and I wanted you to start your new life with your whole body. It's the least we could do for you after all you have been through." "What happened to the antelope who claimed I was his son"? "Not to worry about him, Garth. He is getting what he deserves. And yes, your DNA says he was your father. He's in the "Ice House." A prison for the morally corrupt. This prison is so far above the snow line that he will never see the light of day. It's dark there the whole year long." "Do you know who our mother was"? "I will let the cops looking into that advise you about what they found." "Is our mother still alive"? "Again, the cops who looked into it will tell you."
Just then, Samantha walks in to see Garth. The littlest girl turns to Samantha as she walks in. "Mom, Dad's awake." "I can see that little one. Hello Garth, I'm Samantha Hopps." She says this as she stretches out her paw to him. Garth reaches out his paw, and as they touch, a blinding flash engulfs them all. Samantha gets to see all Garth went through, but Garth gets to see Tabatha/Samantha and the lives she lived. All their hopes and aspirations are laid bare to them both. Soon, they both can feel the kits on the outskirts of their link and bring them all in for a mind hug. Marsha, Alex, and their girls join in this group mind hug. Thomas smiles down at them all. After the flash, the ones standing collapsed to the floor. He watches over them all. This group meld was new to him, and he marveled at it. Soon, all begin to recover. There are lots of tears as they do so.
The kits move to the other side of their father as Samantha crawls onto the bed to hug and kiss Garth. A few of the kits go "Ewwwwh." Samantha and Garth stop and laugh at their kits. Then, everyone notices the small horn protrusions on Samantha's head. She reaches out to feel the top of her head after seeing the look of horror in a few eyes around her. She turns to Thomas as she feels the protrusions. "Thomas, what's happening to me"? "Why, Samantha, the one true god has given you a gift. The gift he gave you is that you now look like your mate. If I had to guess, I would say that he changed your DNA to reflect this." "But I thought he couldn't interfere in life"? "He is not interfering in your life. Changing one small thing about you is not interfering. You were already getting married to raise your kits together. So now you understand what it's like to be different." "I always knew what it was like to be different, just not in this way." She says with a smile as she hugs Garth's neck.
Samantha helps Garth to sit up. Thomas comes around with some paw wear for him. "Now, Garth, I need you to wear these silicon booties. Your hind paws will be sensitive for a while until your nerves get used to the pressure. My wife and I went through the paw regrow thing and wished we had booties like these back then." Samantha helps him to put the paw coverings on, and he steps down. He hisses with pain as his paws touch the floor. But he stands there with a whimper. "Now, Garth, I want you to walk on your hind paws for as long as possible. We will give you a wheelchair when the pain becomes too much. Pain meds are not an option. We want your nerves to settle down naturally." With Samantha's help, he heads for the bathroom. They're in there for a long time, and the kits look worried. They both come out a few minutes later with disheveled facial fur. Marsha and Alex chuckle at them as their faces and ears go red.
Jessica comes in with a small wheelchair. She smiles at Thomas and then hugs him. They all turn to leave. "Umh, Garth, you might want to get dressed. The hospital gown is very revealing in the back. Though, to tell you the truth, I like the view." Says Samantha as Garth blushes. He sits back down on the edge of the bed. Marsha hugs him, "Come on, kits, let's leave your parents to discuss things." Marsha leads her husband and the kits out of the room. Samantha and Garth hug as the tears start to fall.
"Oh, Garth, I never thought I would see you again, let alone our kits. I've missed you so much these last eighteen years. And before you ask, I couldn't change anything in the past. My mind would blank out when I thought of changing things. Time had to flow the way it has. And besides, if I had changed the past, we might never have met. I couldn't jeopardize my chances of ever seeing you and our kits again. I love you, my handsome Jackelope."
"Jackelope"? "Alex's mother always called him a Jackalope because his father was a jackrabbit, and she's an antelope." "Well, I guess that name suits us all, you too, my love. When you disappeared three days before our rescue, I was devastated. I wanted to join you in death. But I had to be strong for our kits. And I'm glad the one true God allowed us to be reunited with each other." "As am I." "Promise me you will never leave me like that again. I don't think my heart could take it." "I promise, my love." They nuzzle for a bit before Alex gets dressed with clothes from the nightstand. They leave the room with Alex walking a little unsteady on his new paws.
They walk down the hall to the lounge of the hospital. There were many people in the lounge that Garth had never seen before. "Garth, I would like you to meet the family. On my right is Jessica, my mate; our three kits are Oscar, John, and Charlotte. Our fourth daughter is in training for the Mammalian Games later next month. On my left are Amber and William. Their little girl is Ember. Next to them are Betty and Simon Conley. Their two kits are Marc and Sandy. Next to them are Elisabeth and John Wilde. Their four kits are Johnathon, James, Jimmy, and Mille. Next to them are Terry and Cindy Wilde. Next to them is Davis Wilde. You will meet his mate later this week when she returns to town. And beside them are Vivian and Peter Howler. They are the grandparents to most people in the room, especially your mate. And last but not least are Nick and Judy Wilde. The parents of most of the rest around the room."
