D-Rock wrote: ↑Sat Jun 04, 2022 11:46 pm
Certainly explains a lot, though this seems to imply that there was a rather short time between Dragon having Liliana and Tarot as avatars. Still, hate is usually learned, and now we have the source of it.
Anger leads to hate and all that.
Wrenisprobablyb0red wrote: ↑Sun Jun 05, 2022 12:13 pm
Dang! Although the Bino presented in this flashback clearly isn't exactly kind or sensitive, it still hurts to know what Dragon did to him, seemingly out of some sense of empathy. Knowing how Dragon later fell in love with Peanut, and had a similar breakdown, and I think here it's sort of alluded to that Dragon has done so before, I think there's probably some likelihood Dragon wishes she could do this to herself- bring herself to hate mortal beings, that is. Not, like, cats in specific.
It's one of the facets of Dragon's character I found interesting. I thought she'd be this extremely wise, kind, and caring deity, standard stuff, only to have the rug pulled from underneath me to find out she's more akin to a teenager who can have her heart broken just as easily.
Amazee Dayzee wrote: ↑Sat Jun 04, 2022 10:57 pm
Well that explains so much about why Bino is such an ******. I hope Askal saving him will change him somewhat!
You know me, I like to build up on plot points so this is just the beginning.
So you guys might be wondering why I have this chapter up so soon. Funny story, my internet went into a limited capacity for a whole day so I didn't have access to a whole lot of distractions (i.e. video games and random youtube videos) and I couldn't study cause I accidentally left my materials in my g-drive in a zipped folder too large to download like a goober and I couldn't find any decent references for my drawings so this was kinda the only option I had. I could only play Enter the Gungeon so many times before the sound of gunfire made me bored out of my mind. Plus I noticed how when I wrote my first story on this site my chapters would be easier to write if they focused more on action but now it's kind of the reverse. I have an easier time with dialogue. So hey early chapter. Don't get used to it though this is kind of a one-time thing or not I don't know.
Episode 04: Those Who Have Forgotten The Past
Chapter 02
"Hey, I think it's working!"
"Bro, keep quiet. I need to concentrate."
Askal recognized those voices.
It was Zeke and Rowan. Slowly, the young dog's eyes fluttered open to see the edge of a tree line and a clear blue sky above him. Aside from the two brothers' voices, Askal also picked up on the sound of rushing water. Like he had suspected, the two brothers were close by, hunched over him as purple light bathed his entire body. Rowan had his hands on Zeke's shoulders, channeling energy into the black dog's body. Zeke had his hands outstretched, maintaining an intricate pattern of green light.
The longer Askal was conscious, the more he realized how much everywhere hurt; no part of his body was spared from the pain. If Askal didn't know any better, he would've thought he had died but was cruelly forced back into his body to feel what he had missed when he jumped into the rapids.
When Askal remembered the rapids, the young dog immediately shot up, but because his entire body felt pain, he didn't get too far before he was overwhelmed and back to his lying down position.
"Easy," Rowan cooed, "You took a beating when we found you. you're hurt really bad."
"How... bad..." Askal groaned
"More than half of the bones in your body are broken," Zeke stated nonchalantly.
Rowan looked at his older brother slack-jawed. "KUYA!"
"Not... me..." Askal spoke through grit teeth, "Bino?"
"You really should be more worried about yourself." Zeke sighed as he moved to another area.
While still maintaining his energy output Rowan looked at Askal with pity, "He's fine; Kitsune demonstrated how to use conjoined casting on him, and he left you to us while he brought Bino home. Said something about needing time to study the spell."
"Bingo." Kitsune came into view, looking over Zeke and Rowan's handiwork. "Good work, boys; he should be fully recovered in a week at your pace."
"A week!?" Askal yelped before a surge of pain erupted from his chest
"whoa, I said to take it easy!" Rowan scolded
"ah, don't worry about it. I'll finish up so you can go to your performance later. I'm just letting these two practice conjoined casting." Kitsune chided before looking at the two brothers. "Now, what did we discuss earlier?"
