(If "Drive" by Incubus is available on your device, please press play now)
Jake's Apartment, Universal District, 9:00 A.M, New Haven
Jake laid in his bed with contemplative serenity, as the sun began to shine through the curtains and drapes of his apartment. He had been up most of the night, just enjoying the peace and comfort of his surroundings, and what had transpired the day before with Jackie and Rebecca...with his sister Jennifer and Eddie, Alyssa...Nicole.
Moments of pure joy, love, and elation...and others of melancholy, uncertainty, and ominous foreboding...he had felt as though that the ball was finally in his court for once in his existence in New Haven...that something good was coming over the horizon...but at the same time, the shadows of his past were being resurrected to wipe that away from him completely.
Jake sighed, and rubbed his face, his claws coursing through the thick flows of orange and white fur. A perpetual state of dread and euphoria...
"God, what have you gotten yourself into, Jake?"
The male fox shifted himself to the side of the bed, the bustling and vast metropolis of New Haven outside his apartment complex window beginning to stir towards its peak rush hour at noon; allowed him to regain a sense of reality over his dominating subconscious mind.
The young male fox stretched, yielding a low pitched ween of relief, along with a yawn that was mixed with a soft growl. Stumbling to the washroom, his tail was fluffed and in disarray; not doubt due to the persistent tossing and turning the fox had throughout the night.
Everything had transpired so quickly in such a short amount of time, and Jake was flabbergasted.
He slowly turned the hot water and cold water valves, slightly adjusting the faucet knobs to meet a warm temperature within the sink bowl.
Taking a face full of water, he scrubbed his face, taking a new wash cloth to also remove any excess "sleep" that had accumulated in the sides of his eye lids.
Despite gaining so much wisdom in 12 years...he was still just a kid...a 20 year old kid, who had much to learn...about love...life...purpose.
He grasped a drying towel, and gently caressed his fur, wiping away any water droplets that were lingering on the orange and white follicles.
He twitched his nose and furled his whiskers gently. It wasn't much, but it was enough to briefly give a bit of solace and peace to his hectic world...even for just a moment...his troubles were gone in the warm sensations of water.
As he exited the washroom, Jake discarded his nightly pajama shorts, scrounging through his drawers for a pair of jeans, and a charcoal grey hoodie...and luckily enough, he had found a pair adjacent to each other in the same drawer; neatly folded and packed.
Quickly, he dawned his fresh pair of attire, and headed for the kitchen in his apartment.
Using his magic to conjure a container of apple juice, quickly gulping down the liter as if it were a small glass. Using the holographic projector that activated from retinal activity, he began browsing through the various news categories that New Haven had to offer. Unlike the world of mortals, news was instantaneous, moreso than what the conventional news channels or internet could provide.
New Haven was almost reminiscent to CCTV footage in how it presented the various happenings and occurrences. To anyone not accustomed to the format, browsing using your higher brain function would seem overwhelming, but to Jake it was just another day of the week.
Crime was near nonexistent in Purgatory, so there was hardly a category for it since Death and his compatriots kept the peace and the general looming existential dread of being sent to damnation kept citizens in line. Everybody wanted to reach Eternity, that was the goal of mortals and souls in limbo alike, but keeping adherent to the peace instead of animalistic inhibitions and instincts was difficult...tackling that part of your inherent DNA always is.
Jake continued flicking through the neural interface that made Earth television sets look like they were a simple textbook against a CIA and NSA database...
Finally reaching the category he wanted to inquire about...the weather of the day.
A full seven day projection appeared, as Jake skimmed through each day with mild interest. New Haven didn't follow conventional weather patterns as the mortal world, everything was generated according to Death's design, some days were sunny and vibrant blue skies, other days were dreary and dismal grey skies, with the occasional day of thundershowers.
Jake had a slight smile of relief become painted across his face.
The next few days were very promising, like a prayer that had been answered...sunshine and warm, but cool and comfortable temperatures.
