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Ryker and Sebastian confront Douglas only to find another roadblock. It's a longer one. That's for sure!
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Dinner had been good. I decided to keep to myself, wondering how things would play out tomorrow. My body still ached from Andy's beating, so I decided to turn in early for the night, making a brief stop at the kiosks in the Great Hall to order some sewing supplies for myself.
I ordered a deluxe sewing kit complete with a sewing machine, a wide pallet of threads, a case, and specialized sewing needles, pins, and thimbles for my larger, clumsier hands. I'd have to get used to them if I had any hope of improving my skills.
My room was dark; the window looked onward into the dark void of the winter night. I shrugged out of my clothes and left them dangling over the chair. My body ached and surged with pain as I fell into bed. Rolling to my side, I groaned, kicking myself for forgetting to order a laundry hamper again. Slowly, I drifted off to sleep.
The morning started great! I woke up fully energized, and my body no longer ached. I threw myself out of bed and did my business before washing up and brushing my sharp teeth. Afterwards I threw on my workout clothes and worked out with Asher. I had a smile plastered on my face the whole time. My large, reptilian tail swayed behind me as I explained what today was going to bring.
I'd have my first proper date with Fynn! Sure the little valentine's fair was fun and all, but I didn't really count that as our first date or anything.
I bounded up the stairs to grab my clean clothes and shower bag before running back downstairs to get clean. The warm water on my fur made me feel heavy, diminishing my physique. Once I was rinsed off, I looked around to see if anyone else had entered the showers yet. Not one person had come down yet.
I felt giddy! I turned off the water and rushed to the drying chamber. Before I turned it on, I decided to indulge my newfound instincts. I stood on all fours and shook my entire body, wicking water all over the room. My ears flapped wildly, slapping my face as my head shook.
My tail was the least affected, remaining somewhat unmoving. I looked myself over in the large mirror at the end of the room. My fur looked a little fluffier than before but still undeniably wet.
I continued standing there on all fours, staring at myself. I was unrecognizable from who I was. Although, I guess that was the whole point of Project Corse. I sat down on the floor, my tail curling around the front of my body as I just sat there, staring.
My ears twitched as the door to the showers opened up. I broke out of my stupor, jumping to my bipedal stance and quickly turned on the drying machine, letting my ears fold down to protect them from the hot air.
I grabbed the brush from my shower bag and started brushing out my fur. Winter would end soon, and I would be shedding obsene amounts of fur as I lost my winter coat. In a few minutes, my red and cream fur was dried and fluffed. I turned off the dryer and unfolded my ears.
I walked towards the changing rooms and began grooming myself, carefully cutting off chunks of fur, especially around my paw pads.
I stared into the mirror as I began grooming my neck fluff and hair. As I started trimming the fur along my chin, I noticed that the tips of my cream-colored fur faded into a darker brown that matched the fur on my head.
I broke out the electric shears from the bag and carefully trimmed my fur until the brown tips were gone and my jawline became more visible.
When I was ready, I put on my clothes, deciding to wear my Sherpa-lined jean jacket over a buttoned-up green flannel shirt with black jeans. I wrapped a normal watch over my wrist, the leather band matching my hair. I quickly styled my hair into a soft pompadour and headed out towards the Great Hall.
I passed through the room into the cafeteria where a few other beast-folk had started eating. It was still early enough that there wasn't a line, so I stepped up to the terminal to place my order for food, sausages, and hashbrowns with a glass of orange juice.
When my food was ready, I decided to grab a seat at an empty table and dug in. All around me sat beast-folk of all shapes and sizes. None of the bears ever seemed to be out to eat this early due to their strong genetic memory for hibernation. I saw a couple of wolves filtering into the cafeteria, but no one that I knew.
In the corner, I saw Leonidas eating his food while looking over some papers, likely something to do with the announcement tomorrow that everyone was talking about. He looked grim, a dark look plastered on his snout, almost curling into a snarl. I watched as he finished his breakfast and hurriedly walked out of the room.
At this point, the avians were also out and about. I scanned the room to see if Douglas or Mathew were there, but neither seemed to have arrived yet.
I finished eating my food and deposited my dishes on the rotating racks that lead to the dishwasher. I still hadn't run into Sebastian yet, so I decided to wait a little while longer before going to find him.
Luckily, Sebastian walked through the door and sat next to me after getting his food.
