Before we begin with the canon chapter, it seems things have quieted down with those idiots. I don't know how long it'll last though. Also I can promise that by the end of January I will begin to make things right with my Meika and not just her but hideous horrible art of her as well that's out there.

X

Racing World

More information and Surprises

During the break Zero had looked at the black box on a laptop and saw what Meelo had stated about it was true. “Regardless perhaps we can still make a copy of the information a different way,” the Manned wolf said to the male. “If it’s alright with you I can type it up and then have Mr. Mane deliver it back to the Ark. That way we might still have some leverage to use even if it’s not the information we really need.”

Riq and Tamira were next to Zero and agreed it was a good idea. “Very well,” Meelo told Zero.

“I should have it all ready by tomorrow. Mr. Mane can give it back to you in secret.”

Meanwhile Sonny and Mia were talking a bit with the panda making the male feel better after his little outburst of being in the dark. “I wanted to tell you Sonny, but you must realize why I couldn’t until today…” the female whispered.

“No, it’s okay,” he replied with a smile. “I understand now. Really.” That made Mia feel better.

For Meika she wanted to talk to Nicholas but saw that at the moment the husky was having an intense conversation with Mr. Mane. It was better not to interrupt that. When the break was over, everyone gathered around in the same places as before. “There’s still one thing I don’t get,” the vixen said. “Why Ashley of all people?”

“That was something I was trying to figure out,” Nicholas stated with a frown. “And now looking back on things, I’ve realized something has never been right. Even though I ‘thought’ I knew her, in high school, she seemed normal. But whenever anyone asked questions about her past, that feline would always avoid the subject. We always assumed it was a painful subject. On top of that, she would always visit or places. But we were never allowed to go over to hers. I’ve even met her parents and they seemed normal as well. Looking back I should’ve looked into this more and asked the question. Why would Ashley never talk about her past? Why would she never invite us to her place? The answer has become clearer after I informed Riq after what Ashley did. Mr. Mane had people look into her home only to find it’s abandoned and her parent’s place to. And what they found was a small thing that showed what the family really did for work. All of them, going back two generations, are a family of criminal informers. Someone like them and her are perfect to work for High Command. Since she fled, we’ve not seen any sign of her. On top of that we found in her room all the data in her computer has been deleted and her car’s systems have been destroyed. She must have done those things before leaving. So we can’t track her down anymore. She must be back with her true bosses. And before she left, Ashley did mention something about a boyfriend. My only guess is that it’s Pike.”

“I don’t doubt it either,” John agreed. “Despite learning this and in shock, it makes sense why he would be.”

“After listening to what he really is or partially, someone like her is the perfect person to not only be with him but also to cause evil and disorder. They must have hooked up some time back. Hell it might have been during the 12 th grade for all we know. She may be gone for now. But you can bet anything Ashley will return in the future to help Pike carry out his plans.”

“And then there’s those other people in cloaks,” Mia said. “The ones we saw take that rabbit out during that broadcast. What about them?”

“We have no information on them,” Riq replied. “My only guess though is that it’s a new group who’s just formed or they’ve been in hiding this whole time and just now being used to send a message to others to not fight back. But all of you had better stay safe and watch out. We don’t know who they could be but they are another group we need to watch out for.”

There was silence for a bit. Zero then spoke up. “Which leads me to my next point in this meeting,” the Manned wolf stated. “It’s what to do next.”

“Well here’s something I’ve been wondering,” Miss Ballard said. “If we know High Command and the Ringmasters are targeting others, couldn’t there be some way to cut down on who is out there for targets from social media and the news?”

“If we do that, we’d only be putting the general public at risk,” Zero answered her.

“The general public?” Hart asked.

“Why?” Mrs. Mane asked.

“Many of the Ringmasters and High Command are childish and they hate losing.”

“But what’d you…?” Jessica began.

“Just what do you mean?” Mr. Mane asked. Those from the RGP were just listening.

“Well… I to hate to lose and I know others who are childish themselves,” Zero said. “That’s how I know.”

“Ronald, would you mind a little more specific for us?”

“Sure. Early on during the investigation, I tried to provoke the Ringmasters and High Command with that broadcast.” Everyone here had seen it and knew what the Manned wolf was talking about. “Up until then, we only thought that they would go after specific targets. But as we all witnessed, they didn’t hesitate to take out my stand-in. Also as soon as I said we knew one of them was in the Aispir City area, in defiance they made sure their next few victims came from within that surrounding area as if to say, ‘What are you gonna do about it?’ Like their racers with those on the side of good taking up on them, they’ve met each of my challenges head on and they’ve never missed an opportunity to return the favor. Now what do you think would happen if we try to use media restrictions to counter people like that?”

