Chapter 91 – Burning Rubber
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The crowd is engulfed in a blinding radiance, our vigor empowering each other as their true forms come to being: birds, wolves, lizards, robots, things completely alien to my eyes all being brought to life. It’s simply brilliant, watching us all working together, seeing duets form, all defending and fighting for one another. As our own fire grows, our opposition seeks to throw oil onto their own firepower, cop cars and armoured trucks screeching in from either side. I believe in us, and though I’m nervous, so long as I continue to sing, our hearts will be united by an ever burning flame!

And then they start aiming for me.

Shit.

“Aren’t you a smarty pants for calling me in, hmm~?”

Ugh, and there’s Niamh, swooping down from the tops of the towers and tossing Bomba into the fray while she’s at it, creating icy barriers from snowy clouds to protect me.

“You just can’t keep yourself out of trouble, can you~? ‘Suppose that’s why I like you so much~”

“Thanks, babe.”

The serpent woman coils around my waist and spreads her wings, only amplifying my voice as her choker glows, blinding the foe with the radiance of our soul songs, but for us who can see, it’s a spectacle to behold. A many armed insect guy charges in, seeming to vibrate to the music, an echo moving before and after him with each strike and dash, almost seeming to compete with a robot wielding a swarm of flying icy daggers. Wolves howl and slash, people chant and sing with me, tigers and lions soaking bullets and flexing their new powers with furious assaults of stone and fire. Even so, the enemies just pile on more and more, it’s a close bout until…an almost metallic screeching joins the ensemble of conflict, and looking to my side down the street, I see him.

“Coyotl?!”

Riding in on his motorcycle with Fox hanging on from behind (despite the co-pilot seat being right there), the chimera already has eyes on him, sliding from side to side to avoid oncoming fire, seeming ready to crash right into the pile up of police vehicles! Just before collision, however, Violet reaches out from Fox’s tail, slamming the ground and pushing them into the air and over the trucks and cars.

“THERE!!” I hear him shout, dispelling her bike and falling into the midst of the enemy, grabbing what looks to be the police chief while Fox keeps the grunts occupied with a flurry of windy slashes to disarm them. I can’t make out what Coyotl says next, but my Goddess I can see it. His face goes blank with static, unleashing a swarm of binding chains that engulf the captain and straight up pull him into his face! The panic amongst the cops is immediately evident, only growing as Violet takes over and reels her fists back, punching a path through the vehicle barricade one automobile after another, making a clear street for Coyotl to resummon his motorcycle and escape with his hostage.

“I trust you can handle the rest~?” I hear Fox chime in from my ear piece, to which I can only roll my eyes and wave her off, watching her chuckle in the distance.

“IT’S GOT THE CHIEF!!” I hear cops shout as Violet recedes, Fox leaping into the air and spinning like a wheel, the sound of a tire screeching and motor rumbling as she speeds through as a windy wheel, her and Coyo being trailed by a sizable amount of their force!

Goddess protect you, you magnificent bastards.

 

Fox/Violet

 

Well, this is nostalgic, ain’t it? Not my first choice of phrasing, no. Bah, don’t be a sour puss, we have the wolf power to take a chunk out of ‘em now, don’t we? …You’d be right on that front. Don’t keep me waiting. Aye aye, ma’am!

There’s a lot of heat coming our way, but we’re more than fast enough to twist and turn all around their bullets, only becoming vulnerable as I take to the air with a mighty leap and absorb their firepower into our darkness. One vehicle just crashes into me, throwing the driver through the window and forcing all behind it to swerve around, only for another to be caught in my violent explosion of shadow, careening off to the side while the main blast sends the empty car flying into the front of a truck. That’s about enough destruction before we need to start moving, revving up in wheel form to catch up with Coyo, who has brandished her blade while she rides. She actively slashes at approaching vehicles, attacking anything from other motorcycles to full ass cars and trucks, goddamn!