"How was the rest of your afternoon?" I asked.
He grunted and nodded his head, his reptilian maw filled with food. Swallowing, "good and you?"
"Not bad. I ordered a sewing kit last night, so I can practice beyond the fashion studio." He nodded, "I turned in pretty early last night. Heh, slept like a rock!"
"That's not surprising. You looked pretty rough yesterday." He quickly looked me over. "Seems like you recovere pretty quick." He rose an eye ridge.
"I hardly noticed it!" I rubbed the back of my head with my paw. "I just woke up this morning with a lot of energy!" My tail slowly swept the floor behind me.
"Mhm," Sebastian swallowed more of his food. "So...do you just wanna wait here until Douglas comes in to eat?" I nodded. "Sounds good. Did you get a chance to write anything in that tome I gave you?"
"Not yet. Fabito just went over a few basic stitches and let me practice them at the end of 'class.'" I curled my fingers, making air quotes, "I was the only student there. If anything, this might be more of an apprenticeship than a class." I flashed a toothy grin.
"That's alright. I look forward to seeing some of your ideas!" He nudged me in the side with his elbow, "Maybe you could make something for me later on." He returned my smile and resumed eating.
After waiting a while, Douglas finally stepped through the door and joined the line for food. Sebastian and I nodded to each other, continuing to wait until he sat down with his food at a nearby table.
We got up and joined the falcon man. "Hey, Douglas!" I chimed.
"Hey?" His avian face contorted into confusion. "What's up?"
"Oh, not much, just checking in with you about wolverines," Sebastian sneered. You could almost feel the venom in his words, but Douglas didn't react at all.
"I did as I was asked and delivered some food." He replied coyly.
Sebastian's body grew tense, the wings on his back splaying out to their full wingspan. "I'm sure that's all you did." He paused a beat, "Did you and Mathew feed them?"
"Of course not! I told him I'd take care of it. He still hasn't gotten a grip on how to fly you know."
"You think he can fly?" I replied.
"Yeah," he shrugged, "the doc says he has the hollow bones that birds need to fly, so I'm willing to try it."
I sighed and laid my hands on the table. With a low, almost whispering voice, "did you tell anyone else about what's in the wolverine dorms?"
Douglas paused. His smug replies stopped as the gears began to turn in his brain. Finally, he answered, "yes."
"Who?" Sebastian asked, his voice cold.
"Isn't that what you would like to know!" he sneered.
"Who did you tell." Sebastian asked again. His claws gripped deeper into the table, beginning to scratch off the paint of the metal structure.
Douglas' eyes switched between Sebastian's claws and his eyes. Sebastian shot daggers back at the falcon man. With a slight gulp, the avian answered, "Leonidas."
Sebastian released the table. "Thank you." His body remained tense, but his wings had folded back into their resting position. I watched as he stormed out of the room and into the Great Hall.
"But..." Douglas half-heartedly called.
"But what?" I asked, leaning back into him.
"Leonidas turned her into the faculty. You won't be able to catch him for the rest of the day. He's busy preparing the announcement with
Dr. Zwo and the rest of the faculty.
I sighed, "Well...thanks for your time." I turned to leave. "Sorry about his abrasiveness. He's been pretty invested in this whole thing." I didn't wait for a reply before leaving the cafeteria hoping to find Sebastian.
I scanned the room trying to see if Sebastian was still there. I didn't see him and sat down in one of the seats of the many couches in the Great Hall.
I sat there a moment before it hit me! I'm a canine! I closed my eyes and took a quick whiff of the air. Immediately, different trails from nearly everyone in Homestead flooded my mind's eye. My eyes shot open, "agh!"
That was useful. I quickly closed my eyes again and tried to focus on what I could remember Sebastian smelled like. Slowly it came to me. The smell of leather came, followed by the scent of black tea. The trail began forming in my head. I continued to focus. The slightest hint of ash invaded my mind before the three smells came together and formed Sebastian's scent.
I opened my eyes. The trail stayed in my field-of-vision and lead outside. I stared cross-eyed at the trail as I began to follow. I stepped through the doors and saw the trail lead toward the far wall of our enclosure.
The trail flattened into a straight line before ending in a cloud surrounding Sebastian. I blinked a few times, allowing the trail to fade from view.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"No, I couldn't figure out where he'd gone."
"I can tell. You're trail coiled all around the Great Hall!" I chuckled.
