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If you take the time to check out the short story, please take a moment to leave a comment in the comment section below to let me know what you thought. It would mean the world to me as the writer.

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The street lights had just come on in Victory City. The setting sun’s light was mostly gone, and twilight had set in. The sound of a car engine moved down an empty alleyway and came to a stop at the entrance to the main street. “I’ve got a code 192 in progress at the corner of Cherry and Magnolia if anyone is available to check it out.” came the static laced voice from the radio.

“Copy that. Officer’s Delantos and Hill are on it. Heading over there now. ETA three minutes.” came the equally staticy reply. A yawn sounded off from the male figure in the driver’s seat as a white furred hand reached to turn a dial on the radio. The chatter of the frequency cleared up as a low repeated beat replaced it.

“Domestic disturbance. Slow day crime wise. There was an attempted bank robbery earlier, but no supervillains were involved and it sounded like the police had that handled. Nothing wrong with that. Best see if I can find any fares and make some money tonight.” said the wolfox male as he flipped a switch on a machine on the dashboard. The sign affixed to the top of the car lit up brightly. The words “Zen Cab” clearly visible on it and on the sides of the car. The male pulled the cab out onto the street and joined the traffic flow smoothly. “Lo-fi music at sundown. My favorite way to start the night.” he mused to himself of the music now tickling his hearing. His fur was mostly gray, with white underfur. He wore simple clothes; a white t-shirt and jeans. His eyes were yellow, but that color was distorted behind the purple visor in front of them. On his head he wore a fedora, in the ribbon of which sat a small notebook. On his muzzle was a small mark that resembled a lightning bolt.

He was in the business district. Though the evening rush was largely over already, there were always some stragglers to pick up. Usually some poor soul who had to work late to make sure they finished a project due the next day. A figure highlighted on the visor in front of his face and drew his attention quickly. A pale brown furred fennec vixen with pink hair in a purple suit was waving to him from the curb. He pulled over quickly and waited for her to open the door. As she did so another figure opened the left side back door. A gruff looking male cheetah in street clothes and a backpack slid into the back seat with her to the surprise of both her and the driver. “Sorry buddy. The lady flagged me down first. She has priority.” said the wolfox politely.

“That’s alright. I just need to get across town. I don’t care if she gets dropped first.” he said as he looked around out the windows quickly.

“Is that okay with you miss?” asked the driver.

The vixen gasped lightly as the cheetah threw her a dangerous look. He nodded at her and she followed his motion to see a gun in his hand pointed at her. “Uh…Yeah...Yeah that’s fine. He can ride.” she replied.

“Alright where to?” asked the wolfox as he pressed a button on the machine on the dash board. The price of $2.50 flashed on the display as the meter began to count.

“Hero Park.” she replied. She gasped as the cheetah shot her an angry sneer at the answer. The car pulled away from the curb and began to roll toward its destination.

“Hero Park. Kinda on the late side to be heading there isn’t it?” asked the cab driver in conversation. As he drove he noted a passing police squad car. His visor also lit up to highlight a flying figure a short distance ahead and above him. Seemed the Iron Dragon was out on patrol tonight. He came to a stop at a red light and looked at the vixen in his rear view mirror. “Y-Yeah. I’m a reporter. I work for a small time newspaper. I was tasked with finding a hero or heroine to write a short piece on for the paper. Mostly a puff piece to fill some space in the next edition you know?” she answered.

“I understand. A lot of heroes and heroines take time off to relax in Hero Park during their patrols. Hoping to catch one there?” he asked in return.

“Exactly. Maybe the Iron Dragon, or Lady Sunrise will be there.” she said. The cheetah next to her only rolled his eyes at the notion.

“And what about you sir? Where will I be dropping you off?” he asked the cheetah next.

“Oh you know…Nowhere special. A body shop across town. My buddy works there.” he answered.

The wolfox driver noted the way the cheetah looked around outside the cab almost as if he was nervous about something. “I see.” he answered with a smile.

***

A few minutes later the large park was in sight. The lights that lined it looked like a beacon even amid those of the large buildings of Victory City that surrounded it. The car pulled up to the last stop light before the turn into the parking lot of the park. “Almost there miss. You know I’ve passed quite a few squad cars since we left. Something might be going on around here. You be careful out here tonight.” said the wolfox before a very distinct click sounded off right behind his head. It was the unmistakable sound of the hammer of a gun locking open. “I take it you have an issue with our destination sir.” said the wolfox as he heard it. His tone was deathly serious now. He took his hands off of the wheel and held them up next to his head.

“You’re damn right I do. We’re not going to Hero Park. Take me to Flint’s Garage across town. Right now.” ordered the cheetah.

“I think I’ll just get out right here and get out of your hair.” said the vixen before her arm was grabbed by the cheetah quickly.

“Oh no you don’t. You’ve seen me, and you work for a newspaper. You’re coming with me.” said the male.

“Let go of me.” she replied as she struggled against his grip.

“You want to get to the villain side of town. And should I refuse to take you?” asked the wolfox curiously.

