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Counter Earth Chronicles - Fallen Empire

Chapter 70: All That You Are (Rising Part II)

Day 175 (evening, the infirmary)

"Russell Ferguson?!" I shouted. "You have been missing for four months!"

"Everyone get back!" Commander Rhinox ordered drawing his weapon. Dianna, the porcupine and penguin ran towards the doorway of the infirmary.

"Schwee!!" The blue slime said looking around.

"Move away from the him!" The rhino warrior ordered pointing his weapon.

"Schwee??" The slime said.

"Creature you attacked a member of this colony, explain yourself!" Rhinox grumbled.

"Schwee??" The creature said again. "Schwee!! Schwee!!"

"It doesn't appear to speak our language Commander." The she centaur said.

"It relied on me for that and a few other things." The grey and white horse whispered.

"Russell! Lie still." I said running over to him. I quickly assessed his condition. The miniature horse was weak and clammy, but otherwise ok.

"Assessment Alex?"

"His life signs are stable. He is just fatigued and thankfully not covered in slime."

"And very naked!" The porcupine said.

"So what is that?" The penguin asked.

"It is a slime." Russell gasped. "Don't worry she is harmless."

(Really?!)

I looked at the creature she looked like a large Hershey's kiss like I used to eat on my world as a kid, only blue with large slit like eyes. Very cute though.

"Um, Russell she enveloped you." I said to the horse.

"She was only curious." The miniature horse replied.

"Curious about what?" Dianna asked.

"Us, our community, this civilization. I literally ran into her in the cave complex north of the maze when I was thinking about joining the entity."

"I speak from personal experience Russell. Bad idea." I said chastising him. "Wait what?"

"Well, I didn't join the entity. I merged with her instead. I was terrified at first that was until our thoughts became unified- and some how it felt, right. She was new to the world and wanted to know everything and I mean everything. She decided that I could fill in some of those gaps."

"So what was that six year old red avian Lady Barq adopted?" Rhinox asked.

"Her avatar. Who would suspect a youngling asking questions about the world around her?" Dianna Wild said.

"That explains a lot! Rumble lost your scent in the caverns past the north maze the day you disappeared!" I shouted.

"And Ladq Barq had no recollection of Adeline Child before the caverns." The rhino warrior said still pointing his weapon.

(We should have figured something was up at the time with a last name like that.)

"So you liked being a combined being Russell?" I asked.

To our shock the miniature horse nodded.

(Well that was one of us.)

"It felt like I found myself, my true calling, my purpose in life to guide and instruct this little monster."

"SCHWEE!!!!" The little slime said looking angrily at Russell.

"Sorry little Addy."

(My mind was blown.)

"That's right you said that you never felt like you fit in with any of us." I said thinking out loud.

"I felt lonely, isolated, rejected- like my life had no meaning or purpose. In short, I was lost. But when I am with Addy. All that fades away; I feel complete."

"You mean part of Addy." Rhinox said stepping in.

"It is hard to describe." Russell responded.

"Um then why did you separate?" The penguin asked.

"It was the itching." I said inspecting Russell's body carefully including his flank and genitals. There was the rash on his right thigh.

I then carefully looked over Addy in her true form.

"Schwee! Schwee!" She shouted from the touching. She felt like jelly.

"It is on her as well!"

"Epidemic!" The porcupine and penguin said scratching.

"Commander?" I asked.

"Run a complete examination on both of those two- I want to know if they are a threat to us in any way. Then find a cure to this itching before we all go mad."

"Acknowledged."

The Rhino dispatched a security detail to keep an eye on Addy, Russell and me as I worked.

It was a good thing that I was a insomniac because I worked deep into the night. I ran every test and procedure I could think of with the instruments and tools I had on the grey and white pony.

"Did you find anything?" Russell asked scratching.

"No. Everything concoction I have tried just acerbates what is already there."

"Schwee! Schwee!" Addy said rubbing up against the counter before Russell started scratching where she itched.

"So how long are you going to keep me here?"

"That's right you need to eat. But I am not sure about her."

"Alex she is harmless." He said reassuring me.

"I will be the judge of that! I just ended a three month stint as a combined being and I am still dealing with the after affects!"

"Yes, we heard Alex." Mr. Ferguson said.

"Say Russell why didn't you reach out to tell us what had happened to you? We were all worried!"