Sebastian's eyes went wide as he face-palmed. "You're a dog! You can track people by scent!" He paused a moment, "Do you think you could track Leonidas?"
My head tilted to the side as I thought for a moment. "No, I don't think I could. I don't know what he smells like. I haven't spent any time near him since my senses improved to find out."
Sebastian crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall. "Have you seen him recently? Maybe his scent is on something that you could track with?"
I snapped my fingers, "yes! I saw him early this morning in the cafeteria. He ate his food and rushed off somewhere!" I paused a moment, "but I might not be able to follow. Douglas said that Leonidas is busy with the faculty regarding the announcement tomorrow."
"Well, could you try and sus him out?"
"You aren't coming?"
"Maybe later, I nearly lost my cool back there."
"Almost?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Ha ha." He slid down the wall and sat on the ground, his snout buried in his claws. "Y'know how some people struggle with anger management?"
I nodded and sat down next to him, my tail curling around to the front of me, "What about it?"
"Well, when I was little, I was a bit of an aggressive kid," He smirked, "but the teachers didn't like that. They called my folks and tried to figure out why I always seemed so mad."
The dragon's wings drooped, "They didn't even have time for a parent-teacher conference. They're always so busy; nothing I did grabbed their attention away from their work. I resented them for it. I still resent them for it." Sebastian's snout curled into a snarl. "When I told them I was accepted into Intramorph's Project Corse, all they responded with was, 'glad to hear that your career is starting to take off.'"
His fingers curled, the grey talons scraping against his black scales. "Why did they even have me if they never put any effort into loving me?" His claws slid from his face, curling further into fists. Our eyes locked, his had turned red under the frustration. Deep beneath those dark eyes pleaded a lonely child.
"I-" my voice caught in my throat for a moment, "I don't know, Sebastian." I ran a hand through my hair as I leaned back. "I don't want to say what I fear the answer might be, but I'll say this." I took a deep breath and leaned in placing an arm around his shoulder. "There are people here who care about you. I care about you."
A beat, "I don't think that you have to worry about what they think of you anymore. If they really don't care about you, then why should you continue to put effort into getting their attention and fixing it? You don't have to be the one to mend your relationship with your parents, especially if they aren't interested in making it better themselves. You don't have to be the person that fixes it." Another beat, "You can build a new family here!" I motioned to the sprawling facility ahead of us, "You're in a place with other people like you, a community."
I squeezed him in a sidelong hug. "Start fresh. We're all new people here."
There was a long pause between us. "Thanks, Ryker." He looked off into the distance. "Could you leave me here for a minute? I still need some time to get my head on straight."
I nodded, "sure."
With a small smile, I squeezed him again before standing up and walking back to the Great Hall.
I sighed and breathed deep, looking up at the fluorescent lights above me. They shone bright; the light reflected off the scattered observation rooms all around me.
I rubbed my hand through my hair again and made my way toward the cafeteria. I quickly found Leonidas' seat and tried to pick up his scent. Furrowing my brow, I closed my eyes and took a tentative sniff.
It was faint, but the trail began to form in my mind. A strong undertone of sandalwood pushed its way into my mind, followed by the scent of hair product, maybe a pomade? Citrus was the next layer that entered my mind, followed by a hint of dandruff. Lastly, the slightest hint of an acacia tree lay underneath the rest.
With a scent profile in my mind, I set out and followed the faint trail out of the cafeteria and through the Great Hall. Unlike Sebastian's scent trail which bobbed and weaved through the room, Leonidas' trail followed a straight line with direction and purpose, ending at the door to the sanitation lock.
I blinked to remove the trail from my vision and sighed. Pulling up Intramorph's vitals watch, I texted Sebastian:
He's beyond Homestead right now.
I walked towards one of the couches and sat down, waiting for a response.
Damn
Well, at least we tried. I don't think he'll be back anytime soon.
Let's just call it a day. If nothing happens during the announcements tomorrow, let's talk to him after alright?
Sounds like a plan
Well that was a bust, but at least I'd get to spend time with Fynn later. We had planned to have a cooking date after lunch, so I wandered into the rec area and found a quiet spot to sit.
I pulled out the journal Sebastian had given me and started to write.
My changes are done, but my life is still feeling shaky. A woman working here tried to warn us that Intramorph's plans for beast-folk are less than good, but she disappeared a few days ago.