Jake always adored sunshine, even moreso when in his early childhood, Nate would only grant him and Jennifer a few hours outside the bunker on Plymouth Street. When he would be greeted by that initial sunshine stepping out from the complex...it was an indescribable warmth that felt as though he had received a hug after being left for hours in the cold rain...despite the brutal training and constant violence down in the bunker...he could find solace and anticipation in being able to escape the bunker for just a few hours...before the torturous isolation and constant pestilence of Nate Drexler would begin all over once more...
Returning to his current reality, after once more submerging himself in his troubled past, Jake browsed the neural interface until he reached "Contacts".
Jake hovered over the various names of New Haven, until he decided upon the most efficient method: A defined search.
Jake entered the search prompt, telepathically writing: Luke, 20, German Shepherd, Archivist at New Haven Library
Seeing Luke's profile, he initiated a chat request.
Jake was taking some liberties, even though Luke was his best friend since they were kids, the German Shepherd could be elusive to chat with.
Jake had the week pretty much to himself, he didn't have to clock in at the library, and judging by the last shift and their previous conversation together, Luke was looking to recuperate for some time as well, having built up enough magical currency on top of his allowance, to sit back and indulge in some relaxation and fun.
The red fox waited patiently, as Luke's profile and its status indicator remained a dreary gray.
A few moments passed, until the notification arrived on screen: "Luke is now online"
Jake's eyes lit up, as he saw the three chat bubbles dance about the screen, fervently with anticipation, his tail wagging unbeknownst to him in a rapid oscillation as he sat in his kitchen chair.
Finally, the unpalpable wait ceased with a simple, yet welcoming message.
"Hey bro! What's up?"
Jake smiled, Luke had been the brother he never had, being that his only sibling that he had ever known was his younger sister Jennifer, Jake was able to connect on a more relatable level as a young boy pertaining to interests his sister could have cared less about.
The two canine friends would organize a day where Jake could escape from the bunker for a few hours, away from the prying eyes of Nate Drexler. Jake truly had a friend and an escape in those few hours, in fact, he almost forgot entirely about his dreaded childhood.
It took every ounce of convincing he could provide to Nate to allow him to join the boy scouts with Luke, citing that the skills he learned there could help aid the gang and organization when he grew older. The same year he and Jennifer escaped Nate's grasp, was the year he completed the scout program alongside Luke...one of the better memories he had of his young life thus far.
Jake looked at his holographic keyboard, contemplating what to type for a greeting.
"Hey Luke! Hope you're having a great morning! Do you have any plans for the day?"
Jake sent his reply, and watched as the three speech bubbles continued to persistently flash across the screen.
"Wellllll, funny you mention that! I was just about to ask you the exact same thing since I told you about us meeting up on Friday...which just so happens to be today! Our schedules were free, so...I was wondering if you wanted to hang out for the day? You still at your place?"
Jake was even more elated by this request, as he quickly typed with anxious fingers of excitement.
"Absolutely! You wanna just wing it and see where the day takes us, or do you have anything in mind?"
"Hmmmmm...Well, seeing as though both of us are not in any kind of rush, let's meet up in the universal district park and go from there!"
Jake was officially stoked, it had been a while since Luke and him got together for some best bud shenanigans, but the sun was shining, things were turning for the better...and he wasn't going to let a three month warning from Jackie ruin it...as far as he was concerned, Nate could kick rocks...this was going to be a day of fun, no worries...and some temporary freedom...
"Alright it sounds like a plan! I'll see you in about a half hour!"
"Let's do this Jake! It'll be just like old times!"
"Old times? You make it sound like we're ancient dude! Haha!"
"Oh shut up ya wingnut! See you in the park, bud!"
"See you soon too bro!"
With that, both canines disconnected from their chat log, as Jake quickly conjured a breakfast burrito to go, quickly ravishing upon its contents and switching his attire in the flick of his claw. Assuming a plain white t-shirt and some beige summer shorts.