The two brothers rolled their eyes before speaking in unison. "The tenets of conjoined casting are as follows: one both casters must be in complete sync with one another. Two both casters must have and know the material, verbal and somatic components of casting a spell. Finally, three both casters must be in physical contact with each other. When all these conditions are met, a spell greater than one caster can manage alone can be brought into being."
"Excellent," Kitsune applauded, "Now keep working on Askal's body while I have a little chat with him." Kitsune then reached for Askal's head. "yoink."
Kitsune made a pulling motion with his arm, bringing Askal along with him, and when he did so, the young dog felt all his pain melt away instantly. However, the pain wasn't the only thing to melt away. Suddenly the forest, along with the sound of running water, had disappeared. In its place was a messy room with papers scattered all over the floor. A quick glance out the window revealed he was still in Babylon Gardens, but where exactly was a different story.
Askal motioned to approach the window to get his bearings, but the young dog didn't hear his footsteps when he did so. When he glanced down, Askal didn't say either of his legs but instead a whispy ghost-white tail. Horrified, Askal looked to his arms and chest to see it too was a shade of white.
"Oh, I guess I'm dead." Askal shook to the core of his being, which was now his entire being.
"No, but you gave it your best shot." Kitsune chuckled as he approached the bed in the corner of the room.
Gently, Kitsune moved the blanket to reveal Bino peacefully sleeping the day away. The sight was enough to calm Askal's nerves, but the golden mark on his chest still hadn't disappeared. Now knowing what that mark represented, Askal had to suppress a growl.
"Easy boy," Kitsune chided. "That's still essential."
Askal was taken aback, "Essential? Kitsune, you saw what I did, right? So that mark is nothing but trouble."
"Ordinarily, I would agree. In the long term, this thing, this spell, has done more harm than good."
"So why is it still here?"
"Because when this mark was created, it held back the trauma of that day. It was something he could've and should've moved past back then. But over the years, that trauma has continued to build and grow. If I remove the mark, all that trauma floods back into Bino, and I think you know what happens when someone's exposed to too much mental trauma in one go."
Askal paused before a look of horror spread on his face. "Kuya Datu,"
"Exactly." Kitsune applauded, "I need to be careful about this, so instead, I limited the spell's capabilities. As a result, it doesn't block out the memory completely but slowly reintroduces it to Bino, at a speed he can handle."
Askal sighed as he floated over to study Bino. "Okay, let's switch gears and start from the top. What did I see? How did I see it?"
"You, my friend," Kitsune flicked his wrist, and a black book appeared in his hand with the title "book of fate" and flipped through its pages. "are an Echoing Resonator."
"What?" Askal, despite not having a physical form, still had his habits and tilted his head in confusion.
"Basically, it allows you to sense and see strong emotions and the memories tied to people and/or objects. Coincidentally your powers circumvented Dragon's spell. She couldn't take away the memory because memories make up who we are and tampering with that can get a celestial in serious trouble. Rather she sealed it away so that it would never hurt Bino, but no matter what she did Dragon could never take away the hurt, the sadness, the emotions he felt that day."
"I don't understand; if this Dragon sealed Bino's memory of what happened, how did the emotions stay? Wouldn't he forget it ever happened then?"
"Celestials are known for their godlike feats." Kitsune brought his hands together, and when he separated them, a tiny star had formed between his palms. "We bend the laws of reality to our whim, time means nothing to us, but the one thing we could never manipulate directly was the emotions of a mortal. We can bribe, pamper, and scheme all we want, but the emotions of a mortal are too stubborn, too wild to be controlled directly." Kitsune clapped his hands, and the star was gone.
"I will admit, her intentions were well-meaning, but had Dragon allowed Bino to grieve, to feel his sadness, sure it would've hurt, but it would've made him stronger." Kitsune waved his hands, and a cloud appeared.
Askal leaned in to see Bino back at the park, drenched in the rain. But, this time, instead of Dragon coming to console Bino, Fido and Joey were there to take a seat on both sides of Bino. The scene then shifted. Fido, Bino, and Joey were in uniform, saluting proudly as a german shepherd pinned badges to their vests. Then, once again, the scene shifted to the three brothers toasting soda cans together in celebration.