“Nice moves, hotshot!” I tell them as I hop onto the back of their bike, holding tight to their waist and amplifying their attacks, each spin of the cycle having an added windy buzzsaw along with the slash of their blade.

“You’re not bad yourselves,” she says, very focused on the task at claw.

“Not bad? Tough crowd! Guess I’ll have to turn it up a notch!”

Digging into their cloak, I release the Amazing Mirror and hop on top of it, riding it like a surfboard as it follows Coyotl’s driving.

“H-hey, CAREFUL WITH THAT– IT’S A PRICELESS ARTIFACT!!”

“It ain’t the best booty your eyes are plundering right now, I’ll tell you that much~!”

That shuts ‘em up with a bright green glowing face, and without any bickering, I’m forced to turn back to the enemy attempting to close in on us.

Aiming for the wheels and simply trying to push their vehicles slightly off course to ram into one another, I keep control of things at a distance, making it easier for Coyo to focus on the closer threats. I’m a bit more vulnerable in this position, though, you have cover, my tail slashing at any stray bullets getting too close and spitting them back out from whence they came.

 

All seems well until their forces slow down, allowing us to gain a serious edge in distance, which, isn’t exactly part of the plan, though, neither is that giant revving and stomping sound coming from up ahead OH GODDESS–

Our ride comes to a screeching halt as we turn a corner, finding a behemoth of a machine being assembled by a group of swearing and shouting cops, putting together something I’d seen while sneaking through Hal’s labs.

“Oh great, they’re reusing bosses now!” I sneer as it begins to come to life, forcing us to kick it into gear once more and turn tail with the massive car-fisted robot on our heels.

“What in the Goddess’ name is that thing?!” Coyotl yells, looking back as it paints the roads in tire marks, looking like it’s skating on its giant wheel feet.

“It’s scrap metal,” I answer while swerving out of the way of a bullet or two, “it just needs a bit of encouragement!”

Of course, just as it begins to wind up for an attack, more grunts zoom in on their motorbikes, making our already limited battlefield all the more hectic.

“I’ll take care of the cops!” the chimera announces, slowing their vehicle down to catch up better with the small fry, which inadvertently puts them closer and more in danger of the giant car mech thing. This is the idiot you’ve chosen to get attached to? Shut up and get your fat ass into gear!

We hop off of the mirror and launch our claw at the car fist being wound back, cocking my arm like a shotgun and firing Violet’s claw to grab and pull us towards the attacking limb, sinking my claws into it while Fox’s wind helps pull it around with the sound of a fishing line reeling in. The honking punch doesn’t quite hit its mark, putting more force in with the next only to overshoot as we push it in the direction faster, smashing it into an oncoming car. At this point it’s set its sights on us instead of Coyotl, who has equipped their chain whips to do much the same as we, pulling and pushing other drivers off course. She learns fast, I’ll give her that.

Taking over again, I scramble up the giant’s arm as its other hand flips the car around to the back, its exhaust pipe spewing oil and flames at us with little regard for its own condition. Unfortunately, it seems fairly resistant to heat alone, and we can’t exactly retrace our steps on hot steel without a good bit of pain. At the very least, keeping the big guy distracted this way really deters those only on motor bikes from taking on the heat, though that makes way for bigger cars and trucks around us, Coyotl taking them on one-on-on with her blade.

Shit, we’re running out of room…! Dammit, if Sue-Zee were awake, they’d know where this thing’s weak point is…! Wait…I’ve got it. For the love of Yom, do not fucking do that. I’m so fucking doing it. STOP–

Giving a whistle and leaping off the robot, I find the Amazing Mirror under my paws, moving slower than normal forcing me to shield us from the heat as I grab onto my scarf and think back to Sue in the digital world. If it wants to fight with fire…I’ll fight right back!

I make a shaking motion with my claw, hearing the sound of a spraycan rattling before holding it forward and BLASTING, intensifying the heat it forces itself to endure and watching it tremble and shake as it quickly becomes too much! The behemoth turns off its own flamethrower and begins swinging its melty molten fist, its top half spinning to face us as we jump out of the way. A ring of fire coats all around me as I speed ahead from under its legs and hop onto the back of Coyo’s bike again, blowing out a loose ember on the tip of my tail.