Sebastian and I have been trying to figure out why, but we've hit a roadblock. I don't know what else we can do to figure this out before the announcement tomorrow. Sebastian thinks that the woman's disappearance will be addressed in some way during the announcements, though that hardly seems to be the only thing they'll announce.
Everyone is talking about it like something big is coming. Maybe Intramorph is ready to reveal the efforts of Project Corse to the public? Or maybe there's something else...
My stomach growled. Licking my lips, I closed the journal and tucked it away in my bag. Rubbing my stomach, I left for the cafeteria.
I quickly got some food and sat down at one of the wolf tables where Fynn was already eating.
"Hey, BF!" I smiled, my voice being more sing-song-y. "How was your morning?" I sidled up next to him and nudged him with my shoulder.
The cream-colored wolf smiled at me and swallowed some of his food. "Not bad! How was your class yesterday?" He cracked a half smile.
"It was good. I learned a lot. Fabito even helped me make a little something for you!" I pulled the parcel out of my bag and handed it to him." Since we were going to make some food as part of our little date, I thought we'd make something for that."
Fynn grabbed the parcel and carefully tore open the package with his claws. Inside was the dark grey apron with blue trim Fabito and I had made yesterday. He pulled it out and gazed at the personalized patch that Fabito had sewn.
"You two made this?" he asked.
I smiled, "yeah! We made this for you! I wanted to make something nice for you since you gave me this pendant!" I grabbed the pendant hanging around my neck and slightly squeezed it. My tail began to sweep the floor again.
"Yeah?" His voice grew softer, the smile fading.
"Yeah! I wanted to practice making things, so this was a really good opportunity!"
"That's good." Fynn continued to pick at his food. "So, um..."
"Hey, Fynn!" A scratchy voice called. "Who's the raspberry?"
The wolf winced, "Hey, Hendrix," Fynn replied. "Is it time?"
I turned to the source of the voice. It was a spotted hyena with tan fur and dark brown spots. His mane was a golden brown, but it looked a little greasy like it hadn't been washed in a few days or if he'd been cooking with greasy food.
"Yeah, we need to finish those recipes by the end of the week. The deadline is coming up fast."
My shoulders fell and my tail drooped, "Oh, you've got something else to do."
Fynn's ears fell flat. "Sorry, I completely forgot that I double-booked my afternoon! I really want to cook with you, Ryker, but this thing with Hendrix can't wait." He looked down at his now empty plate. "I'm sorry."
I sighed, "That's a bummer, but...I understand. I'll find something else to do." I stood up, standing a head taller than Hendrix. "It was nice meeting you."
"It was nice meeting you..."
"Ryker, Ryker Rice. I should've introduced myself properly. I just started learning how to sew and tailor with Fabito."
"That's cool!" He held his hands behind his head, "Maybe you can make me a cool chef's outfit or something!" I took a look at his current outfit. He had specialized boots over his paws, likely with nonslip soles. Going up, he wore dark green jeans and a black henley with a brown leather jacket over the top.
My smile returned, "Yeah! Maybe. I still have a lot to learn, though."
"It's all good. I hope you have a good day!" He trotted off, the boots clacking against the tile.
"We'll hang out sometime later, alright?"
I forced a smile, "yeah. Keep me posted, okay? My schedule is still pretty open, all things considered."
"Will do." And just like that Fynn got up and made his way out of the cafeteria.
Left alone, I sat back down and poked at my food. I ate quickly, meandering back to my room and finding the deluxe sewing kit in front of the door.
I set the box down on the desk and plopped into my seat, tearing open the packaging with my claws. I set out the sewing machine and organized all of the bits and pieces on the surface and in my still-empty drawers.
Once I was done, I plopped back onto my bed when my phone chimed. It was mom again.
I miss hearing your voice, Ryker.
I do too.
Is there a way I could talk with you? Not just texting.
I don't know. I can ask around.
Thanks, pumpkin. It means a lot to me!
I set my phone back on the desk and looked at the vitals watch Intramorph's staff had given me. Its glossy, square face stared back at me, showing the digital time on its screen. I swiped at it with my finger and looked up the digital help desk.
Scrolling through pages of FAQs, I eventually found one that seemed helpful: Visitation Rights. Curious, I tapped on the link, bringing me to a hefty page full of legalese. Blinking heavily, I started to read through the page, eventually dozing off to sleep.
