Surprise Drive - Prologue
#1 of Surprise Drive
A lively, energetic panthress is suddenly driven into a perilous situation that she is by no means qualified to handle. With no clear exit, she must gear up and face the dangers and obstacles coming her way. Will she manage to make it to the finish line in one piece, or will she crash and burn under the pressure?
Joy. Pure joy. It was all he could feel at the moment. Pure joy and pure bliss. It felt heavenly and made him smile. It made him feel as though life couldn't get any better. There was a skip to his steps as he walked along the path between the scraps of broken car parts and the trees of the forest. As his hand trailed along the fence dividing the two boundaries, he admired the way light shimmered off of his scarlet red exterior. How long ago had it been since he had went through his change? It felt as though it had been decades since he had walked around in his dull skeleton of a body.
He had no fond memories of that body. Ever since having it, people ran away just at the sight of him. His appearance frightened them. How could he blame them? His old body was sharp, jagged, and uninviting. No one wanted to be friends with someone like that. Things had changed though with his new body. There were no jagged edges to be found on him, as his body was covered in a smooth exoskeleton. It was no longer the dull gray color that he despised to look back upon. There was no trace of that color anywhere on his new body. Instead, it was covered in red, the color of passion, courage, and best of all, love.
Thus, Heart was the name he chose for himself. It was fitting to someone like him. After all, the heart was well known for its association with love, and love was an emotion that he was full of. He loved many things. He loved the way the sun's rays reached through the trees of the forest to touch upon the ground. He loved watching all of the birds and deer go about their business. He loved the listening to the sounds of the wilderness as he walked down whichever path he chose to take. But most of all, he loved each and every friend he had made over his life.
Ah, friends. Just the thought of them brought his mind to bliss. He had made plenty of them thus far. In fact, they were fifty heads strong by now. So many friends. So much more than he could ever ask for. Yet what made him shiver in delight was the fact that there were more to come. Yes, he truly loved the friends he had made, but the only thing he loved more was making new friends. With old friends, he could go on and on about his day and fresh, new events. With new friends, he could start from the very beginning. He could tell them about the things he likes, the things he enjoys doing, as well as learn about what they_like and what _they enjoy doing. It was like starting all over, but instead of having the same amount of friends, he got more. And best of all, he could tell them about all the wonders of his Paradise!
Excitement rushed through his body as soon as he heard the sounds of approaching footsteps, accompanied by the sounds of struggle. His new friend had finally arrived!
All of his previous thoughts went forgotten as he turned around to greet his companions. Three figures were making their way up the hill that he stood upon. Two of them possessed the type of body that Heart himself once had. Dull, grey, metallic bits covered every inch of their being, with the only exceptions being the numbered plates melded into their chests and the skull-like encasing over their faces. Whilst one had ear-like frills on its head, the other had mandibles coming out of its face. Both were holding onto someone with no metal of which to speak, a panicked fur who was screaming and struggling against the grip of Heart's friends.
This was always the hardest part; new friends always struggled. He knew why; the jagged exteriors of his old body always scared away the unfamiliar. But he knew it wouldn't last. Every new friend he had made always changed in the end. They were always more loving and happy afterwards. Always grateful and always smiling. He just had to do the same with this one.
"We've brought you our newest friend, Heart," said the friend with "013" etched into its plate. Heart felt ready to burst from delight as he approached the trio.
"VERY good! Very good," he laughed with his arms spread wide. His new friend screamed louder and struggled more vigorously as she laid her eyes upon him. Heart did not waver as he went on; he knew he had to be patient with new friends.
"Please, no need to be afraid. I assure you that we mean no harm. We just want to make you our friend... These two that brought you here are my friends, and very soon, they will become your friends as well!" Heart's new friend all but ceased in her struggles, having tired herself out from doing so for so long. She began to sob uncontrollably and kept her gaze glued to the ground. Feeling pity for her, Heart knelt down to her level and cupped her muzzle in his hand. "Ohhhh, no need to be sad. In fact, you'll never cry again once you become my friend. Just ask 13 and 25. They were sad like you before I made them my friends, and they've never been happier!"
"It's true!" said 25, "I don't even remember what it felt like to be sad! We've been so happy ever since we became friends!" The new friend suddenly wailed out and tried to struggle away again. With a heavy sigh, Heart stood up and shook his head.
"You won't have to fear anything any longer, friend!" he proclaimed, "Because soon, I will introduce you to our PARADISE! And in our Paradise, you never have to fear anything, feel sorrow over anything, or even worry over_death_! In our Paradise, you can live happily with your friends forever and ever!"
"SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!" the new friend screamed, "IS ANYONE OUT THERE?!" Heart smiled and looked to the sky. This was the last they would ever hear of her pain and sorrow. Now it was time to make her his friend...
_Thanks for reading this far. ^^ With me taking a bit of a break on my current series, I decided to go ahead and post a little bit of the project I'm working on. It's still in its rough stages, and it's still ways away from being completed. Odds are there'll be a good amount of changes once I reach the end, so things could change at any moment. I hope you guys enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. As always, any and all constructive feedback is incredibly appreciated. _
Stay tuned for the official beginning of Surprise Drive. ^^
_Obligatory disclaimer: This story is a fan-based fiction. Any and all publicly recognizable characters and concepts belong to their respective creators. Please don't sue the furry. _