Without a moment to spare in excitement, he rushed out his apartment door to meet his best friend...unknowingly about to have another group of friends joining in with them...
Nicole's Apartment, Feline District, New Haven, 9:30 A.M
Nicole sprung to life much earlier than her guardian angel friend, Alyssa, who was still fast asleep and...snoring quite adorably for a being of such power from Eternity.
The blue feline decided to test out her magic, conjuring herself freshly made omelette, complete with pepper, onion, bologna, and cheese inside its delicious contents.
"I could definitely get used to this for 3 months...wow...that smells amazing!"
The female feline twitched her nose frantically, the dish making her predatory senses salivate...she just wanted to ravish this food already!
But she still felt compelled to compliment the dish with a beverage and something else...
She sat back and stared at the plate with curiosity, her ears slightly drooped as she immersed herself in deep thought.
A few moments later, her ears quickly perked up and she smiled.
Without hesitation, she snapped her fingers, prompting a fresh glass of squeezed orange juice to be put in front of her, without pulp of course, and a plate of golden, fluffy pancakes, alongside a few strips of bacon.
"Now THAT'S what I call a hearty and nutritious breakfast!"
Proud of her quick harnessing and accruement of her newfound abilities, Nicole's stomach soon growled loudly.
Jake was right, although the necessities of Earth were not imperative in New Haven, she still felt the sensations of hunger...a rumbling stomach, minus the discomfort and pain of starvation.
Without a moment to spare, Nicole's insatiable desire to eat the plates of food in front of her couldn't hold out any longer, and like the big cat ancestors of old half of her DNA was hailing from, she went in for the kill.
The complete combination of flavors overwhelming her senses, the slightly crispy texture of her bacon, the soft, flavorful, and vibrant orchestra of the omelette cascading around in her mouth; and finally the fluffy, soft, and intoxicating taste of her pancakes were making the blue feline lose herself in her little magical creation...which was FAR from insipid.
Nicole continued to eat her breakfast for a few more minutes, reaching the final remnants of her own little "most important meal of the day".
She glanced periodically between each bite to glance down towards the district that was filled to the brim with felines of all different shapes, sizes, and species. In a way, she felt like she belonged here...perhaps it was just the part of her that was longing to have meaning somewhere...someplace.
As she took a sip of her orange juice, one of her paws rested on her chin, clearly immersed in the peace of her surroundings; she heard a quick shuffling motion originating from Alyssa's room.
The door knob quickly sprung open, to a snow leopard fresh from a rest, complete in her pajama tank top and pajama shorts with pink bunny rabbits littering its design.
"Wow...what a NIGHT!"
The snow leopard quickly took her seat at the kitchen table adjacent to Nicole, and let out a happy sigh, complete with an adorable stretch that included a slight high pitch meow and purr.
"Goooooood morniiiing bestiiiiiie! Did you sleep well?!"
Alyssa rested her chin in her paws, as she displayed the goofiest smile Nicole had ever seen on anyone in her life. Alyssa's fangs, more than likely unannounced to her, were sticking out humorously from her upper lips.
Nicole nearly choked on her last bite of food in her mouth, as she began to laugh hysterically, much to the surprise of Alyssa.
"Oh my good-BAHAHAHAAHAHAAAA!"
The snow leopard chuckled slightly, before dawning an innocent expression of curiosity.
"Wha-hehe, what's so funny Nicky?"
Nicole's laughing slowly began to lose intensity, as she wiped the tears of joy her eyes.
"It's just...hehe...when you sat down you had this...really adorably funny expression and it cracked me up...I'm sorry if I offended you or anything like that..."
As the blue feline was regaining her composure, her snow leopard guardian angel soon had her eyes light up with excitement.
"Nicole...Nicole! Do you know what just happened?!"
Nicole soon dawned a confused expression.
"Uh...Alyssa...why wouldn't I know what just happened? I was right here with you the whole time, of COURSE I knew what happened! Are you sure I'm the one in a coma right now?"