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Chapter 8: Douglas' Delusions
Written by: Ryker-Wolf
Dinner had been good. I decided to keep to myself, wondering how things would play out tomorrow. My body still ached from Andy's beating, so I decided to turn in early for the night, making a brief stop at the kiosks in the Great Hall to order some sewing supplies for myself.
I ordered a deluxe sewing kit complete with a sewing machine, a wide pallet of threads, a case, and specialized sewing needles, pins, and thimbles for my larger, clumsier hands. I'd have to get used to them if I had any hope of improving my skills.
My room was dark; the window looked onward into the dark void of the winter night. I shrugged out of my clothes and left them dangling over the chair. My body ached and surged with pain as I fell into bed. Rolling to my side, I groaned, kicking myself for forgetting to order a laundry hamper again. Slowly, I drifted off to sleep.
The morning started great! I woke up fully energized, and my body no longer ached. I threw myself out of bed and did my business before washing up and brushing my sharp teeth. Afterwards I threw on my workout clothes and worked out with Asher. I had a smile plastered on my face the whole time. My large, reptilian tail swayed behind me as I explained what today was going to bring.
I'd have my first proper date with Fynn! Sure the little valentine's fair was fun and all, but I didn't really count that as our first date or anything.
I bounded up the stairs to grab my clean clothes and shower bag before running back downstairs to get clean. The warm water on my fur made me feel heavy, diminishing my physique. Once I was rinsed off, I looked around to see if anyone else had entered the showers yet. Not one person had come down yet.
I felt giddy! I turned off the water and rushed to the drying chamber. Before I turned it on, I decided to indulge my newfound instincts. I stood on all fours and shook my entire body, wicking water all over the room. My ears flapped wildly, slapping my face as my head shook.
My tail was the least affected, remaining somewhat unmoving. I looked myself over in the large mirror at the end of the room. My fur looked a little fluffier than before but still undeniably wet.
I continued standing there on all fours, staring at myself. I was unrecognizable from who I was. Although, I guess that was the whole point of Project Corse. I sat down on the floor, my tail curling around the front of my body as I just sat there, staring.
My ears twitched as the door to the showers opened up. I broke out of my stupor, jumping to my bipedal stance and quickly turned on the drying machine, letting my ears fold down to protect them from the hot air.
I grabbed the brush from my shower bag and started brushing out my fur. Winter would end soon, and I would be shedding obsene amounts of fur as I lost my winter coat. In a few minutes, my red and cream fur was dried and fluffed. I turned off the dryer and unfolded my ears.
I walked towards the changing rooms and began grooming myself, carefully cutting off chunks of fur, especially around my paw pads.
I stared into the mirror as I began grooming my neck fluff and hair. As I started trimming the fur along my chin, I noticed that the tips of my cream-colored fur faded into a darker brown that matched the fur on my head.
I broke out the electric shears from the bag and carefully trimmed my fur until the brown tips were gone and my jawline became more visible.
When I was ready, I put on my clothes, deciding to wear my Sherpa-lined jean jacket over a buttoned-up green flannel shirt with black jeans. I wrapped a normal watch over my wrist, the leather band matching my hair. I quickly styled my hair into a soft pompadour and headed out towards the Great Hall.
I passed through the room into the cafeteria where a few other beast-folk had started eating. It was still early enough that there wasn't a line, so I stepped up to the terminal to place my order for food, sausages, and hashbrowns with a glass of orange juice.
When my food was ready, I decided to grab a seat at an empty table and dug in. All around me sat beast-folk of all shapes and sizes. None of the bears ever seemed to be out to eat this early due to their strong genetic memory for hibernation. I saw a couple of wolves filtering into the cafeteria, but no one that I knew.
In the corner, I saw Leonidas eating his food while looking over some papers, likely something to do with the announcement tomorrow that everyone was talking about. He looked grim, a dark look plastered on his snout, almost curling into a snarl. I watched as he finished his breakfast and hurriedly walked out of the room.
At this point, the avians were also out and about. I scanned the room to see if Douglas or Mathew were there, but neither seemed to have arrived yet.
I finished eating my food and deposited my dishes on the rotating racks that lead to the dishwasher. I still hadn't run into Sebastian yet, so I decided to wait a little while longer before going to find him.
Luckily, Sebastian walked through the door and sat next to me after getting his food.
"How was the rest of your afternoon?" I asked.
