The Return

Monostars:  He was completely confused.

Because he knew for a fact that he'd died.

He vividly remembered the dog launching itself at him, the red explosion as his only bead took the hit. Remembered telling his squad to run away with the artifact shard, telling them he could handle the dog alone. Remembered being too weak to call upon his affinity.

Then the searing pain as teeth sunk into his neck, and being flung to the ground. Remembered seeing black spots fill his vision as the pain faded away to numbness...

...so how was he even alive right now?

He staggered to his feet, blurry vision slowly coming into focus. He was in the Sewers. Domino looked up, blue eyes slowly coming to life, white ear flicking with a sort of lethargy, an action he remembered doing almost instinctively. His memories seemed to be one jumbled mess, and only now were they slowly picking themselves apart.

But he knew this place well. He knew it like the back of his paw, like every fur on his body. He knew where he was by scent alone. He was deeper in the labyrinth, in the darker corridors. He smiled at the familiarity of the scene.

But how did everyone else fair? Was everyone else ok? Shaking off his own worries about himself, he quickly sniffed about. A familiar scent, one of smoke? Somebody has pass through here recentl-

Oh.

Oh.

He paused, ears lowering. He knew that scent. It was one he couldn't forget even if he wanted to. One he owed a serious apology. He promised he wouldn't leave him, and yet he had. He DID still somehow manage to keep up his end by coming back, but on the most unfair terms.

Lighting his path by the dim glow on his tail, he began his trot through the sewers to find Fahne.


Dragon-of-Twilight: How long had it been? Since the mission...?

Elder Ainu still hasn't been seen down below since before he sent the young Aeniama on their quest to retrieve Artifacts from the Slums. Fahne has long since begun to doubt whether or not they'd ever get word from the other Elders. Sure the Valentine's "heart sharing" and gifts were a distraction, but not for long. With those events done and over with, the Sewers have been unnaturally quiet.

The black fox was making his rounds, walking at a steady pace. He wasn't necessarily trying to keep quiet, as he was confident in his abilities to fend off any Mutant that might stray onto his path. His tails flagged in a dominant position as he trotted, though they weren't glowing brightly. He was just going through the motions, almost mindlessly, looking straight ahead.

A faint jingling could be heard as the gold bell on his new necklace bounced gently with Fahne's footsteps.


Monostars:  He was surprised by his own ability to recall facts as his memory slowly unraveled like a ball of yarn. Don't step there, there's a crack in the floor. The water over there is shallow, you can cross from there. In no time, he was able to cross quite a distance from where he'd awoken. Yet to his dismay, the scent was growing more and more stale- it must have easily been weeks since Fahne had last crossed here. Domino sighed and slowed his gait, scraping at the ground with a paw.

What would he even say? "Hey there, I know I was dead for a while but I'm not anymore, let's just pick up where we left off?" That sounded stupid- even to himself.
It wasn't like he'd gone missing, he'd died. It was something totally different. He whined softly, sitting down. He wasn't even sure how to approach Fahne, or if Fahne would even bother with him anymore.

Before he could begin pondering how to approach his beloved fox, a scent wafted by his noise, accompanied by a soft tingle of a bell. The bell sound was unfamiliar, but the scent was unmistakable. Domino's head shot up. Yes, he wasn't mistaken- just across those walls was the smoke fox he loved dearly.

Death had done little to change him- just like before, he took off without even thinking of what to say first. It felt good to again take up the throne of the fastest fox as he darted through the corridors, leaping over shattered stone or shimming under a pile of trash. Domino slowly his gait as the sound of bells grew louder and the scent drew closer. He could make out a faint outline of a fox with tails raise high.

His heart nearly exploded with warmth. Yes, it was his Fahne. Domino could barely contain himself, practically dancing on his paws before taking a deep breath to calm himself. As the light glow of blue, that comforting glow of blue he knew so well grew closer, he cleared his throat. He had to say something, anything, and before he could stop himself, the words spilled out.

"Oh, wie ich dich vermisst habe, meine Liebe." {Oh, how I’ve missed you, my love.}


Dragon-of-Twilight: ...what.

He froze, stiff as a statue, tails instantly extinguished. His skin crawled and fur stood on end. Those words, that voice... There was only one fox who could- But he was-!

