FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

When the two of them arrived home not long after, cleaning off the fluids in the shower, making sure to scrub deeply to try and get out the pungent scent of the panther's cum before separating bodies and eating some dinner before heading to bed. Mono was more than happy to collapse onto his back after being curled up so tightly once again inside someone, trying not to think about it all. He then checked his phone, remembering that tomorrow was when he was scheduled to play a song at the coffee shop. He grumbled, glancing over to his guitar, thinking about his song as he took in a deep breath and made a mental note of it. He also felt happy to know that Vera wasn't constantly angry with him anymore, finding so many questions in his head that he wanted to ask her now that he felt more comfortable around her.

She was already asleep though, seemingly tired from the excursion with the feline earlier and the lack of sleep over the last three years. 'I doubt she would feel the culmination of three years of sleeplessness at once, it's still a funny thought though.' He hummed, turning over onto his chest, letting out a soft yawn before getting under the covers, undressing partially before drifting off to sleep, trying not to think about tomorrow.

When they woke Mono got dressed, noticing Vera was already awake, sitting at the window, glancing over in his direction as he stood up. He still felt the hot blush on his cheek as he pulled his pants up over his legs in front of her, knowing she probably noticed his morning erection in his boxers but tried not to dwell on it. She didn't say anything about it anyways, instead asking what their plan was for today. He pushed one of the hairs behind his ear, blinking and stretching his arms, walking over to the window, noticing the gray clouds in the air, covering the town in a moody scene. "I was thinking about it last night when we were going home. I don't think we can find anyone else on that list here in the city. I..."

He paused, running a hand up his arm, feeling a bit of goosebumps as he thought about how cold it must be out there in the forest in this weather. "I don't like the idea of leaving but... I know we can't find everyone where we are now. Like, what did we still need?" He walked back over to his desk, flipping open the old book, careful not to rip the pages as he turned them carefully before laying it down once again, tracing his fingers over the names. "Phoenix, Griffin, Forlorn Echoes... I mean, maybe we can find the Hawk here? And I don't know where we'd find a Plant that could eat us... All these species are so rare, except the hawk. I can't imagine many of them are left or at least nearby." He gulped as he thought about the plant, wondering exactly how that would work before closing his eyes and sitting on his chair, thinking of Flare again.

Vera pondered over it for a moment as well, moving around behind him before sitting beside him at the desk. She seemed to let her mind wander, her gaze glancing over at him with a shake of her head before letting out a soft grumble. Mono spoke up as he looked over her. "You okay?"

She responded with a brisk nod, exhaling, "Yeah, it's nothing. Just..." She stopped, Mono watching the waves of violet beauty sweep over her form like a gown, her icy eyes searching for something absentmindedly. "Anyways, we probably should go to The Wilds. I've been here for way longer than I would've liked but... I guess I am happy with how much we've got done in the small amount of time. I admit that while computers aren't something I'm fond of, it sure does make it easier to find the people you're looking for. Thanks for your help on that, I guess." She ruffled her ethereal-like wings, looking away, tail flicking behind her.

He smiled softly, feeling the urge to give her a hug but held himself back, not wanting to annoy her after seemingly making progress on her comfortability with him. "You're welcome. I... I guess I'm thankful you came along as well. Don't get me wrong, I still hate what we have to do, getting digested and all, but..." He pursed his lips, blinking slowly, "I haven't had a friend in a while that's just... hung out with me, even if we are only working together to set you free. It's been crazy, but in moments like these I guess it's... nice?"

She then stood back up, cracking her neck a bit with a tilt of her head, stretching her limbs. He tried to keep his eyes off her as she did but couldn't but notice her vagina as she raised her tail just enough to stretch, blushing at her before forcing his gaze back onto his computer. He tapped his foot on the ground, feeling his heart skip a beat, unsure of what to say.

Her voice was softer than usual, each step more fluid and genuine if you could call it that, wings pulling back to her sides as she sat back by the window. She hummed. "Has it been nice? ...Maybe. I never chose you for this because I wanted to be your friend, but... Even if you're insufferable sometimes, at least you're willing to cooperate. And..." She struggled with the next words, giving another soft rumble, ear flicking, "...your company is nice."

There was then a long silence, her head looking her shoulder in his direction before avoiding his gaze, opening her maw to say something only to frown and look away. He wished more than anything he could gaze into her mind right now, to know what she felt and what she wanted to say. He had tons of questions, lots of things he wanted to ask, but he wasn't sure if now was the right time or not. She was going to leave once they were done, that was always the plan, but it couldn't hurt to try and get to know her better while they were still together, right? It was only then that he wondered how warm her scales would feel next to his, if her body was cold in that Familiar form or not. He felt a pull, a longing that was something similar to the way he felt for Flare but different at the same time. He couldn't quite explain it and he tried to ignore it all the same, knowing it didn't matter. 'She won't be here long... I shouldn't let myself get attached...'