"Stop that, Thomas, you're making Judy and I feel old." "But, you are old, ancient even." "As if." Said Nick with a huff as everyone laughed. Judy looks over at Sam and asks. "Samantha, what have you done to yourself? You didn't have those on the top of your head before." "Your right. I didn't, but the one true god gave me the antlers to match my mate." "So, Garth is the one you were waiting for! And his kits are your kits"? "He is my mate and husband; only eight of our kits are mine by birth. The rest of them are mine by osmosis. I now have a mind link to them all; they all know I love them. Though this mine link is new to me."
"Wait until you learn to communicate with that mind link. It's really different." Said Judy. "Communicate"? "Yes, communicate. Jessica and I will teach you both. Now that you are linked, communication is part of that link." "Wow, this just gets weirder and weirder." "Not so weird. I believe this is the next step in our evolution as a people. Imagine knowing the wants and needs of others. How often would we fight if we knew you were hurting another individual? No one wants to be hurt, to feel pain. And through the link, you would feel their pain. It's how we all communicate with our brothers and sisters." "Yes, I understand. Now, Kits, I can feel you and the washroom is just down the hall to the right. We passed it as we walked here." Some of the kit's ears go red, but they all jump down to the floor and, holding paws, all head for the washroom. Marsha gets up to follow them, But Samantha waves her off. "I'm sure the kits can look after their needs without supervision." Marsha nods yes and sits back down. Garth looks at Nick and Judy.
"I recognize the two of you. I saw you both at the news conference about the night howler incident." Said Garth with a smile. "Well, yes, we were, but Nick wasn't a cop then. He was a civilian who helped a cop to do her job." "And I have never regretted helping her." Said Nick, kissing her on the top of her head. "NICK, stop that"! "Why? You've never complained before when I kissed you." Said Nick with a sad look. Judy harrumphs and, grabbing him by the tie, pulls him down for a kiss. "That is what I want, not the peck on the head." She says as she releases his tie. "Dually noted, ma'am." Says Nick, straightening his tie as he sits up with a smile. "You did that on purpose, didn't you"? "Not sure what you mean, love. Is it wrong for me to want a kiss from my mate"? "You hustler. Is that all I am to you? A kissing machine"? "No, you are much more, and I would like to show you later today if you want to." "It's a date, Mr. Wilde. Don't be late."
Judy turns back to the guest of honor. "Now, Garth and Marsha, there is a reason for us being here today. Would you like to know about your mother"? Garth sits down before his legs give out, and Samantha sits beside him. Marsha turns to Alex and clutches him. Then she turns back to Nick and asks, "Is she still alive"? She dreads the answer she is going to receive. Nick and Judy give her a sad look as they respond.
"No, she isn't. She died about three days after you entered the orphanage's baby box. We found her in our murdered files. She was listed as a murder victim jumper/suicide from the Talahasi Paw Bridge in the rainforest district. When Nick and I re-examined the coroner's finding, we found several inconsistencies in the evidence. She had bruising that was inconsistent with a fall. Her Hyatt neck bone was broken, suggesting she was strangled before her fall. We did a video conference with your father, Garth, who admitted he killed her. She had dared to leave him. But the strangest thing we found was who she was."
"DNA was in its infancy at the time and wasn't very reliable. But we took the eighteen-year-old blood sample out of storage, and Thomas managed to get a DNA profile, which came up as a possible match to several individuals around the room. We asked the individuals involved for a DNA sample, which was a conclusive match. Sam, do you remember our mother talking about Aunt Angelica"? "I do; what does…" Her puzzled look goes to shock. "Are you sure"? "Yes, we're sure. Our mother's sister was the mother of both Garth and Marsha." Both Garth and Marsha sit there in shock. William looks at Garth with a smile. "Hey, cousin, good to meet you." He stands up and walks over with his paw outstretched. Garth, as if on autopilot, takes his paw and shakes it. "How do we spring this on the rest of the family"? "Well," said Thomas. "We were all planning to descend on the Hopps burrow next Saturday to spend a week. We could tell them then." Samantha claps her paws together. "Oh, can I call mom and ask her? I just won't tell her why." "Go for it, sis." Says Judy.
Samantha dials her phone. Her mother picks up after the second ring. "Samantha, what a pleasant surprise. To what do I owe this phone call"? "Hi, Mom, we were wondering if we can descend on the warren next Saturday." "Of course, you can. How many will be coming"? "Well, we will have the whole family coming, plus fourteen extra kits and four more adults." "OK, I'll get the cleaning crew working on level twenty-two. Who are the extras"?
"That's a secret mom. But it's a pleasant secret. Also, can you get Grandma and Grandpa Millicent to come"? "I should be able to. My brothers run the business now, and my dad has been semi-retired for a few years. Is it good news"? "Most of it, Mom, just not all of it. Also, can you get Donna Leapson from Deerbrook way to come as well"? "Oh, I haven't seen Donna for years now. It would be nice to catch up with her. It's a shame what happened to her eldest daughter." "Can you tell me why you need them"? "Sorry, Mom, the big reveal is next weekend." "You sure know how to rile me up, Sam. I think a day on pot-scrubbing duty will do you some good." Samantha laughs, "Well, as we plan to stay the week, I'm sure I can help out. We'll see you next weekend, Mom." "Ok, see you then. Love you." "Love you too, Mom." Bonnie hangs up the phone. Sam sighs as she sets her phone down as well.