“Then I have no use for you.” said the male as he pulled the trigger. The hammer moved forward seemingly in slow motion. The fennec’s blue eyes shrank in disbelief as she watched it. Was she about to witness this male die right in front of her? A loud click sounded off as the hammer struck, but nothing happened. “What?” asked the cheetah as he moved his thumb to pull the hammer back again. He pulled the trigger again and again nothing happened when the hammer struck home. “What the fuck is going on?” he asked angrily.

“Miss, I believe I heard you click your seat belt when you got into the cab, but I don’t remember hearing a click for your seat belt sir. You might come to regret that.” said the wolfox as the traffic light before him turned green.

The gas pedal depressed fully as the driver’s foot paw pressed on it forcefully. Both the vixen and the cheetah were pressed back against the seat as the car shifted into high gear. The driver resumed his two handed grip on the steering wheel and took a hard left at the light. The cheetah fell over onto the vixen before being thrown forward with the motion of a hard brake. To his surprise he tumbled forward a good five feet. When he looked up he found himself in what looked to be the middle of a much larger vehicle. “What the hell is this?” he asked confused as another sudden acceleration and right turn sent him hard against the left window.

The vixen watched in amazement at what was happening around her. She hadn’t moved. She was held snugly in her seat by her seat belt as she watched the cheetah bouncing around uncontrollably in what used to be a four door sedan, but was now as big as a stretch limousine. She could hear humming coming from the driver. Just what was going on? She looked out the window and was surprised to see the cab squeezing in and out of spaces in traffic it should have been impossible for a vehicle of this size to fit into.

A few minutes later of the cheetah bouncing around like a fuzzy pinball the cab came to a stop. The vixen looked out the window and noted that they’d stopped just outside of the Victory City Police Station. When she looked back the cheetah was upside down in his seat, and the car was back to being a normal sedan. The driver opened his door and turned to open the left passenger door. The feline male was dazed and didn’t fight as his arms were pulled behind him and a zip tie was tied around his wrists. “I’ll be right back Miss.” said the wolfox as he hauled the other male out of the car and then up the steps of the building.

***

A few moments later he returned and sat back in the driver’s seat. He took a deep breath and adjusted the rear view mirror so that he could see the vixen in the back seat. “I apologize for that Miss. I was hoping he would actually allow me to drop you off before he made his move, but he got impatient.” he said to her surprise as he put the car in drive and pulled away from the curb.

“Wait. You knew he was going to threaten you?” she asked confused.

“More of a hunch. An increase in police activity and his behavior tipped me off. He was the last at large of the group that failed to rob a bank earlier, and planned to use my cab as a getaway vehicle. People tend to think I can’t see them in the backseat when they get in here. And he didn’t hide his nervousness well. And for that matter neither did you.” he said to her visible confusion. “I could hear the hesitation in your voice when I asked you where you were going. You chose Hero Park on instinct trying to pick a well lit place that might actually have a hero nearby didn’t you?” he asked.

“You’re very perceptive. You’re half right. I was actually going to Hero Park. I didn’t lie when I said where I was going and why. I did hesitate on accident though. Most people flinch with a gun pointed at them.” she answered.

“Understandable.” he replied.

“Can I assume then that you are a hero yourself? I can’t call anything I’ve witnessed in the past ten minutes normal for a cab ride after all.” she said with a smirk.

“You’re a perceptive one yourself. Should’ve expected that from a reporter. My hero name is Shadowlight. Nice to meet you Miss...” he started.

“Scribe. Nice to meet you Shadowlight. And thank you for saving me.” said the fennec gratefully.

“Not a problem Miss Scribe. So did you still want to go to Hero Park?” asked Shadowlight.

“Not anymore. At least not for finding a subject to write about. I think I’ve found him. That is as long as you don’t mind answering a few questions.” she offered.

“I’d be happy to.” the wolfox replied with a smile.

***

A few minutes later the driver pulled the cab into the parking lot of Hero Park and put it into park. He turned off the engine and adjusted the rear view mirror again so that he could see the vixen in the back seat. “Would you like to sit up front?” he offered. Ms. Scribe nodded and stepped out of the cab before moving to the passenger seat. She had a pen and a notebook in hand ready to take notes with.

“Okay let’s start with why his pistol didn’t fire. I watched the hammer strike, and it looked as if it would have worked normally, and I don’t think it jamming was a coincidence.” she said.

“You are correct. The answer lies in a place not many look. Above you.” he noted.

“Above me?” she asked confused as she looked up. Blending in to the fabric of the roof was a message that glowed lightly for a moment. ‘Guns don’t fire inside the cab.’

“I’m what you would call a minor reality warper. My powers revolve around the written word. I can affect or ‘edit’ reality to match what is written. As long as I was focusing on that sentence, his gun would not work.” he explained.

“Clever. I take it you deal with vagrants all the time as a cab driver.” the vixen reasoned.

“People attempt to rob me a couple times a month; usually while I’m on the villain side of town. So there are a few things written around the cab and in here that I can use at a moment’s notice to defend myself or take people off guard.” he said as he pointed to the notebook on his hat.