"When I was combined with Addy- she was in control and frankly I was having too much fun. It felt like I was a colt again."

"Schwee!! Schwee!!" The blue slime said happily.

"Hmm interesting...."

So I started running the same tests on Addy that I had on Russell. But I ran into a big problem. I had no baseline. How does one interpret results on a monster you have never tested before?

To be blunt I was befuddled.

"GAH!" The miniature horse said scratching.

I ended up going back and using the ointment I had originally prescribed. It allowed some relief but did nothing to cure the condition at all.

Day 176 (Central Building, Rhinox's office)

It was around 6 AM when I caught up with the Commander in his office after my all nighter.

"Where are your patients now Alex?" Rhinox asked.

"In the soaking pool. I suggested that everyone bathe frequently and use the ointment I have on hand."

The jolly rhino cut his eyes at me.

"Yes I know, it only temporarily relieved the itching but the underlying conditions remained." I said dejected.

"So what is your recommendation medic?"

"We quarantine the city until the source of this is found and I can develop a cure."

"Very well. But the this itching is driving me mad Alex."

"Please tell me you aren't going to stamped." I said as his communicator sounded off.

"Go ahead Feleen."

"Commander Rhinox, I have an incoming message from the away team." The fennec said.

"Put it through."

The image of my perfect person and my devious person soon appeared. The were in the blue coupe.

"Mistress, Shakara, I have missed you so much!!"

"It has only been a few days little cutie." My lioness said.

"It could be as short as an hour apart and I would still miss the both of you."

"AWW." The holographic fennec coordinating the transmission said.

"Ursa, how goes the search?" Commander Rhinox asked as he and I stared into his communicator.

"There is simply no sign of Naka or his followers." My fierce ursine warrior said.

"Lady Barq and Corbin decided we should split up to cover more ground." My dark tan lioness said.

"Did ONE eradicate the colony like in my vision?" I asked nervously.

"I don't think so pet."

"How do you know that mistress?"

"Because we are inside the entity's base." My bear said all too casually.

"Mistress that is extremely dangerous!" I gasped.

"It is ok little cutie the halo projector on the prototype is holding. But not so loud." My lioness said.

\ **The technology is quite remarkable.**

"It is not of this world Overwatch. It is a portion of a space-station from one of the first peoples the entity, ah, repurposed." I said to the automated assistant.

"Is there any activity?" The rhino asked.

"Minimal." My warrior bear said.

"If the entity got them it would seem to reason that staffing levels in this location would have increased." The Commander said out loud.

*Alert! I am detecting a transmission.* Overwatch announced.

"I am too." The fennec sentinel said.

"Origination?" My fierce ursine warrior asked.

"World Five." Feleen said.

*It is over the old hub network.* Overwatch added.

"Bring it up." Shakara said.

To all that can receive this message- we know of your pain, misery and suffering and we offer you solace- join us!! Be liberated from all your problems in this life. Free from all your worries and concerns in these challenging times including- food, water, clothing and shelter. Visit with us in any of the former cities now under renovation. You will see for yourself that your life problems are infinitesimal in the grand scheme of what is to come! Come join us and be free!!!

"It was an advertisement." Lady Ursa said.

"For what?" Rombolt asked.

"For recruitment." Shakara said. "Over the hub network?"

(OH MY!)

"ONE is responsible for the epidemic!" I shouted.

"It is odd that it developed right after we left." Shakara said.

"The synoptic was rebuilding the hub network when I departed."

"But for what purpose Alex?" The Strategic Operations Commander asked.

"To bring false hope to the hopeless. Those who still are capable of receiving hub broadcasts." Feleen said.

"It would give the impression that the empire has survived." My lady bear added.

*And the entity can use this to increase its forces.*

"Well now we know the cause of this but I have yet to fine the cure." I said scratching.

Shakara, Rhinox, Feleen and Lady Ursa looked at me as I checked my thigh. It was red.

"Shakara, Ursa we are quarantining the city until he finds a cure." The rhino said to the lioness and bear.

"Yes Commander." My lovers said in unison.

" Alright as you were and be careful."

"We will Commander." Lady Ursa said.

"Ending transmission." Feleen said.

"Feleen contact Lady Barq and Corbin." The rhino ordered. "Alex?"

"I am going back to the infirmary. I need to find out what is causing this." I said departing.