"In sealing away his memory of the event, Dragon not only robbed Bino of the chance to grow and become a better version of who he was but also robbed him of connection to his brothers. They didn't know something was wrong, so they couldn't come to his aid when he needed them the most. Instead, what should've been the best K-9 trio Babylon Gardens had seen in years turned into a one-dog show."
Askal looked at the tossed aside papers and saw comically exaggerated depictions of cats being evil. "And the cat hate?"
"Like I said. Bino was denied the chance to work out his issues organically. Instead, he was forced to believe nothing was wrong, and as most psychiatrists say, the first step to recovery is admitting there's a problem in the first place. So the emotions stayed and festered like an infection, eventually growing into the hate you see today."
Askal sat or, more accurately, hovered over the bed glancing at Bino's calmly sleeping face. The young pup thought about what should've been a great display of brotherhood, only for it to be ruined by an outside force. Askal felt that pain, and despite not having a body, Askal couldn't help but sob.
"What's wrong, Askal?" Kitsune cooed as he sat down next to the ghost dog and patted his shoulders.
"I'm just so... angry. Dragon forced Bino to endure years of pain and all under the guise of kindness. He should've been with Kuya Fido and Joey, but she took those years away from him. It's frustrating," Askal growled between sobs.
When the young dog voiced his emotions, Kitsune could only laugh. "oh nice, it's not as if my powers were useless enough."
"Okay, I'm not laughing to demean you." Kitsune chuckled. "It's just, the hallmark of a natural-born Echoing Resonator is their unfathomable empathy. Here you are practically dead but not quite, and you're more worried about someone else."
"Still doesn't change how useless my powers are, though. I mean, really? I can only see emotions of traumas long past; how the heck am I supposed to work with this?"
"You don't only see traumas; it's just the most common type of intense emotion. Also, your powers are more useful than you realize; for one, you just helped Bino didn't you? You aren't even using them to their full potential yet."
"Can you show me?"
"When you're ready."
"When will that be?"
"When you~" Kitsune paused, then rolled his eyes. "You know what? This bit is overplayed; just go. You'll be late."
"late?" Askal tiled his head
Suddenly the world went dark.
"Askal," Peanut called out from the darkness, "we'll be late for the final round of practice!"
Askal snapped out of his slumber and found himself backstage once more. He had a body once more, and it no longer hurt this time. Props and costumes were still scattered all over the place, but stagehands were rushing to put everything back in order. Almost everything was as he had left it.
"Late?" Askal repeated groggily
Peanut helped Askal to his feet. "Yeah, that freak windstorm set us back. the festival planners gave us just enough time to do one more run-through; now, let's go!"
Before he was ready, Askal was pulled towards the main stage where Grape and Max were already mid-scene.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Fox couldn't remember the last time he was so relaxed.
In all honesty, the past three days were practically heaven on earth. He had no shifts to commit to, so Fox pretty much spent his days like he was an ordinary citizen again. Of course, the husky still woke up bright and early to get his daily exercises in because some habits were hard to get rid of, but he had the entire day to himself once that was done.
With his newfound open schedule, Fox spent time catching up on his reading, binging TV shows on the couch with a tub of ice cream, and playing with his nieces and nephew; Fox even made some time to hang out with King again. The best part was that Mungo could tag along for the ride since he had also been given time off.
For the sake of fairness, Mungo also had his pick of activities the pair would do together as well. They went fishing, learned how to make Dinuguan together, had a Pride Lands movie marathon, and their latest venture, went to a spa for a full body massage. Fox didn't exactly peg Mungo as the pampered type when they first met, but here they were now, leaving the local spa with the scent of eucalyptus radiating off their fur.
"Come again, officers!" a female cat and dog waved the duo goodbye as they exited the establishment.
Mungo waved back with a wide smile. "Thanks, ladies, that was very relaxing."
"It was our pleasure." the dog blew Mungo a kiss, "If you ever need to blow off some steam, you know where to find me."