“So the car stretching and the weaving through traffic earlier…”

“Reality conforming to my writing and making it true.” he answered for her.

“So you’d be classified as a support hero then? There to help out the other more mainline heroes and heroines from the side?” asked Ms Scribe.

“Yes. Though I could hold my own in a fight if I needed to; I prefer to ‘edit’ things subtly, or provide transportation when needed.” the wolfox answered.

“How did you come to do that role?” she asked curiously.

“Well truth be told I wasn’t always on the heroic side; at least not firmly. My parents aren’t of this dimensional plane; my father an angel, my mother a devil, and so they couldn’t stay here. The only thing I have from them is this pendant.” he started as he pointed to a yin yang symbol pendant hanging from the rear view mirror. The reporter recognized it as the symbol for the logo for his cab company. “I grew up in a rather rough orphanage, and I had to fight for what was mine. I got a handle on using my powers in the orphanage, but they mostly ostracized me from the other kids, and made prospective parents afraid to take a chance on me in case I was cursed. I was never adopted. When I turned eighteen I was given the right to leave the orphanage and I did so happily, only to find that reality outside the walls of the orphanage was even harsher than it was inside.

I began to use my powers to benefit myself. When I would witness the clashes between heroes and villains I would sometimes pick a side and help them in return for being taken care of myself in some way. The villains as you might suspect were usually more rewarding to help. Money, shelter, women; whatever I wanted within reason. But I do have a conscience, and I knew what I was doing was wrong by moral standards even if it benefited me.

Helping villains would also sometimes put me at odds with certain heroes when I would get spotted doing so. But it also put me on their radars in a way I didn’t expect. One day I was approached by the Iron Dragon on behalf of the Lady League. She is an associate member of the group, and they were in a bit of a pinch. They needed help fighting another reality warper known as The Word. She asked if I would be willing to use my powers to counteract The Words, and help them take her down before she could change the book of fate. But like I said before; I didn’t do things unless they would benefit me in some way. So we struck a deal.

Among other provisions I won’t go into; I was given a position as an associate of the Lady League even though I lack the traditional qualifier of you know, being a lady. I knew that helping them was the right thing to do, but with the deal we made I had permanent access to their headquarters, which meant I had access to their resources. But for my end; along with helping them in that fight I had to swear to fight for the hero’s side permanently. Since then having worked with the heroes on a regular basis I’ve turned my life around. I have my own place and my own business as a cab driver, and I do hero work on the side.” he explained.

“Fascinating. And you said your hero name is Shadowlight? Why that name?” asked the vixen as she wrote down notes.

“I came from a place of darkness; shadows, and eventually through the influence of others was shown the light. The way I see it, anyone can turn their life around with the proper guidance. But I never want to forget where I came from. My name is a reminder of that.” answered the male.

“This is all great stuff. Thank you for answering my questions.” she said as she wrote down the last of her notes.

“You’re welcome Miss Scribe.” he replied.

“Please; call me Felicity.” she said.

"Felicity Scribe. A beautiful name for a beautiful vixen." he noted aloud. A blush appeared on the female's face as she regarded the compliment before he continued. “My name is Sly.” he said as he held out his hand formally.

"It's nice to formally meet you Sly." Felicity said as she shook it with a smile.

“So anywhere else I can take you tonight? It’s starting to get late.” the wolfox asked.

“If you wouldn’t mind taking me home, I would very much appreciate it.” said the fennec.

“You got it.” he said as he put the key back in the ignition and started the engine.

***

A short while later the cab pulled up to a small house on a quiet street. The meter read $220 as the wolfox reached to turn the machine off. Sly raised an eyebrow as Felicity still reached into her purse. “Now you know I’m not going to charge you after all of this right.” he said surprised.

“Oh I figured. I was reaching for this.” she replied as she handed him a business card. The wolfox got the idea and pulled out one of his own cards and handed it to the vixen in return.

“Call me any time you need a ride.” he said.

“Oh I will. But I was thinking about what you said earlier about not doing things unless you’d get something out of it.” she said as a slight blush came to her face. “Now that you’re a hero…I know you’re not going to charge me…but how do you feel about displays of gratitude?” she asked a little sheepishly.

“What did you…have in mind?” he asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow at her demeanor.

“Well it is late. Would you like to come in…for coffee?” she offered as she brushed a hand through her short pink hair.

“I would love to.” he replied as he shut the engine off. The pairs tails swished behind them in the night as they walked up toward the house together.

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If you take the time to check out the short story, please take a moment to leave a comment in the comment section below to let me know what you thought. It would mean the world to me as the writer.

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Victory City is an interesting place to be for sure. Constant battles of good vs evil take place here with a huge variety of heroes and villains alike taking part. The city is largely divided into two sections; the hero side and villain side of the major metropolitan city.

Shadowlight is a cab driver who also works as a support hero. Mainly helping the more attack based heroes fight the villains or helping with cleanup or transportation in his cab.

Art by:  wrytergirl

Sly/Shadowlight is mine

Victory City, The Lady League and the Iron Dragon belong to:  settaflamowitz