I spent the rest of the morning and afternoon researching the strange rash using mine as the sample. During that time more from the community continued to flow in all itching and scratching. I sent them to join Russell and Addy in the soaking pool.

I did what I could but I was at an impasse; I was stuck. My guard for the day sensed it.

"AGH!!! Tori what is this for?" I asked as the skull wearing sergal interrupted my outburst by handing me a cube.

I placed it on the counter.

She pointed at it with her club.

"Huh?! Oh you want me to reach out for help. Well, it couldn't hurt. Alex to Feleen."

"I am here Mr. Winter. How may I assist you?"

"Can you put me through to Shakara. I need her assistance."

"Right away Alex." The fennec said.

"Little cutie what's wrong?" The lioness with the big tatas asked.

"I am stuck. I could use your help as well as your knowledge and experience."

"Well, I am sort of busy helping out Lady Ursa." My devious person said.

"What is going on?"

"We are running down a lead pet." My bear warrior said.

"Are you still at the fallen space station?"

"No, in the steppes little cutie." My lioness said.

"I could use some guidance."

"How bad is it little cutie?" My lioness asked.

"At this point it is a annoyance. But the itching is driving its victims crazy and I have been unsuccessful in figuring out how to treat it."

"We know the synoptic is behind this some how pet." Lady Ursa said sympathetically.

"How is the infection spread- through the air, by touch or something else?" The dark tan lioness asked.

"I don't know that." I said dejected.

"Could you be a carrier Alex?"

"I don't know that either mistress. But it did start after I returned."

(Hmmm....)

"You need to answer those questions little cutie then everything else should fall into place." Shakara said to me as my female guard tapped me on the shoulder.

"What?" I asked her.

The sergal warrior pointed her bone club toward the door.

"I think Tori is saying it is time that you took a time out little cutie." My devious person suggested.

"It would be so much easier if you spoke." I pouted. "And less creepy too."

"I suspect that Tori hasn't said a word since before the fall. She is either mute or witnessed something so horrible..." My lioness said.

"She decided never to speak again. That is just, just... wow." I responded.

*Lady Ursa, Miss Kubari object detected ahead!* Overwatch announced.

"My hunch paid off." Lady Ursa said in a grim tone.

"What did?" I asked my perfect person.

"We have to go pet. We found Mr. Day."

"ONE's spy?" I asked my bear warrior.

"Yes. He is dead." Shakara said in a equally grim tone.

"You two be careful and contact Lady Barq and Corbin for back up if you need to."

"Affirmative." My females said in unison.

(Please be safe.)

*Poke* *Poke*

"Yes Tori, what is it?" I asked looking at the sergal warrior.

The she beast again pointed to the hallway with her club. Her suggestion that I needed to clear my head.

"I can't do that with the rash spreading! Many are going to develop the itch!"

The skull wearing warrior looked at me curiously.

"You know what I mean, it is already driving several in the city mad."

It was at that point the female sergal stopped poking me with her club and started batting it on her paw implying that she was going to use it if I didn't leave the infirmary- NOW.

"Fine, I am leaving."

At Tori's strong suggestion I took a break. I left the central building and went to the practice grounds where I ran into the two newest members of our community who were hanging out with Zhade.

"Ruth Ann and Kenna. How are you this fine afternoon?"

"Looking for a diversion." The elderly woman standing next to the two human/bestial hybrids.

"Well you are in luck this is the place." I said smiling

"For what?" Kenna asked twitching her rabbit nose.

"Sparring." Zhade said. "This is how our so called protectors train."

"Well it is diverting." The old woman said. "Just look at all those muscles."

"Diversion is what I need right now." I said.

"We heard about the epidemic. You working on a cure freckles?"

I looked at the human/tiger hybrid.

"Isn't that what Corey calls you?"

"Yeah. You just caught me off guard Zhade."

"So have you made any progress?" Kenna asked me.

"Only that I suspect that the epidemic is being caused by ONE. But with the limited medical tools we have- I can't even determine its origin, how it is spread or devise a cure."

"This is the new dark age." Ruth Ann said watching two of the warriors at the practice grounds preparing for the next match.

"Well not to hurry you but- it looks like it is getting worse." The human/rabbit hybrid said watching five more bystanders in the crowd scratch there bodies furiously.

(AW CRAP!!!)

"You think that just might be fleas?" I said grasping.

The three females and Zhade looked at me.

"No, I guess not."

