Things are not becoming as easy and clean-cut as the polecat predicted for years. Pulling to one side, pulling to another, old allies, new allies, families... where is the answer?

Special thanks to Herr Wozzeck for the proofing.

All part of the "furrybasketball furrybasketball universe, check it out!

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“So, how many bitches did ya bang up there in Sweden?”

“From West to East, yanno it!” Sterling laughed, clinking some beer cans together with his old friend. “Best fucking time ever, I tell ya...”

“Seems fame didn’t make ya forget of your old pals” the binturong smirked at the polecat, “And now ya set to win a lot of fucking money and make the image for yaself…”

“Ja…” he snickered, aloof. “I… gotta make the decision, soon…”

“What decision is there to fuckin make?” Rocco interjected. “Go for the money, go for the fame, go big, Sterls!”

“And the other choices?” Sterling tried to poke his friend for any other answer.

“Bah, why change? Ya got it good, yes?” Rocco dismissed the question.

“Ja”

“And the city all the way in Buttfuck County, Montana already loves you, yeah?”

“...Ja, they do"

“So why change it?” Rocco slapped Sterling’s back. “Stay, make it big, make it yours. Plain and simple.” he smiled.

“But is it as good as it gets? I know it can get much fucking better…”

“If it ain't broke, why fix it?” Rocco cut the polecat. “I know ya don't give out until it's 100%, so fuckin give em the 100%!”

Sterling nodded. “It is a good point, but we’ll see.”

“We'll see my ass! Don't fuck this up, Bengtzing!” Rocco blurted out, laughing, slapping his back, throwing the can right into a faraway basket.

The polecat stepped up and bid farewell to his burly friend, groaning under his breath. “I forgot Rocco’s kind of a dumbass…”

---

((“How are the chemo roommates, Lagerström?”))

((“Spending my noons with a buncha crotchety old guys who are too busy dying, yet spend their time criticizing my music and age is super cool…”)) Viking, the white badger Sterling befriended while in Sweden, replied, heavy in sarcasm.

Sterling laughed. ((“Least ya got to it quickly enough"))

((“It's annoying, but I think it's all gonna be fine…”)) the badger nodded.

Sterling sighed, trying to change the topic. ((“Now it's free agency time, the time where a player makes a big decision, and fuck if it's fucking with me...”))

((“Thinking of changing up?”)) Viking blurted out., taking the polecat off guard.

((“Um… probably?”)) the mustelid replied, getting his hair out of his way. ((“It ain't an easy decision, and there is this connection with the OG, yanno…”))

((“But in all there's this…”)) Viking coughed a couple of times. ((“If you think something good can be better, then make it better. Plain and simple"))

Sterling sighed. ((“It ain't easy, and leaving all you got for a chance? It's hard to gamble with your fucking life…”))

((“Take it from me. Life is short, I should know... If ya think a change can be good, fucking take it! Don't fucking wish-wash on it. Act!”))

((“Will think of it. And keep the eyes peeled on the news.”)) Sterling replied, signaling he was about to log off of the call.

((“Remember, I ain't gonna be the protege of a fucking loser, make it big or fuck off!”)) Viking grinned, as the polecat cut the call.

“I swear, I forgot these guys don't know shit, this is complex... What am I doing?” Sterling said to himself as the video call shutted down, rubbing his temples.

---

“Sterling? Sterling?”

Ferdinand tapped the shoulder of the polecat, hunched over the couch, passed out asleep; his hair draping over his face.

“I hv't...yet…” he groggily said, waking up.

Ferdinand smiled slightly. “Tough time, ja?” Sterling only nodded, looking at his father, his hand holding his forehead. He never pulled this kind of allnighter.

This was the first time in a long while that Ferdinand saw Sterling overwhelmed. As he saw Sterling lay there, he reminisced on his own decisions once contract seasons arrived; how Michelle had to help him decide, how did the then toddler polecat wandered by as he re-read stipulations over and over. The elder mustelid pondered, an idea brewing in his mind.

((“I got an idea, kid. Go get your jersey and shorts on and meet me to go out in 20. No English from now on."))