Fahne had stopped breathing. His eyes scanned the darkness ahead, but he couldn't make anything out besides some blue light. The silhouette, it looked like a fox. A pale, silvery grey- Suddenly he "remembered" to breathe and inhaled sharply, letting out a small gasp. His lungs were instantly filled with an all-too-familiar scent, one he hadn't smelled in what seemed like an eternity. But it couldn't be? There was no way...?

Fahne's stomach turned, like he'd eaten something rancid. He didn't feel well at all. This- can't be! His mind and heart started racing. What was going on?? It had to be lies, there was no way that he was really here! That must be it. It's an illusion. Someone is playing an evil joke. If corrupted Aeniama like Giza could get down here, surely there were others? Even the thought that it might be a wyrm- He didn't know much about them. It was totally plausible they might have powers like Aeniama, right? They would have been sent down here by humans-

Those humans.

A snarl curled on Fahne's lips. He began to growl deeply and lower his head, tails beginning to pulse back to life as his emotions grew more intense. "Stay away from me." He took a small step backward and yowled, "I won't let you fool me, you demons!!" before turning tail and fleeing at full speed.

There was no way it could be the real thing. It's just a cruel joke, there's no way it's him, no way, no way- It played over and over in his head like a mantra; as if he was trying to convince himself. If it really was a trap, he wouldn't be caught up in it. It was easier just to run.

He was good at that, lately.


Monostars:  Hope crawled into his heart and he took a hesitant step forward. He could see him much more clearly, his eyes adjusting to the dark. His heart fluttered and flipped upon seeing his beloved face again. He seemed to be processing this. Domino would admit, it was sudden, but who else knew to speak in that tongue? It was something that was entirely their own, what connected them when nothing else could. tiny smile raised to his face, eager to again be close to his beloved.

That was until his heart sunk when that face twisted itself into a grisly snarl. His tail dropped to the floor, and he pulled himself back by instinct. His ears dropped low. Demon? Is it possible that's what he was turned to, why he was back?
No, it wasn't, couldn't be. He still felt his soul swirling about him, making him who he was, a spirit fox.
He took a step. "Fahne no, I-"

And he ran.

Domino paused, ears dropping low as possible. Fahne seen him, called him a demon, ran away. He wanted nothing to do with him, like Domino feared. He did the little dance step he did when he was worried, and rustled his fur. He paused, a sudden determination settling over him.

"You can hate me all you want afterwards," he muttered, getting into a crouch, "but I WILL set things right." He pulled back his haunches.

With the force of a tiny hurricane he shot off into the dark after Fahne. It felt amazing to run again, to feel just like the wind. To watch the world whip past. Fahne was fast, but Domino was the king of speed down here. He ran up, running nearly side by side with Fahne while atop the broken pillars. When he was a little bit ahead of Fahne, he jumped.

It was almost like how the first met when he barreled full force right into Fahne, sending them both tumbling. Before he could go fly, Domino managed to gt Fahne under him and put his front paws on his chest.

"Look at me!" he yelped. "Seriously, it's me! Fahne, look at me, please! I swear to you, it's me, I'm really here! I'm not a joke, or a trap! Ich schwöre es!" {I swear it!}


Dragon-of-Twilight: Fahne's muscles ached as he strained himself to go faster. He couldn't stop, he couldn't let them get him! He barely made a couple of the turns, trading agility for speed at this point. He had to escape, no matter what. To the Altar Room? No, he wouldn't want to reveal that location... a fox tunnel then? Yes, that would be perfect! Nothing else can get into thos-

Before even finishing the thought, Fahne was hit hard, and knocked down against the stone floor. He was ready to speed off again when he found himself pinned on his back. He squealed, "Get off me, get off me!!" Eyes squeezed shut, ears pulled back, he kicked and batted with his front paws at his "attacker." Upon hearing the pleas, he stopped, letting out a sad, frightened whimper. Not a joke or a trap? He could always read me so well…

He wanted to look, wanted to open his eyes and see that silver fox he held so dear, but... He was terrified. What if this was just a dream or something? Would he see him, only to be torn away again? The little black fox's head was initially turned to the side, cringing away, but he slowly brought it to face front. Tears stung and began to spill out as he slowly opened his eyes. "But..." he whimpered softly. "Wie kann ich weiß... es ist richtig dich?” {How can I know… it is really you?}


Monostars:  When those crimson eyes open to meet his sapphire his heart nearly overflowed, and he just barely managed to keep back the nearly goofy smile that threatened to break out. He did, however, whine softly and lick Fahne's cheek.