"I'll keep that in mind," Mungo chuckled. "but if I come back, it'll be strictly business; I'm in a relationship after all."
"Well, can't blame me for trying; you're quite the catch, big guy. But, whoever she is, she sure is a lucky dog. Have a good day now." the dog laughed earnestly as she went back into the shop.
Once the two dogs were alone, Mungo gave Fox a soft elbow and winked, "Yeah, he sure is."
"Mungo," Fox softly scolded as he turned a shade of red.
All of a sudden, the walk back to the residential area of Babylon Gardens went silent save for the rustling of autumn leaves. It shouldn't have been more than five minutes of walking, but, somehow, the silence made five minutes into thirty.
For once, it was Mungo's turn to poke fun at Fox. Usually, the husky was a bit sturdier and didn't have as many weak spots to prod at. However, their status as a couple was one of, if not the only thing Mungo could playfully tease. Of course, Fox knew that it was all in good fun; he did it to Mungo on multiple occasions, so it was only fair Mungo got some shots in. Still, it was an awkward topic about their relationship Fox hadn't considered yet.
The only ones who knew about their relationship were Sergeant Ralph, Zeke, and Rowan. While he wasn't sure how Ralph came to know about their little secret, Zeke and Rowan found out while he and Mungo were being... intimate while waiting for the two to show up for training one day. Fortunately, the biggest reaction they got from the two was an "I KNEW IT!" from Rowan. It was a miracle that the two knew how to keep a secret and were supportive at the same time.
Even Sergeant Ralph didn't seem to care about their status as a couple. While many would be jealous of the situation Fox found himself in; the husky still felt that it was too big a risk casually spreading his status around. Fox had seen his fair share of domestic violence reports come from parents because of who their children considered their partner. The thought of it happening to him still scared the husky.
"Hey Fox," Mungo spoke slowly, "I was just kidding, you know that, right?"
Upon hearing Mungo's words, Fox snapped back to reality and chuckled. "Oh, uh... I'm hurt, Mungo; I would think you'd know that I cherish our relationship."
"You know what I mean, Fox." the larger dog frowned.
"Yeah..." Fox sighed, casting off the brave face he tried to put up. Mungo always saw through it. "I know... it's just...
"You're scared." Mungo finished for Fox when he noticed him struggling.
"Yeah." Fox sighed.
"well, you don't have to be...
"Yeah, you've seen how my dad handled those D.V. cases and that he always tries to make those poor kids feel accepted, so I have nothing to worry about. I know it's... just...
"Everyone else?"
"Yeah. Dad's been covered; I know King and Bailey would have my back when it came down to it, and even Sarge didn't seem to mind. Of course, it'd be downright hypocritical if Fido and Sabrina weren't on board, but..."
"but?"
"You've seen how much of a pack mentality everyone had when Fido and Sabrina came out. I just... don't want that to happen to us, to everyone we know and love. I know it's petty to be concerned about what total strangers think of me, of us, but it still scares me."
Mungo stopped their trek just to wrap his arms around Fox. The gesture was something the black dog could get away with since he had a reputation of being a hugger; nobody would see anything out of the ordinary. Still, Fox knew better and appreciated what Mungo was trying to do for him.
"Fox," Mungo cooed softly, "I can't force you to be ready, nor will I demand you out us, or we're done. Your fears are understandable, and when you lay it out like that, even I'm a little bit scared."
Fox raised a brow as he broke the hug to continue their trek home. "Oh, The great and powerful Mungo, scared of something?"
"Hush," Mungo chuckled, "I'm not as afraid because I know you'll be there by my side. We've got great friends, Fox; they'll be here too when you're ready. And quite frankly, that's all I'll need."
"Aw, Mungo," Fox smiled widely at the larger dog's wise words.
"Besides, if anybody makes you cry, I'll crush their bones into dust!" Mungo said nonchalantly with a smile.
"Aaand the moment's gone." Fox sighed, "talk about spoiling the moment, big guy."