It was a fairly quick getaway, Ferdinand hoping that some dad-son time would help Sterling to clear his head. Along the way, they agreed using codewords instead of the team’s names to avoid eavesdropping from any way possible (“stava” [spell], “flammor” [flames] and “måne” [moon], respectively), and, besides some fans asking for selfies, no one was extremely instigating on their way, both mustelids knowing the way to avoid bumping into many furs. They decided to have a quick New York style bite at the hot dog place Sterling loved to frequent with his friends.

((“So, when you decide, are you going to tell who, Will?”))

Sterling waved his hand, ((“I think I want to surprise him. So prolly going to another New York source or some other guy.”))

((“Fair enough...”)) Ferdinand said, taking a big bite of his hot dog. ((“So, any leads on who might have you?”))

Sterling groaned. ((“I mean, ‘moon’ was the best way I could have started my career. Before me it was half-complete, and even drowning in some debt that one infamous season. Now, I feel they got all the machinery going… but...”))

((“But what?”))

((“Is ‘moon’ at its best yet? Is this the best it gets for me there?”)) Sterling asked

((“I would say you have it pretty damn amazing if ‘moon’ stays the way it stays. And I doubt a management change will change that...”))

The younger polecat asked the stand attendant for an extra drink. ((“While the talks with ‘spell’ surprised me a lot, and ‘flames’ did exactly what I asked… but both pose huge risks… with ‘flames’ I feel they’re ambitious, but they may not be realistic yet. While ‘spell’ has a lot of advantages, with Kim and other solid players in that remind me a ton of the guys I know, but they’re treating me as a someone brand new, and I am not sure if it would be prudent to go through that again..”))

((“See, Sterling...”)) Ferdinand sighed. ((“It reminds me way back then when I had to make the two decisions. Make it in the FBA and which FBA team did I stay in. I debated around going to the FBA and change around for a new horizon. It was a huge risk, with Springfield and all, and I was fairly new, but I made it work, and it put me where I am now. And when it came to contract time, you do know the ‘spell’ offered a lot for me back when they were another name; ironically they are one of this time’s choices too, but I had to stay loyal with the team that gave me that push, and I made it work.”))

Sterling furrowed his brows and looked blankly at his father. ((“You're… you're giving me the pros of both sides…”))

Ferdinand grinned, shrugging. ((“I know. Only you’ll know which one’s best. I know it's a hard decision, but take it from someone who did both. I could have stayed in Sweden and lived well, yet I left, and ran so many risks and lows: and there, I turned out winning. And that could not have been done if I hadn’t chosen to stay in the Pride, choosing trust in the original over other teams’ benefits...”)) Ferdinand nodded, giving some cash to the canine, asking him to keep the change. ((“Overall Sterling, it’s on you if you decide to change or not, and debate which change will be the best for your future and legacy, if any change at all. After all you’ve seen and been through, I trust you will make the best decision. I’m proud of you, kid.”)) he shook his son's shoulder.

((“Thanks, pappa. Now, can we finally ball at your court? Or you’re tired already?”)) the young polecat smirked.

((“Hey kid, I taught you respect. Don’t make me wipe the court with you, I’ll have to again if it makes you learn!”)) the elder laughed. Sterling needed some time to remember why basketball was the first he made for his future, and this was the best way to do so.

---

Michelle looked worried down the hall to the mustelid’s room. Sterling asked for both of them to leave him alone with his thoughts, the house fairly silent, only some chatter with her husband breaking the silence. In his room, Sterling only had three bandanas displaying the logos of the three teams that committed to the offers for him; there wasn’t any copy of the contracts, nor tapes, nor any reference to them beyond the logos, Sterling wishing to listen to his own inner monologue about everything that transpired, the interviews, the talks, the recent events, instead of looking at those per se.

He asked himself how did he feel about them, and how did the future look if he took that route. Plenty of players tanked if they stayed with the same team, and plenty of players tanked if they chose to leave. Yet he thought of the path of legacy he could create if he stayed, shaping the team he got in into a his own for years to come and all the coverage his legacy could go if he switched, taking his knowledge to literal new places. Playlists of songs passed by as the polecat meditated his decision in his own psyche, his future on pretty much all sides of his life pending in this decision.

The sound of a door opening silenced every word both parents said, as they looked at their son walking towards them. His hair disheveled, his wrinkled, comfortable clothes hastily on his figure, but with a beaming look of confidence in his eyes as he addressed his parents when he proudly opened his mouth to speak.

“Mamma, Pappa... vi har ett resultat.”