Alyssa quickly waved her paw in a dismissive manner.
"No, no, you don't get it! Think for a second, girl! Think about how your mood has taken a COMPLETE 180 degree turn since you arrived!"
Nicole took a mental step back to ponder for a moment...and realized how foolish she was not to have noticed. In such a short span of a few days, Nicole was a completely different young woman.
From heartbroken and lost, to happy and jovial...and there was only one explanation for it all...
"Alyssa...you're not suggesting the reason for all of this is-"
"Well...I mean...he HAS to be the only reason why you're feeling like this...not to mention you told me last night...no wait, not told...you confessed that you think you love him!"
Alyssa held her paws to her chest, her pupils dilating with happy tears in her eyes, like a young girl who had been given her most prized and beloved doll on Christmas morning.
Meanwhile, Nicole was blushing and flustered, normally she had a clear and concise explanation to get her out of situations like this...but now? She was pinned in a corner, and she had no way of counterattacking to defend herself.
"W-well...I mean...y-y-...yes...but..."
Nicole took a moment to ponder, ruminating in her own thoughts as her snow leopard friend continued to have her eyes locked on her with a cheeky smile, full of happiness to see her lifelong best friend...for the first time in a long time after watching over her, be truly happy and full of life in the affection for someone else...the last time Alyssa saw her be this happy...was with Richard.
As the blue feline looked as though she was about to speak, Alyssa perked her ears upwards to listen intently as to what Nicole was going to say next.
"I...I don't know...I am so conflicted...he's kind, dreamy, courteous...handsome beyond belief but..."
Nicole held her glass of orange juice in her palms firmly.
"I don't know if I should be having feelings for him in such a short time...is...my heart saying this? Or is it something else...my intuition telling me not to go through with this...that..."
Nicole's eyes noticed the bunny pattern on her friend's shorts.
"That my past will one day come back to haunt me for the decisions I make here?"
Alyssa took a moment to ponder Nicole's words, scratching underneath her chin in deep thought.
The snow leopard tapped her claws against the kitchen table for a few moments, repetitiously providing a soft tempo to the atmosphere of the room...before she suddenly stopped.
Alyssa's face started to exude wisdom, catching Nicole off guard. Her serious, yet comforting expression was the complete opposite of what the blue feline had become accustomed to. Alyssa was usually very upbeat and aloof in her optimism...but it seemed like her angel instincts had kicked in for this particular moment.
"Nicole...you mind if I ask you a question?"
Nicole nodded her head gently.
"Of course!"
"Have you ever considered the alternative?"
Nicole raised an eyebrow, partially confused.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Well...for all intents and purposes...Richard kinda left you, not the other way around. And...both of us are uncertain if he will even return, despite your circumstances..."
Nicole sat back further in her chair in silence.
"Nicky...these three months may feel like a short while, but if you keep hiding and denying your feelings...it will only eat you up on the inside. You told me last night...you were sincere in your confession, I could sense it as your angel. You love Jake, you have feelings for him...and as far as I can tell, he probably has feelings for you too!"
Nicole scoffed, slowly shaking her head in disbelief.
"Liz...Jake just met me!"
"Annnnnnnd? You just met him, did you not? I mean, even I saw it last night when you were grabbing your jacket to leave Jen's and Eddie's place! He was BLUSHING when you got close to him! I don't know the entire backstory to Jake's past, but I do know that you're the only girl he has EVER been this close with!"
Alyssa crossed her arms, and smirked, as Nicole shifted her eyes out the window to gaze and ponder.
"He...he blushed?"
"Unless he rubbed some tomato sauce on his face...yes, yes he did!"
Nicole took a deep breath...it wasn't a confession from the fox's mouth, but...could you really go against your guardian angel's observations? Especially when your best intentions are the primary reason they are there in the first place?
Alyssa soon rested her paw on top of Nicole's.