Prove it? How could he do that? He let the other up, sitting back on his haunches. His white ear flickered up and down as it always had when he was lost in thought. He paused and sat back up, going over to Fahne. "I...have no way to prove it," he mumbled softly. His tail flicked back and forth nervously. He sighed, sapphire glancing back up.

"But you mean the world to me, I know that much. I know we promised to go see those stars together when we grew older. I know I promised to stay by your side.." he looked down. "A promise I broke." He looked away for a few seconds. "I know that I'm sorry, and that I missed you..."

Domino sighed softly. "I messed up and wasn't careful. I had to sacrifice my tail for my life. And with that I broke my promise to you. I understand if you hate me...or if you've moved on. I'd deserve it." His ears dropped slightly. "Just...wanted to say that I'm sorry."


Dragon-of-Twilight: Fahne stared back into those deep blue eyes, and he was lost; he couldn't bring himself to look away. His eyes widened and he blinked away the tears, still hardly believing that what he saw was true. His face flushed hot when Domino licked him, and he gasped a little in surprise, but the grey fox quickly backed off. He paused before slowly getting to his feet, never taking his eyes off the other fox.

When Domino stepped forward again, Fahne took a tentative step back and leaned slightly on his haunches, unsure of what to do or expect. His lip quivered and tails laid limp on the ground, and he listened to what the other had to say. He was quiet as he processed what he was saying, then after a few moments he spoke himself. "When I learned that you were dead..." he whispered. "I cried for days. I cried and cried until my voice was gone. Even then, the tears wouldn't stop. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, didn't wash, I avoided everyone..."

He stopped as his eyes wandered down and he finally sat. The bags under his eyes and general ragged appearance would be fully visible to Domino now, in the combined light of their tails. It was true, his once bright scarf was now covered in stains and slightly worn and torn. "There were a few times that I wanted to die; just, fall into one of the whirlpools, disappear..." There was a small scraping sound as he clenched one of his paws. "But then I thought of the others, and how they would feel if I left. It wouldn't be fair to them. What you did was unfair." he went on, voice straining at the end with a mixture of anger and sadness.

He looked up at Domino again, with a furrowed brow, but in a split second all of the visible anger seemed to melt away. His features were once again soft, and vulnerable. "I'm upset with what happened, and it's true that I'm angry about what you did," He began to slowly shake his head back and forth, eyes filling again with tears; his voice was wavering as he cried, "but I could never hate you. And I can never forget you."

He quickly came forward, fervently rubbing his head and face against Domino's neck and chest. His heart was still hurting, but at the same time he was overjoyed. If this was truly real, maybe everything could finally go back to normal. "Ich hab' dich vermisst, zu viel..." {I have missed you, too much...} he blubbered into his grey and white fur, nearly knocking him over with how hard he was pushing.


Monostars:  He felt overcome with guilt as Fahne drew away from him, as he began to tell him of what transpired after his death. He felt horribly at fault- he should have been more careful, shouldn't have let the dog erase him the way he had. His white ear flickered up and down reflexively.

But when the anger, the confusion, the stress feel away from Fahne's face, Domino felt hope in himself once more. Hope that maybe, just maybe, Fahne could forgive him. As the other rushed into him he pressed his weight back against him, keeping them both upright. He curled himself tight against the other, nuzzling and licking his fur, murmuring comfort words under his breath.

"So dirty," he teased softly, licking away some dirty patches on the nape of Fahne's neck. He'd forgotten how much he loved that scent...

..wait, what? That wasn't his scent. He looked down slightly. This was the scent of a fox he didn't know- a male fox. He bristled instinctively and without noticing. Of course he couldn't help the pang of jealousy that shot through him, but he had no right to dictate who Fahne was around while he was gone. It still didn't help to think there was another so close to Fahne- somebody who gave him the bell he wore now.

Death had done little to change him, and much like before, he curled his tail around them both, laid his head atop Fahne's and laid his ears back as he'd done so many times before. He couldn't help the possessive maneuver even if there was nobody around at the time to take Fahne from him.