She broke the stillness after a while, watching the blanket of clouds wash over the sky, "If we're going to leave, when would you like to go?"

He paused, "W-when would I like to go? Hehe, that's an odd thing for you to ask."

"What?" She raised an eye, turning to look at him as he stood up from his chair and walked over to sit on the edge of his bed.

"Well, you seemed so focused on just getting the job done when I first met you. It wasn't that long ago. Is there something different that's changed since then?"

She growled softly, glaring at the window with a huff, raising her head high, "No, I only... Ugh..." Exasperated, she seemed to lose her train of thought, stomping a paw on the ground in a way that was more cute than unnerving. "I just figured that departing in the rain could be a tad inconvenient. I don't mind the water but I'm sure humans like you would prefer to stay warm inside."

He could see something else flash in her eyes as she looked at him, asking carefully, speaking slowly to think about his words. "Are you sure it's not something else? Maybe it's nice to talk to someone? I can't imagine you've had much interaction with anyone beyond whatever Rekali has had you do to them."

She shifted her gaze to her paws, flexing a few digits, ears pulling back a bit with a sigh, "I don't... I can't let myself do this, Mono. You don't understand. You can't." She shook her head, standing back up, walking to the other side of the room by the other window, looking over the city.

He turned to lie on his bed, settling on his stomach as he watched her, "Vera, what don't I understand? It's... it's okay to talk to me. I mean, you're going to leave anyway after another week probably." He hummed in thought, twiddling with his fingers, "Can't you just tell m-"

"No! No, Mono." Her sharp tone caught him off-guard, holding his breath until she spoke again, "I'm sorry, but there's some things I just can't say. Once you've lived the life I've lived, you learn that trusting people only makes you more vulnerable. Vulnerability makes you open yourself up to be hurt and I don't want that... not again." Her wings then slumped to her sides, closing her eyes, Mono's heart crying out to her. "It fucking sucks."

He blinked, looking over to his phone, remembering the performance tonight. He was about to start talking again until Vera continued, "You really shouldn't talk to me like this. I don't wanna..." She then took a deep breath, straightening herself once more where she sat. "I wanna get this done. I work alone, Mono. You're a nice person, but your life is in a whole other world than mine, even if we don't live that far apart. You live your life in your house, playing your guitar and... and my life, it's much different."

Mono slipped himself between her sentences, scooting forward on the bed a bit, "It is. I'll... I'll let you go, I... I know. I mean, i-it's not like I care or anything! I just..." She glanced back, looking over him teasingly, his cheeks heating up again as he avoided her gaze. "What? Stop it, it's nothing." She smiled, face alight with a cheeriness that made his heart flutter, her tail swaying softly as she watched the horizon once more from where she sat. "I might not know you for long, but I'd like to listen if you're ever willing to share more. I might not have magical powers like you do or really be anything special, but... I like you and, I guess I just don't want you to feel alone is all."

Her breaths were soft, her body like a pool of cosmic stars, her voice so clear and confident. Yet in moments like these, his heart melted as he felt like he could peek past her barriers to the fragile heart she kept locked away, praying he could do something for her in the time he'd be able to spend together. She glanced back out of the corner of her eye at him, the warmth of her gaze transmitting to his face, "Thank you."

He waited for a few more moments before continuing, looking over to his guitar, "Going back to your question before... I don't think it's a bad idea to wait. We could leave tomorrow if the weather is better, but tonight I actually have a, uh, performance at one of the local coffee shops. I do it once every month. Did I ever tell you about that?"

She pondered over it for a moment, raising a paw to scratch behind one of her horns as she replied, "Honestly, so much has happened over the last few days that I find it hard to remember specific things like that. I think you might have? You mentioned playing guitar. After All, you did have it at the lake the first time we met."

"Oh yeah, that's true." He nodded, continuing, "Well, it'll be around five tonight, so in a few hours. I'll probably be gone for about an hour or two, I'm only playing one song this month but it's one that means a lot to me. You can, uh... come along if you want. Or you could stay here I guess. I don't want to force you." He turned onto his back, looking up at the ceiling, waiting on her response.

"Wait, I thought you didn't like talking to people. Why would you go on stage then? I can't imagine that's fun for you."