"Nicole...I'm not one to provide counsel all the time...that was never one of my strong suits as an angel...but, I can say that...if you never tell Jake how you truly feel about him...I'm afraid that you might regret that decision when you wake up from your coma...guys like Jake, are a needle in a haystack...and you two have chemistry...a natural chemistry, something so rare for a first date. I know you're a logical person...but believe me when I say this...us angels? We have seen "love at first sight", and it's something we cherish because it rarely happens...you and Jake have that...I saw it in both of your eyes when you glanced at each other last night..."
Alyssa smiled warmly as she finished speaking, as Nicole was flabbergasted by the moment of true sincerity and maturity her friend had. A few days ago she didn't even know she had a guardian angel, and now she just had a moment of poignant advice on how the direction of her life could change from her decision...
"Alyssa...thank you..."
Nicole smiled warmly back at the snow leopard, before reaching across the table and giving Alyssa a warm hug.
The snow leopard's eyes widened in surprise, before embracing the hug with quick action.
"You're quite welcome girl, it's one of the main reasons I am here...well, advice is not my strong suit, but technically it's supposed to be a part of my duty...I dunno, they kinda didn't exactly give me a pamphlet on how to do this angely...stuff...hehe!"
Nicole giggled at the adorable awkwardness of her new friend, as Alyssa joined in as the two young feline women shared their laugh in unison, before disengaging from their hug a few moments later.
"When the time is right...I'll let Jake know just how I feel about him."
Nicole adjusted her morning bathrobe, getting up from the table to brew herself a coffee without her magic. Despite being impressed by her newly bestowed abilities, she still wanted to retain some of her earthly routines, ESPECIALLY when it pertained to the brew of her coffee.
"So...got any plans for the day?"
Alyssa asked, as she stirred her that was in a small blue mug, freshly poured out from the coffee brewer in the kitchen.
"Well...I wasn't really sure, I would love to enjoy some more leisure and explore a little more of New Haven! I mean...my body on Earth is still on hold for a while yet, and I've been meaning to heed your advice and treat this more like a little vacation!"
Alyssa gasped with a smile, as Nicole leant against the kitchen counter taking small sips from her coffee mug, her blue tail oscillating slowly.
"Well! You're in luck! I know all the locales to visit in this place! It's one of the perks of being omnipotent...you build up a knowledge of the afterlife realms! Hehe!"
Alyssa was excited to show everything that was pleasant and fun, if there was anything she enjoyed more than anything; it was helping people...especially her friends.
"Well...in that case!"
Nicole took a few extra sips of her coffee, and after having it cool down a little to her liking, she gulped down the last remnants of the warm beverage that gave her the extra pep in her step for the rest of the day.
"Let me get dressed, and you can lead the way!"
"Really?!"
"Absolutely! Make it a surprise...I love surprises."
Alyssa clapped her paws together joyously, as she quickly dashed into her bedroom and returned promptly much to the surprise of Nicole; wearing a beautiful yellow summer dress.
Nicole stared at her coffee, and then back at the snow leopard, before rinsing her mug in the sink.
"You uh...probably should stay away from coffee if you're already hyperactive like that...just a word of advice back to you..."
Alyssa chuckled.
"Well...I always did like the smell of a fresh brew, but wasn't crazy about the taste of coffee I did have in the past."
"Did you go on a rampage and knock over a bunch of stuff?"
"What? Oh no, no, I just...actually I can't remember what I did...sooooooo...mayyyyyybeeeee?"
Nicole had her eyes widen, before slowly going to her bedroom.
"Riiiight...you just stay right there, and don't touch the coffee...I'll be right back!"
Nicole went to the bedroom for a few moments, before returning back outside with a pink summer shirt, and navy blue jeans, perfectly fitting her elegant form.
"Alrighty, where to?"
Alyssa winked, before motioning to the apartment door.
"You'll see!"
As Nicole and Alyssa ventured outside the door, Alyssa began to speak once more.
"There's a cool little candy shop along the way, mind if we stop by when we come back?"