Mungo chuckled before leaning down to poke Fox’s stomach, “Speaking of spoiled, I think I see where last night’s tub of ice cream went.” Mungo sighed and pretended to wipe away a tear, “I’m gonna miss those abs.”
“Hey, my body-fat percentage is still below fifteen percent!” Fox fired back.
Mungo shrugged, “It used to be below twelve percent. What a tragedy.”
"Well, sorry," Fox rolled his eyes, "we can't all have industrial furnaces for a metabolism."
"Exactly why I've devised an exercise plan to bring you back into top form and bring back those sweet abs!" Mungo stated excitedly.
Fox locked eyes with Mungo for two seconds straight before bursting out into laughter. After the serious talk they just had, it was a welcomed one. Still, Fox could see Mungo had a point. He had friends and family to support him, something not everyone like him had. He was blessed. However, that didn't mean he would climb onto the nearest rooftop to proclaim his love for Mungo. He wasn't ready, and until then, he was going to enjoy the little moments of laughter he had with Mungo.
"I am serious, though," Mungo said in between gasps of air "you've been eating a concerning amount of ice cream."
"Excuse me." Fox and Mungo, like the trained dogs they were, straightened up and turned around to respond to the gruff-sounding voice that had called their attention.
In his time as an officer, Fox had seen to the needs of dogs, cats, humans even wolves at one point. However, this was the first time in his career that a Puma had called his attention. At first, the husky was about to reach for his phone to call animal control but was able to keep his hand when he noticed she was wearing a red and black blazer that barely hid her musculature. It was a good thing, too, she even towered over Mungo, and there's no telling what she would've done when angered. But, despite being introduced into civilization for more than a year at this point, Fox still hadn't gotten used to Gale.
"How may we help you?" Fox coughed out after clearing his throat.
"You two are law enforcement, right?" she queried with folded arms.
"That is correct, ma'am." Mungo smiled as he fished out his badge from his collar while Fox did the same. "While we are off duty, we can still see to whatever you may need of us."
she rolled her eyes and looked around. "Oh, it's nothing too complex; I just needed to clarify something."
"Oh, and what can we clarify for you, ma'am?" Fox stood up straight but barely came up to her chest.
"How much can I harm someone and still have it be called self-defense?" she responded with a straight face.
"May we ask what brought this question on?" Fox's service smile faltered slightly.
Gale leaned in closer, causing the two police dogs to do the same. "This past week, I've been feeling like someone's been watching me. I don't have proof, but it's something I feel in my gut."
"Ah, I see," Mungo responded formally, "while I recommend you don't resort to violence and report this to the authorities, I would say light bruising if it ever comes down to it. Self-defense should be proportional to the crime; if all they've done is stalk you, then that's as far as you’re allowed to go."
Gale scratched the back of her head with a deep sigh, "I see, thank you, officers. I'll call the appropriate numbers if it ever escalates."
"Pleasure to be of service." Fox saluted as the cougar turned and walked away.
Once the cougar was far away, the two police dogs finally broke their stances. Despite not being on duty, Fox still made a note on his phone about a potential stalker in Babylon Gardens. He needed to make sure the precinct knew about it in case it ever went beyond Gale. It could be another possible kidnapping attempt by someone like Kara.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Fox sighed.
"Kara?" Mungo responded gravely,
"Exactamundo." Fox growled, "I should let Sarge know; if this is another Kara case, we'll be~
Before the husky could finish, he was cut off by the sound of a sharp inhale, followed by Sabrina appearing right in front of them. Fox let out a restrained but surprised gasp, but Mungo, on the other hand, yelped out as he leaped back.
"Sabrina?" Fox asked with his mouth agape.
"Don't bother," she said in between gasps, "I was the one stalking her."
"Please tell me you've got an explanation for this." Mungo sighed.
Sabrina held out a piece of paper with strange drawings on it. "Tarot and I have found records stating that Gale might be dragon's hundred and thirtieth avatar, but to prove it, we needed to tag her with a power glyph to see if it responds. The brighter it glows, the more potential she has as a magic-user and thus proving she's a descendant of avatar one-hundred and thirty. The problem is she's more perceptive than we realize. Every time I get close she notices me coming. It's like she's got eyes in the back of her head. Honestly, the only reason why I'm alive is because of this invisibility enchantment."