He grunted and nodded his head, his reptilian maw filled with food. Swallowing, "good and you?"
"Not bad. I ordered a sewing kit last night, so I can practice beyond the fashion studio." He nodded, "I turned in pretty early last night. Heh, slept like a rock!"
"That's not surprising. You looked pretty rough yesterday." He quickly looked me over. "Seems like you recovere pretty quick." He rose an eye ridge.
"I hardly noticed it!" I rubbed the back of my head with my paw. "I just woke up this morning with a lot of energy!" My tail slowly swept the floor behind me.
"Mhm," Sebastian swallowed more of his food. "So...do you just wanna wait here until Douglas comes in to eat?" I nodded. "Sounds good. Did you get a chance to write anything in that tome I gave you?"
"Not yet. Fabito just went over a few basic stitches and let me practice them at the end of 'class.'" I curled my fingers, making air quotes, "I was the only student there. If anything, this might be more of an apprenticeship than a class." I flashed a toothy grin.
"That's alright. I look forward to seeing some of your ideas!" He nudged me in the side with his elbow, "Maybe you could make something for me later on." He returned my smile and resumed eating.
After waiting a while, Douglas finally stepped through the door and joined the line for food. Sebastian and I nodded to each other, continuing to wait until he sat down with his food at a nearby table.
We got up and joined the falcon man. "Hey, Douglas!" I chimed.
"Hey?" His avian face contorted into confusion. "What's up?"
"Oh, not much, just checking in with you about wolverines," Sebastian sneered. You could almost feel the venom in his words, but Douglas didn't react at all.
"I did as I was asked and delivered some food." He replied coyly.
Sebastian's body grew tense, the wings on his back splaying out to their full wingspan. "I'm sure that's all you did." He paused a beat, "Did you and Mathew feed them?"
"Of course not! I told him I'd take care of it. He still hasn't gotten a grip on how to fly you know."
"You think he can fly?" I replied.
"Yeah," he shrugged, "the doc says he has the hollow bones that birds need to fly, so I'm willing to try it."
I sighed and laid my hands on the table. With a low, almost whispering voice, "did you tell anyone else about what's in the wolverine dorms?"
Douglas paused. His smug replies stopped as the gears began to turn in his brain. Finally, he answered, "yes."
"Who?" Sebastian asked, his voice cold.
"Isn't that what you would like to know!" he sneered.
"Who did you tell." Sebastian asked again. His claws gripped deeper into the table, beginning to scratch off the paint of the metal structure.
Douglas' eyes switched between Sebastian's claws and his eyes. Sebastian shot daggers back at the falcon man. With a slight gulp, the avian answered, "Leonidas."
Sebastian released the table. "Thank you." His body remained tense, but his wings had folded back into their resting position. I watched as he stormed out of the room and into the Great Hall.
"But..." Douglas half-heartedly called.
"But what?" I asked, leaning back into him.
"Leonidas turned her into the faculty. You won't be able to catch him for the rest of the day. He's busy preparing the announcement with
Dr. Zwo and the rest of the faculty.
I sighed, "Well...thanks for your time." I turned to leave. "Sorry about his abrasiveness. He's been pretty invested in this whole thing." I didn't wait for a reply before leaving the cafeteria hoping to find Sebastian.
I scanned the room trying to see if Sebastian was still there. I didn't see him and sat down in one of the seats of the many couches in the Great Hall.
I sat there a moment before it hit me! I'm a canine! I closed my eyes and took a quick whiff of the air. Immediately, different trails from nearly everyone in Homestead flooded my mind's eye. My eyes shot open, "agh!"
That was useful. I quickly closed my eyes again and tried to focus on what I could remember Sebastian smelled like. Slowly it came to me. The smell of leather came, followed by the scent of black tea. The trail began forming in my head. I continued to focus. The slightest hint of ash invaded my mind before the three smells came together and formed Sebastian's scent.
I opened my eyes. The trail stayed in my field-of-vision and lead outside. I stared cross-eyed at the trail as I began to follow. I stepped through the doors and saw the trail lead toward the far wall of our enclosure.
The trail flattened into a straight line before ending in a cloud surrounding Sebastian. I blinked a few times, allowing the trail to fade from view.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"No, I couldn't figure out where he'd gone."
"I can tell. You're trail coiled all around the Great Hall!" I chuckled.