"Up next we have the match between T'hoka and Tanya!" Corey announced.

"You ready to lose gorgeous?" The mountain reedbuck said clasping a bow staff.

"Me lose to you? That will be the day!" A female red deer responded clasping her bow staff.

"And the rivalry continues... oh deer!" The snarky teen remarked. He received putrid stares from the mountain reedbuck and the red deer and the rest of the small gathering at the practice grounds.

"What is a fine specimen like you doing in back water place like this? The buck asked the doe.

"Flattery will not earn you any mercy." The she beast said charging forward with a quick jab.

T'hoka soon found himself flat on his back with a female warrior sitting on his chest looking down at him.

"Please don't let this moment end!" He wheezed.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Tanya asked.

"You have a nice butt." The mountain reedbuck said gasping. "It takes my breath away."

T'hoka are you going to admire my ass or spar?" The she beast said annoyed.

"Well it is a nice ass..."

"Very well you keep admiring, but I won't hold back!"

"Point goes to Tanya." Corey said as the crowd cheered.

"Reset and- begin!" The black haired teenager shouted.

"T'hoka continued the match with several parries, thrusts and jabs which Tanya ducked, dodged and sidestepped with ease.

That was when the male deer switched to overhead attacks. Being much stronger than his opponent, Tanya was struggling to block those attacks.

After one quick overhead strike which she barely blocked, the mountain reedbuck flipped the staff striking her in the groin.

The doe dropped to her knees protecting her crotch.

"Point T'hoka." Corey shouted.

"That was an illegal point." She said looking at the teenager.

"It was?!" He said dumbfounded. "I didn't see anything."

"Apparently you didn't. Very well if you are going to play dirty!" Tonya hissed.

Corey, Tori, Zhade, Kenna, Ruth Ann, T'hoka, I and the rest of the small crowd that had gathered watched in amazement as the female deer removed her shirt and pants and stood in front of her opponent stark naked!

"Do you like what you see T'hoka?" She asked.

The buck stood dumbfounded staring at the she beast's, um... assets. That was the opening she needed.

*stab*

*crack*

*swack*

"OH!! In the tenders! I mean point Tanya! It looks like T'hoka can't continue and will be sterile for the rest of his life too! Match goes to Tanya." Corey shouted.

"That was a sneaking underpawed thing to do distracting your opponent with your radiant beauty!" The mountain reedbuck said cornering the red deer after their match.

"Whatever takes to win handsome." She shot back.

"Oh you are ruthless. I like that in a girl." T'hoka said.

"And you are beginning to point and it is not from that staff." The doe said to the buck.

Tonya's words were muffled as the mountain reedbuck's lips met hers.

"Looks like they are going to be awhile. Who is next?" Corey asked. Looking for more warriors.

Rumble, Arugula, Gahri were on guard duty.

"Aw, I guess that leaves only me and Tori." Mr. Collins sighed.

"How about me?" A shadow in the crowd stepped forward.

"Zhade?!" Corey asked the human/beastial hybrid.

"Yeah, I was looking to blow off some steam and you look kind of weak, I think I will butch you up some!"

The black haired teen and the human/beastial hybrid stepped onto the gravel patch where T'hoka and Tanya had been sparing before. The contestants were given the same bow staffs.

My guard decided to judge the match. Nodding to both opponents she raised and then dropped her paw.

"What does that mean?!" Zhade asked.

"It means you better bring it because I am not holding back!!" Corey started with a over head strike.

*SWACK*

The part human, part tiger blocked quickly.

"Cat like reflexes. Interesting." The teen snarked. "Try this!"

Mr. Collins quickly reversed direction swatting the hybrid in his groin.

*UNHFF*

Tori raised her left paw signaling a point for the black haired teen.

"That hurt." Zhade announced.

"You know why?" Mr. Collins announced.

"Why?"

"You are holding back Zhade. Don't." Corey started to say before the end of a bow staff found his feet and removed the ground beneath them.

The snarky teen found himself flat on his back looking up at his opponent as the sergal wearing a skull declared a point.

The two reset and began sparring again when Zhade charged forward with stabs, swipes and jabs.

Corey found himself on his side again as he was tapped on his chest with the end of his opponent's staff.

"Hey he is a natural!" A woman shouted from the crowd.

"I win." Zhade said goading him. "Now kneel before your master!!!"