“Yeowch!”

“Are you okay, Fox?!” the chimera asks, turning corner after corner now that the police seem to have run out of smaller guys, soon finding ourselves approaching the other side of the protest.

“Of course, I’m on fire, baby!” I quip with a sharp toothed grin. “Focus on dodging for now, the time to strike is soon!”

Coyo nods at me, weaving out of the way of its enraged punches, only attacking fast and forcing me to summon my guitar, turning around and leaning against Coyotl’s back while I strum along, improving her agility enough to keep us safe. Each punch it throws shreds at its exterior, its steel meeting concrete in a disastrous greeting until it begins to fall apart, not enough to keep it out of the fight, but enough to stagger it to a low point.

“NOW!!” I shout, my darkness coating Fox’s guitar, giving it an electric edge that shreds a vicious song, empowering Coyotl as they speed up, skid to a stop, then charge right at the beast with their sword extended, our attack on display before the protest and police.

“PHANTOM WOLF BUSTER!!”

“PHANTOM WOLF BREAKER!!”

The chimera does a spinning slash across its lowered head before making a swift u-turn and stabbing straight ahead, tearing through the under half of it while I leap overhead. A fearocious howl lets loose from my maw as Coyotl makes another u-turn, jumping off her bike and allowing it to crash into the back of the beast, each of us colliding into it from above and below with a devastating spike and uppercut. At last, it can take no more, falling into a pile of scrap before us.

“Not bad.”

“Likewise,” Coyotl says, standing there awkwardly before realizing I’m offering a fist-bump and reciprocating. 

With our ferocious display, all the cops begin to disperse and flee, the crowd cheering for us as we approach, at which point Coyotl seemingly throws up the police chief from their screen, chains drooling out before they pull them back in. Not a very heroic display, but it’s pretty metal, so I don’t care. All that matters is I can finally go back in, letting me bask in the limelight at last~

“How’re you holding up, Coyo?”

“A…a bit sick, but I’m fine…”

 

With the battling over, I zip on ahead towards Cat as other protestors come over to both move the unconscious police chief off the street, but also to lift Coyotl up and surf the hero over the crowd as Niamh instructs.

“Cat! You big dumb feline!” I shout as I leap up into her arms, finding myself being spun around and kissed on the nose.

“Fox, you small stupid vixen.”

We snicker at one another as she plants another kiss on my forehead and sets me down, waving to Coyotl who is being led this way by the crash of a crowd surfed wave.

“Jeez, you all really can’t help but be big damn heroes, eh?”

“After all you’ve done, I could not sit by idly,” the chimera tells Cat, who rolls her eyes in return. “It is my pleasure to help you however I can, sister.”

“Well, thank you. I really appreciate the help.”

“Speaking of, looks like you didn’t even need ours, huh?”

Peering around Cat to look at the voice approaching from behind her, we find who I assume to be the back-up Cat had initially called in, Caramel and Minhocão, the latter needing to almost crawl out of town hall’s doors.

“A most resplendent display, my fellow warrior!” the knight cheers, offering Cat a handshake which she almost takes with her microphone hand before noticing it and allowing it to change back, giving Minhocão a firm shake.

“Please, I didn’t do any of the actual fighting. That was all these folk,” she says, gesturing to the celebrating crowd behind us. “They spent the last month planning this, I’d say they deserve the credit if anything.”

“That don’t mean you don’t deserve any yourself!” Caramel says with a hoof finger poking her in the gut. “You were pretty instrumental in the entire ordeal, wouldn’t you say?”

Heh. Heheh. Shut up. Sheesh, tough crowd, going by Cat’s unamused face as well.

“Still, I feel bad for dragging you both out here for nothing,” Cat sighs. “I was looking forward to seeing the big guy in action.”