Sebastian's eyes went wide as he face-palmed. "You're a dog! You can track people by scent!" He paused a moment, "Do you think you could track Leonidas?"
My head tilted to the side as I thought for a moment. "No, I don't think I could. I don't know what he smells like. I haven't spent any time near him since my senses improved to find out."
Sebastian crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall. "Have you seen him recently? Maybe his scent is on something that you could track with?"
I snapped my fingers, "yes! I saw him early this morning in the cafeteria. He ate his food and rushed off somewhere!" I paused a moment, "but I might not be able to follow. Douglas said that Leonidas is busy with the faculty regarding the announcement tomorrow."
"Well, could you try and sus him out?"
"You aren't coming?"
"Maybe later, I nearly lost my cool back there."
"Almost?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Ha ha." He slid down the wall and sat on the ground, his snout buried in his claws. "Y'know how some people struggle with anger management?"
I nodded and sat down next to him, my tail curling around to the front of me, "What about it?"
"Well, when I was little, I was a bit of an aggressive kid," He smirked, "but the teachers didn't like that. They called my folks and tried to figure out why I always seemed so mad."
The dragon's wings drooped, "They didn't even have time for a parent-teacher conference. They're always so busy; nothing I did grabbed their attention away from their work. I resented them for it. I still resent them for it." Sebastian's snout curled into a snarl. "When I told them I was accepted into Intramorph's Project Corse, all they responded with was, 'glad to hear that your career is starting to take off.'"
His fingers curled, the grey talons scraping against his black scales. "Why did they even have me if they never put any effort into loving me?" His claws slid from his face, curling further into fists. Our eyes locked, his had turned red under the frustration. Deep beneath those dark eyes pleaded a lonely child.
"I-" my voice caught in my throat for a moment, "I don't know, Sebastian." I ran a hand through my hair as I leaned back. "I don't want to say what I fear the answer might be, but I'll say this." I took a deep breath and leaned in placing an arm around his shoulder. "There are people here who care about you. I care about you."
A beat, "I don't think that you have to worry about what they think of you anymore. If they really don't care about you, then why should you continue to put effort into getting their attention and fixing it? You don't have to be the one to mend your relationship with your parents, especially if they aren't interested in making it better themselves. You don't have to be the person that fixes it." Another beat, "You can build a new family here!" I motioned to the sprawling facility ahead of us, "You're in a place with other people like you, a community."
I squeezed him in a sidelong hug. "Start fresh. We're all new people here."
There was a long pause between us. "Thanks, Ryker." He looked off into the distance. "Could you leave me here for a minute? I still need some time to get my head on straight."
I nodded, "sure."
With a small smile, I squeezed him again before standing up and walking back to the Great Hall.
I sighed and breathed deep, looking up at the fluorescent lights above me. They shone bright; the light reflected off the scattered observation rooms all around me.
I rubbed my hand through my hair again and made my way toward the cafeteria. I quickly found Leonidas' seat and tried to pick up his scent. Furrowing my brow, I closed my eyes and took a tentative sniff.
It was faint, but the trail began to form in my mind. A strong undertone of sandalwood pushed its way into my mind, followed by the scent of hair product, maybe a pomade? Citrus was the next layer that entered my mind, followed by a hint of dandruff. Lastly, the slightest hint of an acacia tree lay underneath the rest.
With a scent profile in my mind, I set out and followed the faint trail out of the cafeteria and through the Great Hall. Unlike Sebastian's scent trail which bobbed and weaved through the room, Leonidas' trail followed a straight line with direction and purpose, ending at the door to the sanitation lock.
I blinked to remove the trail from my vision and sighed. Pulling up Intramorph's vitals watch, I texted Sebastian:
He's beyond Homestead right now.
I walked towards one of the couches and sat down, waiting for a response.
Damn
Well, at least we tried. I don't think he'll be back anytime soon.
Let's just call it a day. If nothing happens during the announcements tomorrow, let's talk to him after alright?
Sounds like a plan
Well that was a bust, but at least I'd get to spend time with Fynn later. We had planned to have a cooking date after lunch, so I wandered into the rec area and found a quiet spot to sit.
I pulled out the journal Sebastian had given me and started to write.
My changes are done, but my life is still feeling shaky. A woman working here tried to warn us that Intramorph's plans for beast-folk are less than good, but she disappeared a few days ago.
