Do vaporwave kitsune count technicolor sheep? - 18. Chapter 18

My slumber is deep and dreamless, and when I open my eyes again I feel vastly restored. Lifting my right paw, I bend it to test my range of motion and find that aside from only a twinge of soreness it is surprisingly free of inflammation and swelling. I will have to be sure to express my genuine thanks to the kobolds for taking care of me.

Looking around, I surmise that it must be some point during the daylight hours. The beddings are neatly rolled and stacked against the wall out of the way. Frau appears from the direction of the storage room and her eyes brighten when she sees I am awake.

“I hope you were able to get some rest, and our apologies for not telling you that the tea would make you drowsy. We meant no ill will. How does your injury feel today?”

“Much improved, thank you.”

The fur rises on my back as a familiar scent drifts down towards me from the surface.

“Please excuse me, Frau. It appears I have company and it is probably better that I see him alone.”

She takes a step back, bowing before me.

“O..of course, My Lady.”

Turning I follow the wafting trail of the smell of smoke through the tunnel. When I poke my head out, I see him sitting there just outside of the entrance.

“Have you come to check up on your poor cousin? If you think I’m going to ask for your help, you are wrong. I’ve found means to support myself.”

Turning towards me, I see his mercurial grey eyes are paling into milky white.

“I haven’t come to lord anything over you…”

“Your eyes…”

“Yes, I know it’s a bit...noticeable, but believe it or not it’s not why I’m here. I need your help Moon. Can you come with me?”

“To where? What is going on, Kemuri?”

“I can explain on the way,” leaning in, he whispers in my ear even though it is just the two of us, “if you remain here, it may put your kobolds in danger. There are things you need to know.”

For the first time he looks down and notices my bandage wrapped paw.

“What happened to you?”

“I was bitten.”

“Bitten? How the fuck did that happen?”

Squaring my shoulders, I lift my chin proudly.

“Breaking and entering.”

“Moon…”

“You kill people for a living, so don’t give me that tone.”

“You really have no idea...I need you to come with me. You’re in danger.”

“Fine, just let me tell…”

“No, we really have to go now. The longer you stay here, the more you will put them in danger. There’s no time to waste. There is someplace I need you to go with me...please.”

I glance back over my shoulder, feeling that I really should at least tell the kobolds something before leaving so abruptly. I owe them that.

“Now, Moon.”

“Fine, let’s go, but you better tell me what’s going on.”

“I will tell you on the way.”

Staying close at his heels, I follow him away from the kobolds’ den and we set off in the direction of the city. Once we’ve put some distance on, I nudge his rear haunch with my nose.

“What is going on, Kemuri? Does it have something to do with that Faes guy? I told you there was something oily about him…”

He turns with a snap before drawing back.

“Sorry...I’m a bit on edge. No, it is not his fault...entirely. After renting myself a room, I got on with a company. Shipping, courier, you know...simple stuff around the city. I was trying to keep my paws clean, and have a fresh start. They assigned me to pick up an interplanetary shipment with a couple of other associates...things went south.”

His words are hauntingly close to Nelson’s qualms as he complained over the communication device, but I keep my thoughts to myself and let him continue.

“No one was supposed to mess with the packages, any idiot knows that’s the first rule of these kinds of things. I tried to stop them, but they were greedy. One of the packages was wrapped plainly, with no sealing tape...something we could easily re-wrap. It came from Earth...and I’ll admit my curiosity got the better of me. We left together and met back at my rooms before finishing the deliveries. I even picked up identical tape...it wasn’t mine to deliver anyway. It was supposed to be easy.”

Pausing in his steps, he turns to face me for just a moment.

“That’s when this happened…”

I wait for him to elaborate, but he turns back around and continues on his way.

“Okay. So why do you need me now? How can I possibly help you in whatever mess it is you’ve gotten yourself into with your ‘employer’?”