He hummed, pushing a hair behind his ear, rolling his fingers on the blanket under him, "It's not that. It's... Haha, ah..." He frowned, putting his hand behind his head, scratching the back of it a bit, "I guess you could say it's something I... don't feel comfortable talking about yet? Hmm, maybe..." He licked his lips, moving so he could hang his head off the side of the bed, watching her as she was flipped upside down, "I don't mind talking to people, I actually like having deep conversations with someone. It makes me feel less alone. That's why music helps me. Whether it's a happy or sad song I write, knowing that people like it and hearing that people can relate reminds me that we're all human, or at least all the same in the end."

He continued, "We all have insecurities of our own, we all have fears and doubts. Everything is so complicated that it's scary to talk to someone because you're afraid of rejection. But writing music allows me to share that part of myself. It's almost like ranting in a way, getting those emotions out on paper, sharing it with others." He stretched his arms out above him, feeling the blood rush to his head as he lay upside-down, raising himself back up to sit before blinking as he felt the dizziness overtake him for a moment.

He could hear her rumble, staring out the window still but undoubtedly paying attention, adding on to himself. "In the end, I use the coffee shop as an outlet to share things I keep bottled up inside. I tend to stay in my house most of the time other than visiting the library every so often and... it's not a good idea, but it's the habit I've made for myself. Writing music helps keep me sane, even if I feel like I shouldn't burden others with the struggles I write in my songs."

Once he'd finished she spoke up, rising to her feet, walking over and lying down in the middle of the carpet, surprised at her timidness and yet being more than happy to welcome it. "Why would that burden others? It sounds like you want to be understood, to relate with others. But you don't want them to care for you?"

He huffed, turning to look at the table on the side of his bed, placing his hands on his lap, "I'm insignificant in the grand scheme of things. I want to feel less alone but the last thing I want is for someone to feel worse because of me. I want to make others happy because that makes me feel like I'm doing something, like I actually exist. Like I'm not fake, not just... living a life that... never should have been." He felt his mind spiraling, trailing to everything else in his past, giving a sad sigh.

He felt his mind pull away from the darkness as Vera distracted him, "Hey, um... why don't we change the subject. You said we should leave tomorrow. What does the weather look like then?"

He shook himself, letting out a long exhale to clear his thoughts, giving a thankful nod to her as he picked up his phone and pressed on the forecast app. "Okay, yeah, it actually looks like it'll be sunny tomorrow. 'Clear skies'. We should be good." He closed it a moment after, placing it on the end table beside the bed, brushing off his pants, considering slipping into some shorts while they stayed inside for a while. He then wondered where they'd be staying when they left, assuming they wouldn't be coming back to the house every night. "Hey, so what's the plan for sleeping when we're in The Wilds? Do we just... camp out in the forest? I don't really have any camping gear. I guess we could buy some if necessary."

She then raised her head from where she was laying, placing her paws beneath her like a cat would when they loafed, smiling at her, "Well, I usually can sleep on the forest floor if needed, but don't worry, I have a friend who still lives between the different tribes I'm from. You could say she's a middle-ground between the tribes, one that most of them go to for healing. She's a good friend of mine, a kitsune named Brook. I've known her since I was born. She's got a nice place and some beds for visitors from The Tamed Lands."

"Huh. Will we be able to make it there in one day then?"

She pondered over it for a moment, nodding, "Yeah, as long as we don't leave before the sun crests over the top of the sky we should be good." She noticed the weird look he gave her, adding on as she noticed, "Oh, we don't really have clocks like you do here. I know about your ways, your twenty-four hours. We just keep track of the sun and moon to keep time. It's the way I was raised." She then gave a soft growl, ruffling her wings before sitting up once more.

"That's interesting. I never really thought about The Wilds much, I think I said that before, but it's cool hearing about how life is out there. I could see the appeal for why some humans and anthros leave the city to live there. You did say some people do that, right? That you've met people who chose to live in The Wilds?"

She nodded, giving a grumble, tail flicking as she seemed a little annoyed at what he assumed was her revealing more than she wanted, "Yeah, they do from time to time. It's nothing big but it happens."

He prodded her a bit further as she seemed to not want to talk now, "Did any live in the tribe you grew up in?"

She gave a soft growl, glaring at him before looking away. "Yeah, some did and some didn't. Please, can we stop talking about where I grew up? I don't wanna think about it." He could almost swear he heard her voice falter at the end of her words, his curiosity only spiking more and yet holding back as she wished.

"Yeah, we can. I'm excited to meet her then. Brook? I've never met a kitsune before. Don't they have like, nine tails or something?"

She seemed a little relieved at the change of subject, tapping a claw on the ground, "Yeah, she does... she's different though than what you might expect. You'll see what I mean when you meet her. She's nice. We can talk more about it when we leave tomorrow." He nodded, looking over to the door before heading downstairs to get some breakfast for the both of them.