There was a pause. “I guess…” the border collie began. Zero finished the thought.

“’If you choose to get in the way of who we want to attack, we’ll target other criminals or even the innocent. We’re hold the whole world hostage, so who’s it going to be? We’re not the evil ones here, but if you don’t behave like good boys and girls and let us do our thing or stand in the way of us, then you are truly evil.’” Zero took a shuddering breath. “That’s exactly how those two organization think. In any case, let’s look at another way we can use the media to draw them out.”

“But how?” Hart asked.

“How about something like this? More unexplained crimes infuriate places around the world. Latest of them also does the same for the police. Nations agree to send 1,500 investigators to Aispir City. For High Command and the Ringmasters this will be way beyond anything they’ve ever had to deal with. They’ll see everyone as a potential threat. Psychologically, they’ll start to feel cornered. And that will cause one of their members to take some kind of drastic action.”

Everyone got it. “That… that’s interesting,” Kira said.

“Amazing,” Sonny commented.

“So they’ll think there are 1,500 when in reality there’s only just us here,” Mr. Jones said.

“And since none of these people exist, they won’t be able to take them out,” Tamira stated with her triumphant grin.

“That’s brilliant!” Meelo said.

“It might just work,” Meika commented.

“Well before we all celebrate, let me tell you the rest of my thoughts on these matters and what to do,” Zero said. The Manned wolf went on to explain that for now he and the investigators would do what they could and those on the side of good who were racing needed to pretend nothing was going on. It was best to have them on the inside as obviously Zero couldn’t just walk onto the Ark. He would however be doing what he could. Everyone else understood.

“So then, does anyone have any questions?” he then asked.

“Actually, I do have one question for you and it pertains to what you said about how you hate to lose,” Mr. Mane answered. “Does the fact that you’ve shown your face mean that you’ve lost? By just being here, are you admitting defeat to High Command and the Ringmasters?”

“That’s right,” Zero stated. “By showing my face to you now, and by sacrificing a stand-in and witnessing others suffered or killed these past months, I have lost the battle. But I’m not going to lose the war. This is the first time I’ve ever put my life on the line. I want to show the enemy that we’re all willing to risk our lives if that’s what it takes.” Here he smiled. “And that justice will prevail no matter what.”

“Hey yeah, that’s right,” Nicholas said.

“I like the sound of that,” Tag commented.

“We can all do this,” Jacob stated.

“Alright then, let’s get started,” Hart said. Mr. Mane was smiling. He had his doubts but there was now no denying it; this Manned wolf was really Zero.

“Still it’s troubling with all this news,” Rachel said.

“Yeah, who would’ve thought,” Miles agreed. “That the racing world is in cahoots with the criminal underworld.”

“And to think we put an end to this last season,” Tag then said. “What kind of mess have we gotten ourselves involved with this time?”

“A big one,” Nicholas replied. “But one that will be solved. I swear it.”

“And with more help then you could know,” went a different male voice. Meika looked up in shock. Stepping around the same corner as Riq came a female vixen and vulpine. And the older one looked so much like the younger one and with the beauty minus the mole under the left eye. It was the vulpine who had her eye color.

Meika rose up and the others looked to them. “Mom… daddy?” she asked. The three rushed into the other’s arms.

“Shhh… I’m here,” her father said softly. “Me and your mother told you we were safe.”

“Thank god… thank god…” Meika whispered. “This is what you meant.”

The three pulled back and she introduced them to the group. Their names were Alexander and Jasmine. While their daughter didn’t say the reason with Pike here, they did say as soon as they saw him during the opening season announcement and the other two, her parents had gotten in contact with Mr. Mane. The lion had helped hide them. Then when teaming up with Zero, the Manned wolf had gone even further with the protection. With this, nobody could use them as a hostage against Meika or her friends. And what was better was that if anyone came looking for them, there were those that said the two foxes were out of the house on a long trip. It was the perfect excuse so nobody could find them. Now it was the time to meet them. The parents were happy to do so, and especially Nicholas. After all they had heard a lot about the husky from their only child Meika. Then everyone else met the female who had appeared at the meeting so long ago but in the flesh. Her name was Ex Machina, a codename, and a female coyote shorter than Zero. She acted as his support during cases. Now the meeting was fully over and Zero got to work on what he could with the black box. In the meantime Meika and Nicholas talked with her folks, she with her mother, and he with her father. “Nicholas is everything you said he was,” the mother vixen told her daughter. “He’s just a perfect guy.”