"Alyssa...I'd rather avoid you blacking out again and possibly causing an incident that requires United Nations intervention..."
New Haven Park, Universal District, 11:00 A.M
Jake and Luke sat underneath the massive oak tree atop the hill overlooking the park. Citizens from districts all over New Haven were walking along the various paths that interconnected to different sections of the park itself. The two young anthro canines saw kids playing with kites, other anthros their age conversing on picnic blankets, cyclists, others reading books by themselves or...couples laughing and hugging each other.
Jake continued to warmly smile and ponder further as he watched a young couple, two otters, laughing and conversing, with the female otter lying her back against the male as she blew bubbles out of a bottle.
"Jake?"
Jake continued to watch, as the male otter popped one of the bubbles in front of his girlfriend, as she giggled with a promptly kiss on the cheek from her boyfriend.
"Jake!"
The male fox soon snapped out of his thoughts, as he turned to face his lifelong German Shepherd friend.
"Deep in thought again, are we?"
Jake shook his head, as he smirked.
"No, no...it was nothing, just taking in the beautiful day..."
Luke smiled, before resting his head against the oak tree.
"Remember when we used to run across the field as kids to see who could reach one of the taller trees first?"
"Yeah...I never did keep track of who won honestly..."
Luke chuckled, as he gave a playful nudge to his best friend.
"You may not have kept track, but I certainly did!"
"Oh?"
Luke flicked his claws together, conjuring a small journal.
"According to this...we're tied!"
"No way!"
Jake got closer to the tally page, the playful kid-like scribblings of his and Luke's faces above the tally marks indicated how long ago it truly was when they first started hanging out .
"Oh wow! I guess...we must have called it a draw between us both when we stopped!"
"It sure seems that way!"
The fox and German shepherd paused for a moment, before they both looked at one another with a playful grin.
"Are you...thinking what I am thinking?"
Jake nodded.
"The race to end all doubt?"
"Yup...and the farthest distance we both have ever went!"
Jake watched as the German Shepherd got up to stretch his legs and crack a few kinks in his back.
"Well...let's raise the stakes a little, shall we? The winner decides where the both of us go for the rest of the day to hang out!"
Luke extended his paw to Jake, as the male fox looked up.
"Deal?"
Jake looked at his friends paw, before smirking and accepting his best friend's and "brother's" offer.
"Let's do this."
Luke pulled Jake up, as the male fox soon arose himself from the ground.
"Okay, same rules after all these years, first one to reach the large tree adjacent to us at the opposite end of the park, wins!"
Jake nodded, as both canines dug their claws into the ground and set themselves.
"Alright Jake, on the count of 3...run like the wind...may the best man win!"
"Best of luck to you too, Luke!"
Both canines smiled at each other and nodded.
"1"
Jake's pupils turned to slits, adjusting to the lighting and adrenaline pumping in his system...the predator side of him was coming out...ready to unleash itself in a full sprint.
"2"
Jake and Luke both let out excited and anxious growls, both were ready to run like no tomorrow.
"3!"
With not a moment to lose, both friends bolted with all their stamina down the treetop hillside, with neither willing to concede an edge to the other; completely neck and neck. Dodging pedestrians along the paths, Jake's quick agility seemed to provide a slight edge over his shepherd friend, who tried his ultimate best to use his own agility to his advantage; but Jake was ultimately quicker.
Now...only one path remained between Jake, and an open field to really let loose on his speed...finally...the true victor would be decided after all of these years.
It almost seemed certain, until...
*BANG!*
Jake blacked out, his hearing was high pitched as he gained consciousness, almost reminiscent of high pitched tetanus.
He could make out a few shapes surrounding him, other anthro citizens it seemed, as his vision began to clear...but he felt, and now saw what seemed like a blue mass in front of him...and something touching his lips.
Almost instantaneously, the world around him cleared before he realized...the person he just ran into and was now kissing accidentally...was Nicole.
*END OF CHAPTER*