“Fear not, my fellow warrior, there will always be more fights to be fought in the future!” the worm knight booms, standing tall and proud in anticipation for the next fight. “I don’t mind regardless, however, I would have wished to accompany my fairest here anyways!”

All heads turn to Caramel hanging onto Minhocão’s arm, giving us all a wink.

“I know at least Cat knows about the meeting tonight, and wouldn’t you know, I was invited too! I’m kind of a big deal in Monorise~ Speaking of…”

The deer points behind us, all of us turning to see an approaching rat, tail swishing behind her eagerly, along with a familiar group of crime lords.

“I suppose now’s when you do the talking, eh?” Cat asks while crossing her arms, Liz cackling and her heels clacking, coming to a stop in front of town hall. Goddess, the most powerful people in Subterfuge all standing in one place. The Rat Queen. Legion Leviathan. Caster Ray and Rider Light.

“Glad yous know da drill~ Come on, baddies, we’s gots negotiation’ ta do.”

I look up at Cat, who gives me a wink of reassurance, to which I pull her down for another kiss before shoving her towards town hall.

“Good luck, babe! Kick some ass!”

“Hopefully I won’t have to.”

It’s a bit intimidating seeing a group like that all walking into town hall all dramatic-like, but hey, better them than us. If there’s anything we can agree on, it’s that we hate talking politics with politicians, and they’re all much better suited for it too, even if I’m sure my dashing rogue charms could win over just about any soul.

That’s none of my business though, and it seems the other two posing around us looking cool don’t care too much themselves, Coyo looking brooding and Minhocão standing triumphantly, the three of us creating quite the picturesque scene. I hadn’t even noticed I was posing myself!

“You all look stupid as hell.”

Well jeez, thanks Vi. I wasn’t about to let this idiotic display go on any longer. Well, at least Minhocão laughs jovially, Coyotl on the other claw straightening themselves out and clearing their throat.

“What is the plan now, then?” they ask, putting away their sword after having been posing with it. “I suppose we will all be waiting for Cat to return?”

“That’s my plan. Not sure how long she’ll be, so I don’t want to run off and miss her exit.”

“Might I make a suggestion, dashing rogue?” Minhocão suddenly asks, sitting down, his armour very audible with each movement. “My fair partner had introduced to me a rousing sport of the mind that may preoccupy us for the time being. Would you all care to indulge me?”

Then he pulls a pack of Uno cards out of a compartment in his armour.

“No fucking way.”

“Quite fucking way, dear rogue!”

Pffft. You know what, why not. You want in, Vi? That’s a dangerous invitation you’re extending. Keep me out of it if you’d like to keep anyone’s noses attached to their skulls. I mean, I’m the only one here with a visible nose. C’mon, lighten up!

“You up for a rousing sport of the mind, Coyo?”

The chimera joins me as I sit down, looking at the deck laid before us, then turning to me, his antennae flicking.

“I…have never played this game,” they admit, their tail curling up anxiously. “I’ve heard of the woes and joys it has brought many a player, but I’ve never had the friends to play it with.”

“Well guess what, Coyo, you have uno!” I cheer, throwing my arm around her shoulders and pulling her in, swaying from side to side. “Let’s play!”

 

Cat

 

Everyone can certainly feel the energy exuding from our group as we walk into town hall, all guards on edge and eyeing us heavily until we’re at the elevator up.

“Ma’am, your gun,” the guard on duty says, putting on as much bravado as they can in front of our league of super villains, plus Caramel.

“Sorry, toots, y’ain’t my type~”

Her cackle unnerves the poor person, but she does actually relinquish her weapon…whether this is a show of good faith or a trick, I can’t say, though one certainly seems a lot more likely than the other.

In and up we go, leaving us a good bit of time to discuss before the oncoming meeting.

“Rat. The plan. What’s going on in that pea brain of yours,” I ask, not expecting much at all.

“Da plan, Cat Kitten, is ta follow my fuckin’ lead.”

Yeeeup. That shitty grin of hers oozes with secrecy, earning a groan from Caster.