Marsha looks at Judy. "How sure are you that this Angelica is my mother"? Judy speaks up. "We are a hundred percent sure that Grandma and Grandpa Millicent are the parents of your mother, Angelica. You and Garth are a DNA match to her and the antelope Forester." Samantha looks over at them. "I'm glad she didn't fall victim to the fate of Tabitha Leapson. It wasn't an easy fate." "No, it's not. I wonder how she felt just before she fell"? Thomas speaks up. "From all that happened, I will surmise that if she wasn't dead before the drop, she felt relief knowing that the nightmare would soon be over." "Yes, I can see that. Still, I wish we could have known her. But on the plus side, we get to know our Grandparents on our mother's side."
"We have more Grandparents"? Said the littlest one, returning from the washroom. "Yes, you do. Your father's Grandparents, plus my mother and father when your father and I get married." "Wow, that's a lot of adults who want to lay claim to us all." "And why not? You guys are just so adorable." Says Sam as she picks up the youngest one and tickles her. As she laughs, the rest pounce on her and bring her down. They then tickle Sam until she pees herself laughing. Sam is so caught up in the moment that she doesn't notice until later. Garth sits back with tears in his eyes and laughs with his family. Never in his mind had he thought that he would have his family back. Sensing his down mood, the kits hop onto him and start to tickle him. Samanthas helps the kits. The tears flow freely as he tries to fight off the maniacal kerfluffle. It's a losing battle, and Garth succumbs to their cuteness. Soon, everyone stops to catch their breath. The laughing from around the room slowly dies out.
Terry walks over and paws Garth a business card. "If you ever need help with your finances, cousin, call me." "What finances? I'm broke as the day is long." "Ah, Garth love, you are rich. The Commonwealth Combine confiscated all the finances and wealth from the perps at the feast and is distributing it to all the victims. You have over twenty-five million dollars from this fund, with more later on."
"I don't deserve it. Can I give it away to help the needy"? "You could love but think of your family. I'm sure Terry can set up part of that money for charities. I know we don't need much to live on, and you want to get a higher education. Think of the money as a way to do that." "Yes, your right. We should do that." "I'll bring some paperwork over on Monday, and we will go over things then." "Thank you, Terry. But for now, I would like to get out in the sunshine. Can we go to a park"? "We can, but I must stop at our house to change clothes." "Why"? Sam leans down and tells him. Garth's ears go red as Sam laughs a bit.
Sam pushes him down the hall and out into the sunshine. Garth leans back, closes his eyes, and stares at the sun. The littlest girl jumps up into his lap and hugs him. Garth strokes her head and back as she lets out a chirr of contentment. The rest quickly jump onto the wheelchair with him and chirr as well. Thomas takes over, pushing the chair after seeing Samantha struggle with it. Marsha and Alex pick up their girls and hug them. Marc and Charlotte are running around, chasing each other. John and Oscar are holding onto their mother's paws as they follow behind everyone. Nick, Judy, William, Amber, Terry, Cindy, Davis, John, and Elisabeth say goodbye to Garth as they enter the car park. They get into their respective cars to head home.
From The Star News
By Chris Beaverton.
A joint police operation was carried out two days ago on the Happy Town gangs. The gangs had been extorting anything of value from the other residents, be it money or goods. They were not allowing anyone to eat at the replicator cafes without paying the gang tax. Most gangs were rounded up without bloodshed, but a few lost their lives in a gunfight with police. Two police officers were injured but are expected to make a full recovery.
The gang members who are now identified will have to wear ankle bracelets, which will notify authorities of where they are at all times. The monitors will also tell them when another gang member is nearby. This is so they can avoid them. The police will arrest them if they congregate with other gang members. If they gather, the police will arrest them, their probation will be revoked, and they will be jailed. This gives them the time to find gainful employment. They don't want to marginalize the gang members but get them to help themselves.
Happy Town's residents can now eat at the Replicator café once again. How can somebody be so cruel as to stop children from getting a good meal? Wilde Industries now has a few food trucks roaming around Happy Town, giving out free meals to all who ask. All the cafés are still open, but now a few trucks roam around as well. These trucks will go to shut-ins and people who have mobility issues. A phone line has been set up to find these people. If you know someone who needs this help, call the number on the side of the van, and they will be set up on the list of people who need this help.
On a bit of a lighter note, on Sunday, I met one of the strangest hybrids in existence. I met four adults and fourteen kits at the park where I take my son. They were all rabbits with antlers on their heads. Yes, antlers. They all claim they are a new species of animal. They call themselves Jackalopes. I'm not sure of their claim, but I see no need to doubt them. They are what they are. This reporter has noticed a big upswing in hybrids in our city. We need this kind of diversity. Remember the old bumper sticker? "Zootopia where anyone can be anything." Well, I'm seeing it every day and in every way.