"Have you tried being upfront with her?" Fox suggested only to earn a deadpan stare from the black cat.
"Hi, Ms. Gale, would it be alright if I stick you with this magic sticker to see whether or not an all-powerful magic dragon has blessed your family with magic powers so we can fight evil and bring peace to this world?" Sabrina mock explained with great exaggeration. "yeah, no. I like my entrails where they are, thank you very much."
"Fair enough." Fox sighed
"Anything we can do to help?" Mungo offered, ever the helpful one.
"Nah, I'm about to call it a day," Sabrina stretched her back, "Festival's about to start soon. I wouldn't want to miss that."
Mungo lit up with excitement. "Oh, Fox and I are on our way there. Wanna join us?"
"I've got to make a stop at Fido's. The goofball got so excited for Askal's performance today that he accidentally left his new rashguard for his burnt arm at home." Sabrina shrugged with a chuckle.
"Shouldn't be too much of a detour; we'll come with you. Besides, I know where Fido hides his spare key." Fox gave himself a stretch to prepare for the trek he would undertake.
"No need; he said he left it out to dry because he got it soaked with juice the other night." Sabrina took the lead but stopped to poke at Fox's stomach, "What a shame, the one thing you had over Fido was your abs. oh well."
"SERIOUSLY!?" Fox growled, eliciting a laugh from Mungo.
So the three pets were on their merry way towards Fido's house. Due to the festival's presence, Babylon Garden's streets were more or less deserted. There was the odd pet or two who were late to the celebration, but other than a few stragglers; it was relatively quiet. Relatively because Mungo was too excited for the festivities he would partake in. There was Zeke and Rowan's food stand that they named "Manong Aso" for whatever reason, rides, games, and the crowning jewel of the day, Askal's play. After all, it was his favorite book, so Fox wasn't surprised when Mungo kept listing what he was expecting from it. Of course, Fox had to remind him it was a local production, but that didn't stop the big dog from expecting great things.
Eventually, the trio of pets made their way to Fido's home. Due to their various training, it was short work to hop Fido's fence into his backyard and even faster work to find the aforementioned rashguard pinned to the clothe's line.
"I'll get it!" Mungo yelled in excitement.
At first, Fox didn't see anything wrong with Mungo handling such a simple task, but it took him to notice Mungo's excited tail swinging to realize what a bad idea it was.
"WAIT, MUNGO!" Fox yelled out, but it was too late.
In his excitement, Mungo didn't just grab the rashguard; he also grabbed the line it was pinned to. Before Sabrina and Fox could react, the large police dog had ripped one of the poles holding up the clothe's line clean off the ground. The two could only wince as the metal pole hit the ground with a metallic clang.
"Darn it. Not again." Mungo sighed with frustration. "Fox?"
"Yeah yeah," Fox waved at the dog to show it was no trouble, "take your time. Festival's not going anywhere."
As Mungo got to work, putting everything back the way it was, Fox decided to take a load off and sit at the picnic table Fido had outside. However, the moment he sat down, a glare hit his eyes. What struck the husky as odd was the angle he was hit. The glare had come from below him.
Driven by curiosity, Fox noticed the glare was coming from underneath the picnic table, between the wooden planks that made up the table portion of the outdoor furniture. Yet again, it struck Fox as odd; most of this table was made out of wood with very few metallic pieces that could be used to reflect the light into his eyes. So what could be responsible for the glare then?
Fox got onto his knees and crawled underneath the picnic table. Once he had squeezed his way underneath, Fox's heart nearly stopped when he flipped himself over to see the table's underside.
"Fido," Fox gasped, "please don't tell me…
Underneath the table, secured to the table's underside with the use of duct tape, was Suicune's sword.
End of Chapter 02
Obligatory Trivia Section.
The name of Zeke and Rowan's food booth Mang Aso literally translates to Mr. Dog and is a reference to a popular condiment named Mang Tomas, which is usually used on pork-based dishes.