Dragon-of-Twilight: Fahne had sat back down, practically sitting on his own feet, to be as snuggling in as close as possible. His tails wagged erratically and he whimpered, licking Domino's cheek and ear. That's when he noticed the other stop and stiffen, if only for a moment. But Domino was soon huddled over him again, just like old times. Fahne wanted to write the reaction off as nothing, but... he couldn't help but be suspicious. What made him do that? Was it the excess licking?

The black fox shifted on his feet, inching "closer" to him, and quieted himself. "What is it?" he asked, tone of voice lacking anger or suspicion, but instead had a hint of curiosity.


Monostars:  As Fahne inched closer, Domino curled even more over him, sniffing him with suspicion. He knew he had no right to be jealous and possessive over him, but he simply couldn't help himself. The scent was faint, but he knew it from his many round into every nook and cranny of the Steam Sewers. He couldn't match a name and a face, but it was a scent he knew good and well.

His heart dropped. Yes, Fahne was happy to see him, but was it for old times sake, and had he already moved on to another fox? He whined softly and under his breath.

"It's nothing," he lied smoothly, tail flickering with irritation, his one white ear matching the actions almost to tee. He went back to grooming Fahne and cleaning the dirt from his fur, moving onto his cheeks and nibbling away dirt from his ear tips.


Dragon-of-Twilight: Fahne sat quietly, letting him groom him, thinking about that Domino had said. It's never nothing when someone says "it's nothing." Everyone knows that. But what could it be, then?

Letting out a small sigh, Fahne closed his eyes. He really did love the feeling of being groomed. It had been some time since he'd been cleaned, too. Last time must have been with-

Oh. So that's what it was.

A wave of guilt rushed over Fahne, swirling in the pit of his stomach. How did he forget about that? About... Meitner? His ears fell unconsciously as he looked down at the floor, feeling the bell rise and fall with his every breath. A he had a piece of Meitner's totem with him. There was no doubt in his mind now that that's what caused Domino's reaction.

But what could Fahne say? ”Sorry, but since you were gone I found someone else who likes to lick me and sleep with me?" Wh-? Even in his head, that just... Ugh...


Monostars:  In all honestly, Domino knew good and well that he had no control over Fahne- or what happened in the period in which he was gone. It was natural to seek comfort in the paws of another when somebody you loved passed away, regardless of their returning or not. It was a natural, normal action that could be expected of anybody. Fahne was lonely, that's all there was to it.

He could rationalize it any way in the boom he wanted to, but it didn't make the flaring jealously in the pit of his stomach calm any less. He continued nibbling along Fahne's ears, ridding them of the dirt and filth absentmindedly. What if Fahne liked him more now?

He wasn't sure how long he'd been missing; it could have easily been months. What if what he and Fahne had was little more than a ghost imprint, an action repeated because that's the way it works, it was that familiar? When they walked away would they walk down different sewer paths? His towards nowhere, Fahne towards this mystery fox? He didn't like to think to that, and whined softly, nuzzling himself further into Fahne, memorizing the smoky sweet scent all over again.


Dragon-of-Twilight: The ebony fox continued to sit in silence, ears flicking occasionally if there was a particularly stuck piece of dirt. It's true, despite how much Fahne wanted to hold on, others had helped him and pushed him to move on. Not to forget, but to rid him of that pain. In the process, is it possible that his feelings for Domino had changed? He didn't like the thought.

"He's not like you, you know." Fahne spoke in response to Domino's whimpering, finally breaking the almost awkward gap in speech. He shuffled a little on his feet, as he normally did when nervous or uncomfortable. "Meitner is a good friend of mine, but him and I don't have the same thing as you and me." He stopped snuggle against the grey fox again, trying to convey the sincerity of his words through actions.

But how does Meitner feel? Fahne felt uneasy again. The tall fox did seem to step far out of his comfort zone for Fahne's sake, did that mean he viewed him as something more special than just a friend? He wasn't sure what to do about this... was there even a proper way to confront him about it? What if there was nothing to confront him about at all? It's completely possible that he only viewed Fahne as a welcome companion, and nothing more. The little one shook his head slightly and sighed.

"There's no one who could ever replace you, mein Schätzchen {my Treasure/Dear}. I want you to know that is true." He continued to nuzzle Domino and began to make an almost purring sound, perhaps in an attempt to calm the other.