“I’m sure you’ve learnt this by now, but Elizabeth here doesn’t budge once she has a plan in order.”

Legion places a hand on my shoulder and shrugs, patting me on the back. Thanks.

“I’s had dis plan cookin’ fer years now,” Liz elaborates, her tone both serious and snarky. “I ain’t gonna let a damn thing get in da way of it. Yous all will listen to what I’s say, capisce?”

Another shrug from Legion, a sigh and nod from Caramel, a shake of the head and a ‘yeah yeah’ from Caster, and nothing at all from Rider.

“I’m putting my trust in you, Liz,” I tell her, eyes burning a hole through her back. “But I’m watching you.”

“Trust me, toots, I’ll be keepin’ a pretty eye on yous too~”

Ding.

Here we are. The hallway before fate. Onward we march, the guards stationed just outside the door looking tense as all hell and quickly opening the doors to the meeting room for us, finding a board room chock full of armed guards, plus one. The mayor himself sitting at the very far end of the table.

“Someone doesn’t seem too happy to see his biggest fans~” Liz coos, stomping on over and taking a seat to the side, his own being the only one on his side of the table.

“You weren’t invited under the most pleasant of circumstances.”

His voice is restrained, as if he’s holding back a bark, elbows pinned to the table and hands pitching a tent in front of his nose.

“Can’t say I’m a big fan of being disarmed before entering a room full of guns pointed at me and my partner,” Caster points out, taking a seat next to Liz, and Rider a seat next to him.

“We don’t blame him,” Legion signs, Caramel clearing her throat so everyone looks at them. “He’s at a complete disadvantage against everyone here besides Caster.”

“Blame or not, you’re a shit head for pulling it in the first place,” I jab him with, taking the seat opposite to Liz. “Especially after all you’ve done to folks like us.”

“Watch your tone,” he spits, almost growling even as Caramel giggles.

“And I thought we were the animal people here,” the deer jokes, seeming to catch the mayor’s animosity and throw him a softball right back, making him collect himself. Not bad, Caramel.

“Now, I’m sure we’re all well acquainted,” Caster begins, that charming radio voice of his carrying the room’s attention towards his prize winning smile. “But for the sake of setting the groundwork for this meeting, let’s introduce ourselves, alright? I’ll start:

 

“Caster Ray, at your service! My partner, Rider Light and I, will be representing the face of Subterfuge.”

The little lizard next to him nods, both then looking to Liz, who has already kicked her legs up onto the table.

“Yeah yeah, Elizabeth Eternal Leviathan, call me Liz,” she drones with an irritated twitch of her whiskers, though, she seems oddly agitated and eager. “I’s representin’ da common folk ‘a Subterfuge.”

Before anyone else can be singled out, Caramel jumps in excitedly.

“Caramel Pan Poro, owner of the central park and representing the common folk of Monorise.”

Immediately, she turns her head to Legion, who sighs and straightens their back.

“Legion. Outsiders on the inside.”

Signed quick and easy. A bit too quick, really, I only have a second to realize I’m up next out of our group, so I lean forward, arms holding me up on the desk as I keep my eyes glued to the mayor.

“Cat Kitten. I guess I’m representing the folks of Aspen Town. And you?”

The mayor seems to collect himself for a moment, taking a deep breath and exhaling before bringing his hands down to the table.

“Jeremy Haddock. Mayor of Monorise, and its representative. As democratically decided, I speak for the people.”

Tch. I bet, pal. Best to hold my disdain, however.

“Alright, we’ve all stationed ourselves, so, let’s get straight to the point,” Caster says, taking the reins of the conversation once more. “Hal and Janus are no more. We are the remaining powers of Monorise, Subterfuge, and Aspen Town. We reached out to a representative of Railsent, but he declined the invitation, citing a desire to ‘get away from all that furry bullshit.’ Anyways, we’re all looking to strike a deal, seeing as we’re all unhappy with the way of things as of late. Caramel, darling, if you’d like to start us off.”