Sebastian and I have been trying to figure out why, but we've hit a roadblock. I don't know what else we can do to figure this out before the announcement tomorrow. Sebastian thinks that the woman's disappearance will be addressed in some way during the announcements, though that hardly seems to be the only thing they'll announce.
Everyone is talking about it like something big is coming. Maybe Intramorph is ready to reveal the efforts of Project Corse to the public? Or maybe there's something else...
My stomach growled. Licking my lips, I closed the journal and tucked it away in my bag. Rubbing my stomach, I left for the cafeteria.
I quickly got some food and sat down at one of the wolf tables where Fynn was already eating.
"Hey, BF!" I smiled, my voice being more sing-song-y. "How was your morning?" I sidled up next to him and nudged him with my shoulder.
The cream-colored wolf smiled at me and swallowed some of his food. "Not bad! How was your class yesterday?" He cracked a half smile.
"It was good. I learned a lot. Fabito even helped me make a little something for you!" I pulled the parcel out of my bag and handed it to him." Since we were going to make some food as part of our little date, I thought we'd make something for that."
Fynn grabbed the parcel and carefully tore open the package with his claws. Inside was the dark grey apron with blue trim Fabito and I had made yesterday. He pulled it out and gazed at the personalized patch that Fabito had sewn.
"You two made this?" he asked.
I smiled, "yeah! We made this for you! I wanted to make something nice for you since you gave me this pendant!" I grabbed the pendant hanging around my neck and slightly squeezed it. My tail began to sweep the floor again.
"Yeah?" His voice grew softer, the smile fading.
"Yeah! I wanted to practice making things, so this was a really good opportunity!"
"That's good." Fynn continued to pick at his food. "So, um..."
"Hey, Fynn!" A scratchy voice called. "Who's the raspberry?"
The wolf winced, "Hey, Hendrix," Fynn replied. "Is it time?"
I turned to the source of the voice. It was a spotted hyena with tan fur and dark brown spots. His mane was a golden brown, but it looked a little greasy like it hadn't been washed in a few days or if he'd been cooking with greasy food.
"Yeah, we need to finish those recipes by the end of the week. The deadline is coming up fast."
My shoulders fell and my tail drooped, "Oh, you've got something else to do."
Fynn's ears fell flat. "Sorry, I completely forgot that I double-booked my afternoon! I really want to cook with you, Ryker, but this thing with Hendrix can't wait." He looked down at his now empty plate. "I'm sorry."
I sighed, "That's a bummer, but...I understand. I'll find something else to do." I stood up, standing a head taller than Hendrix. "It was nice meeting you."
"It was nice meeting you..."
"Ryker, Ryker Rice. I should've introduced myself properly. I just started learning how to sew and tailor with Fabito."
"That's cool!" He held his hands behind his head, "Maybe you can make me a cool chef's outfit or something!" I took a look at his current outfit. He had specialized boots over his paws, likely with nonslip soles. Going up, he wore dark green jeans and a black henley with a brown leather jacket over the top.
My smile returned, "Yeah! Maybe. I still have a lot to learn, though."
"It's all good. I hope you have a good day!" He trotted off, the boots clacking against the tile.
"We'll hang out sometime later, alright?"
I forced a smile, "yeah. Keep me posted, okay? My schedule is still pretty open, all things considered."
"Will do." And just like that Fynn got up and made his way out of the cafeteria.
Left alone, I sat back down and poked at my food. I ate quickly, meandering back to my room and finding the deluxe sewing kit in front of the door.
I set the box down on the desk and plopped into my seat, tearing open the packaging with my claws. I set out the sewing machine and organized all of the bits and pieces on the surface and in my still-empty drawers.
Once I was done, I plopped back onto my bed when my phone chimed. It was mom again.
I miss hearing your voice, Ryker.
I do too.
Is there a way I could talk with you? Not just texting.
I don't know. I can ask around.
Thanks, pumpkin. It means a lot to me!
I set my phone back on the desk and looked at the vitals watch Intramorph's staff had given me. Its glossy, square face stared back at me, showing the digital time on its screen. I swiped at it with my finger and looked up the digital help desk.
Scrolling through pages of FAQs, I eventually found one that seemed helpful: Visitation Rights. Curious, I tapped on the link, bringing me to a hefty page full of legalese. Blinking heavily, I started to read through the page, eventually dozing off to sleep.
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Category Story / All
Species Wolf
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