“He is,” Meika agreed, smiling. “The kind of one I need in my life for real this time. Not like a certain ex.”

Jasmine smiled. “Well he’s very good looking, sweet, and kind from what I’ve seen. And the way he looked at you when you introduced us to him; he clearly obviously has feelings for you like you do with him.” This made her daughter worry a little but didn’t show this. If anything Pike could use her as a shield against Nicholas like that asshole could with him when it came to her. But Meika wouldn’t let that happen like she knew the husky wouldn’t as well. But what her mother said gave Meika hope that there was more than a chance for hooking up with Nicholas.

He in the meantime was with her father. “Meika’s never said a whole lot about you guys,” the husky said, trying to make small talk. “I don’t know much. Truth is she knows more about my folks then I do with you.”

“It’s quiet alright son,” Alexander reassured the young male with a smile. Looking at Nicholas, the vulpine father saw how much better this guy was than Pike. And if anything more than worthy to have his only child and take care of her. Alexander trusted Nicholas with Meika. The guy went on to state a little of what he and Jasmine did and that it was all good respectable work. The conversation then got serious.

“Tell me son, how serious is this thing with the enemy?” the vulpine asked. “I heard everything but I need to know. How much danger is my daughter really in?”

Nicholas let out a heavy sigh. “I truly have no idea,” the husky replied. ‘It’s not just her but also me and my friends to. Even though she hasn’t received any threats like I have it could happen at any time. Also those four are as much danger to her but one in particular I don’t trust around her at all. But that’s why we’re together so this situation won’t last long as we keep racing.”

“I don’t want anything to happen to her.”

“I don’t either,” Nicholas replied. “Just like with my friends, but especially Meika. I promise sir, I will do everything within my power to look after her and keep Meika safe. You have my word.” Alexander smiled and nodded.

“Then I leave her to you Nicholas.”

Tag in the meantime saw Riq was also heading out with a duffle bag and stopped him. “Leaving already?” the younger feline asked. Tamira saw this from around a corner. The female could hear how sad Tag sounded and it made her a bit sad to for him.

Riq saw the look on his son’s face and his eyes softened before placing a paw on Tag’s shoulder. “You know I can’t stay here,” his father stated.

“This isn’t right. You’d think after 14 years of being apart… we could afford to spend more time together.”

“You have the Ringmasters to thank for that.” Riq went in front of Tag to look his son in the eyes. “They took that life away from both of us, Tag. We’ll never be able to have that, until this thing is… over.”

“So where are you headed now?”

“Following up a few leads on the Ringmasters. Tag? Do what you can to find that one person who holds all the answers. They are the key to the riddle.”

“I understand,” Tag replied. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Watch yourself kid.”

“I know. Take care dad.”

Tag and him had a hug before the older feline left. Tamira came out and to his son. “You’ll see him again,” the pantheress told the tiger. “We’ll make sure we end this with you Tag. Together.”

“Yeah…” The female looked to him with a small smile. Tamira could tell how much Tag loved his father and how sad he was. It was another of his qualities with being a great racer and being kind. Things that Tamira liked about him.

“Come on Tag,” Tamira said softly. “Let’s go.” He followed her in silence.

The last part that had to be talked about was with Nicholas and Meika. “So… how was it with daddy?” she asked him, her usual smile back knowing now the asshole Pike had no control over her by using her parents.

“I think he likes me,” the husky replied as they walked. “It’s hard not to for most.”

“Yeah, my mom does to. And after all this today I feel much better with what we have to fight against.”

“We’ll get through this. I promise.” Meika nodded and soon all the good racers were back on the Ark and those who helped them with racing. Zero was good on his word with the black box and had it delivered back to Meelo before the Ark took off again to where the next race would take place. Like with the chameleon even the Manned wolf hadn’t been able to fix the corrupted data to. But that was okay as the information that wasn’t had been typed up and stored away in a safe place so that was one good bit of news. Now things were moving forward and could only go that way from now on.

X

I honestly think Meika is a daddy's girl and would call him that. Also the fact she is an only child is canon and under her trivia on the official website. And as you can see they much prefer them for me to be with her than anyone else. Finally notice lso notice how Tag and Tamira were in this. They really are supposed to be together. We need more stuff of those two felines together.

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