The deer gives Caster a wink before putting on a serious face and looking at Jeremy.

“You’ve made a real mess of things, Mr. Haddock. Crime has only increased since you’ve both increased the budget of the police force and ordered a crack down on ‘misbehavior.’ As a citizen who hears the woes of other citizens, I’d ask for, at the very least, a chair to have these concerns brought to light before you and have a say in dealing with them.”

The room is quiet, and Jeremy nods silently, not in agreement, but to move onto the next talking point.

“...Well alright, I’ll go next,” Caster offers, standing up and looking presentable as ever. “I’d like to invest in Monorise, but not as it stands now. So much could be done with this city, but you chose Hal goddamn Rivers of all people to work with. Those aren’t priorities I can abide by. Subterfuge has a thriving community of people and businesses, and I’d like to see to that all can enjoy such a life. If you’d let me on the board, you’d not only have a clear plan to a brighter Monorise, but the money to kick start it.”

This seems to catch the attention of the mayor more, but not moving him enough to say anything, instead turning to Legion, a glint of fear in his eyes staring at the giant space pirate.

“You’re spineless and cold hearted. You don’t know how to lead. We do. We seek a new home. We hope our point is clear.”

Once again, Jeremy nods, seeming all too thankful to be moving onto me. Oh boy.

“...Where do I begin? You’ve allowed your police force to beat my people to near death, you left me and my partner on the streets for years, your policies threaten not only my entire town, but your own damn people. It’s a wonder people haven’t revolted sooner. If you know what’s good not just for you, but for your city, you’ll step down.”

Suddenly he’s a lot less pleased to have moved onto me, even less now that he turns to the rat, who seems incredibly uninterested in anything being said.

“Feh. Yous know what I want.”

Apparently he does, turning away from all of us with a sigh.

“So what it comes down to is that this is a threatened coup.”

“That’s not what I want.”

Seemingly surprised, he turns back to me in particular, looking me up and down.

“You of all people, who I’ve apparently scorned so gravely according to you. Why?”

We find ourselves frozen in silence as I stare him down, remaining as firm as I have been despite my desire to keep things peaceful.

“Because I’ve moved beyond being controlled by anger and hatred. Those are mine to control now.”

The stare goes on, an icy, analytical gaze clashing with my fiery, determined eyes. Until he smirks.

“I see,” he says, sitting back in his chair. “Then we’ll talk more about this. You seem much more reasonable than your friends.”

…Even if that was part of my intention, I can’t help but be irked by the way he phrased it. The rest of the table would seem to agree, looking at one another sternly before Jeremy turns on his chair once more, staring out the window almost smugly.

“...That’s it?” Caramel asks, frustration clear in her voice. “You have the most powerful people in this city and beyond in one room, and that’s it?”

“That’s it,” he reaffirms. “We’ll talk more.”

The deer looks up at me, and I can only offer the reassurance that I’m just as frustrated.

“Well, dat’s dat,” Liz finally pipes up, looking up at the ceiling rather than anyone else in the room. “Yous all get out aside from Cat.”

Jeremy turns slightly and raises an indignant eyebrow at Liz.

“What, are you kidding me?” he chuckles, “All of you get out of my office. I have to organize a great deal if we’re to make this work.”

“And I’s got business wit’ you, Jerry. Everybody but Cat out.”

The mayor groans and shakes his head, but doesn’t say anything more, simply looking at all his guards who nod back at him. Caramel and Legion give me a pat on either shoulder, while Caster and Rider nod and thumbs up simultaneously. All of them then leave, and after the door closes a rotten quiet slithers through the room and tightens in my chest. Even moments later, it persists, until Jeremy finally turns around.

“Would you like me to make this easy–”

“Cat Kitten.”

The mayor is not pleased to be interrupted, but Liz speaks my name with such a commanding presence that he struggles to muster a voice of his own. Liz finally takes her legs off the table, looking straight at me, and for the first time since I’ve met her, the rat makes my heart pound.

“Kill him.”

8