"You are quite the obnoxious winner." Corey said returning to his feet. "Your abilities are only enhanced because of your feline side."

"Why thank you... next?" Zhade asked looking around.

"Don't be so overconfident Zhade!" Kenna warned.

"Why not? T'hoka and Tonya are um, occupied."

"Mommy, mommy what are they doing?" A child in the crowd asked his mother.

"Um, I will tell you when you are older." The thylacine said to her youngling.

"As I said, there aren't any other challengers." The human/tiger hybrid declared confidently.

*tap* *tap*

"I don't know about that. It looks like our ref wouldn't mind taking a shot." I said as my guard decided to step into the gravel patch.

The female sergal stepped into the practice ground shoo-ing Corey away.

"Um, you know you can't use that club right? We aren't supposed to injure our sparring partners." The black haired teen warned.

The she beast handed him her club and took the bow staff that had been used minutes before while Zhade resumed his fighting stance.

"Alright begin!" Corey shouted.

"I am going to knock the skull you are wearing right off of your head revealing your identity to everyone here!" Tori's opponent announced before...

*SWACK*

"OH!!! I have never seen anyone do that with a bow staff before!!!" Corey shouted as the crowd stared in disbelief.

"Going... going..." Kenna said.

"He's gone." Ruth Ann announced.

We watched as Zhade landed with a hard thud half a block away.

"Tori that was supposed to be with control!" Corey shouted at the mute sergal.

She nodded as if to say it was.

I quickly ran to assess the human/beastial hybrid.

(Oh my.)

"That is a nasty nose bleed!" I said scratching my thigh again. "Hey let me look at that."

It turned out Tori had used control- that was his only injury. The sergal and I escorted him back to the infirmary. I had Zhade lie down in one of the adjacent rooms and hold a cloth to his nose until the bleeding had stopped.

"You handled yourself pretty well out there. Perhaps you might want to consider helping the defenders defend the city." I said complimenting him.

"Maybe."

"It would mean you could hone your skills a little more and learn when not to challenge Tori." I said replacing his cloth.

"You mean when she decides to use a bow staff as a club?"

In talking with him I inadvertently touched the bloody cloth next to my irritated thigh which caused an immediate reaction. The itching stopped and the rash started to recede!

I traded glances with Tori. "I am starting to realize that it was a very good idea to take that break."

"Meaning?" The human/beastial hybrid asked.

"I think you are the solution to the rash of rashes epidemic- the itch."

"Well, I was one of the few who hadn't caught it yet." He said smugly.

"Well something in your make up is resistant. I would like to find out what."

"But I am the cure?" Zhade asked.

"Yes." I said grabbing the med kit.

"So I am the aloe to your poison ivy?"

"Yes."

"Oh I am going to enjoy this!"

I spent the rest of the evening trying to determine what was alleviating the itching on my leg and the rash. In reality I needed a chemical lab not the just some scattered supplies and a med kit.

I ended up mixing a drop of Zhade's blood with the ointment and distributing it to the entire colony. That night there was a line out the door of the infirmary and down the hall of the second floor.

A few hours later....

"How goes it Mr. Winter?" Commander Rhinox said joining me in one of the rooms adjacent to the infirmary.

"I just finished administering the treatment to the last two patients." I said staring at Russell and Addy.

"That is much, much better!" The grey and white pony announced looking at his leg.

"Schwee! Schwee!" The blue slime announced.

"I was not able to determine the epidemic's origin or how it spread. The tools we have now just aren't adequate Commander."

"So there could be flare ups again?" The rhino warrior said.

"Yes."

"Relay your findings to Shakara."

"Affirmative. Commander?" I asked as the rhino locked eyes on Russell and Addy.

"I was wondering what to do with these two."

Russell smiled uneasily as he was stared down by his former roomie.

"Um, hi." The miniature horse said nervously.

"I want more tests." Rhinox said. "I want to know how they combined to make that avian girl persona and if that slime can do that to anyone else here."

"More tests?!" Russell said.

"Well it could be worse- you could have been labeled a threat and locked up indefinitely." I said cheerfully. "Besides, I am curious as to what happens to your clothes."

"Come again?!" The pony asked.

"Russell when you un-merge from Addy you were naked." I said to him.

"Yeah, I guess I was. Why is that?"

"Schwee..." The cute blue slime sighed.

Alex Winter July 2, YOE 34