“I need someone with better social skills than I possess. And your intuition and smelling something ‘fishy’ are second to none.”

I already have a sense that something fishy is going on, but I continue onwards at his heels. He is my family, and if there is a way I can save him...I will be there for him.

“I’m already coming with you, no need to flatter me. Just tell me where we are going and what you expect of me.”

“There’s a place mid-city, and they are expecting us.”

“What do you mean ‘us’? How do you know I’d agree to come with you?”

“Hoped for the best, really.”

“They are an off-shoot of the company I work for. It’s not my fault, Moon. Not completely...yeah I know it was stupid to go messing with the merchandise. I should have just done my job and nothing more. Trust me, I feel like an utter fool for having got myself into a situation like this. I haven’t been back to work since yesterday...I mean look at my eyes. They want me to go in and touch base. Employee screening or something. I asked if a family member could accompany me and they okayed it. You're doing me a favor in going with me so thanks. I’m nervous to have fucked up something like this.”

“So I’m guessing I don’t have to be your ‘pet’ this time?”

“Nope, just be yourself. Well...maybe not completely yourself, I do remember how we parted ways last time.”

Into the city limits we continue in our vulpine forms until he finds a shady alley to duck into.

“Let’s change here. We’ll continue in human form.”

Nodding I let my body rise onto two feet, donning a trim black suit with a wide black sunhat to perch atop my horns. It takes a moment longer to coerce my seven tails into disappearing, but finally I am able to will them into hiding.

“I believe I’m ready,” Looking over I see Kemuri in his own tattooed and pierced human guise, “Can you see alright? Do you need to take my arm?”

Straightening the folds of his own collared shirt, he pointedly ignores my offer.

“I can see...it looks worse than it is. I’ll manage, thank you.”

Remaining just a step behind him, we set off to trek deeper into Gatsby. As we make our way out of the industrial sector, I notice that an unusually large crowd is gathered around a wooden barricade. Whispers reach my ears as we get closer to the scene.

“You never see The Sentinels anymore...what could have happened…”

“You’re right. Ever since The Dragon publicly executed those serial killers in his backyard, they have been scarce. Not much need when someone like him is running Mid-City.”

“It’s so gruesome…”

Craning my neck, I try to see what everyone is gawking at.

“Everyone just back up! This is an active scene, and I need everyone to go about their business and disperse immediately.”

Gargantuan men, probably like the gentleman guarding the door of the party, held the onlookers at bay with palms held out. Their bulk did little to conceal the rivers of blood staining the city streets where multiple tarps were laid in tents upon the stone.

“His head is missing I hear...only part of him they can’t find. Gutted him like a fish in the streets…”

In my mind I already know whose body parts are thrown astrew like refuse on the cobbles. Tufts of tabby grey fur fly up into the air, carried on whirling eddies of wind.

“Come, Moon. He’s beyond help now.”

“Poor Nelson.”

As his name leaves my lips, I feel the grip of Kemuri’s fingers on my arm.

“How do you know that name?”

Pitching my voice lower, I attempt to forge a path through the gathered crowd.

“It was his house I broke into…”

“For fucks sake, Moon, what has gotten into you? Then that wound on your hand…”

“He did it, and I escaped. Looks like my secret is safe now isn’t it?”

Something electric tingles down my spine, halting me in my tracks. My gaze is drawn across the street where I see a very fashionably dressed rabbit standing beneath a fine lace parasol on the other side of the barricade. Master Cog reaches one hand up to his mouth, pretending to be aghast when he’s really licking his lips salaciously. I know in my heart there is a reason why the head won’t be found.

Kemuri follows my line of sight, cursing under his breath.

“When you do something...you do it big.”

Dragging me onwards, I can just barely make out the words he hisses back at me.

“Do you have any reckoning of who that is? Or what you’ve gotten yourself mixed up in? Nothing for it now. We best get where we’re going. Things have gotten infinitely more complicated.”