They spent the next hour eating and chatting a bit more about The Book of Familiars, making sure they were on track for breaking the spell. He felt more relaxed than usual with her at his side, noticing that she sat a little closer than she had before as they read the book that he'd laid out flat on the ground. He noticed how interested she was in the magic, talking a little more about Dark Magic and the creature they had met yesterday before mentioning how much more prevalent magic was in The Wilds.

It was only then that she commented on something they had discussed before, mentioning that if they could fly that they could get to Brook's cove much faster. He was confused at first, asking why she couldn't fly while they were Soul-Linked together only for her to remind him that she couldn't control her limbs while they were like that. He nodded, admitting he hadn't thought of that, an idea forming in his mind. She seemed to notice his look, prompting him to ask if she could teach him only for her to grumble in uncertainty. But in the end, since the both of them would just be sitting in the room anyways until it was time to leave, she agreed begrudgingly, Mono grabbing his backpack and heading out with her to the path that led towards the lake. They broke off somewhere along the midpoint of the trail, venturing down into a grassy field half a mile out, the two of them merging together once more before starting.

Mono looked over his wings, spreading them out, "So, where exactly should we start? I'm guessing I need to flap, right? There's got to be more than that."

He could feel the whisper of her voice among his thoughts. ~Yeah, there is. You have to, like, focus on the wind, to push and control yourself so you can...~ She then flattered a moment after. ~I don't know, I'm not a teacher.~

'But you said you could teach me?'

~I mean, I can try but I- I don't know. If you want we could break the bond and you could watch me fly.~

He knew that could be helpful but in all honesty, he'd seen enough creatures flying before that he felt it wouldn't give much new information. In addition, he felt some burning desire in his chest to impress her, confused as to why and yet continuing on, 'No, let me try. Do I need a running start?'

~Uhhhh, you could I guess but it's not needed? You just have to use your wings to push the air below you.~ She then trailed off, a more annoyed thought poking forth. ~God, why the hell am I trying to teach him this? This is useless...~

Determined to prove her wrong he took a deep breath, keeping his vast wings stretched out, giving small flaps with the limbs. He could feel the air against the membranes pressing around and over the top as he downstroked, the resistance from the air weighing down more than he had thought it would. Still, he didn't feel tired, merely trying to grow used to how the passage of air rushed around his leathery wings, realizing he'd have to flap much faster than this to get going.

It was still unnerving to control something that he had been without his entire life, his mind alarmed at the sudden growth of a tail and wings every time he transformed. But he tried to force himself to accept it, to ease his mind into working past it. He could feel the muscles in his joints, focusing on the responses he sent to them. It was like a door opening that had never walked through, finding some trouble in using them. Over a few minutes of bickering with Vera, he began to flap faster, letting out a gasp with one large downstroke, his paws lifting off the ground for a moment before falling on his face shortly after as fear struck his heart.

Vera's vibrating strands rubbed against his mind strings, ~Oh my god, is it really that hard? Why did you stop?~

'God, fuck! Just shut up! I'm trying but...' He gave a growl of his own, surprised at the feminine and yet animal sound, not having realized that he could make such a noise now that he was in her body. Or perhaps he had done it before and forgotten? He shook his head.

~But..?~

'I'm... I'm afraid of heights, okay?'

Her thoughts stilled like a brick in his chest, holding his breath, ~You... you what?~

'I'm sorry I just, I didn't think about it beforehand. Feeling my paws lift off the ground... agh...'

~Are you fucking serious? How the HELL do you expect me to teach you to fly then?~ Her thoughts ground against his own, feeling his growl grow as he thwacked his tail on the ground, closing his eyes before yelling out in response.

"I DON'T FUCKING KNOW! God damn it Vera, can you just lay the FUCK off me for one minute? I'm trying okay?!" He froze quickly after, shocked at his outburst, the rock in his heart sinking further into the pool of heavy water, cringing as he got to his paws. He remained silent for a moment, ruffling his wings before pulling them to his sides, whispering out softly, "I'm sorry... I didn't mean that. I don't know why I said that."

He felt so confused. He wasn't one to lash out at others, he'd rarely done it over the past years. Sure, when he'd grieve about Flare he would get heated sometimes but that was different. He knew he could have handled that better but... what was this new feeling inside him?

He felt something... wrong, in his heart. It was like nothing he'd ever felt before and he couldn't explain it. He felt it call him to yell, latching onto the anger like a barbed hook, coaxing him to let out the emotions he usually kept subsided. Worst of all, it felt... good. Why did it feel good? Now that he was thinking about it, he'd only started feeling this way since the previous day, this unnatural train of thought having sprouted from something he couldn't quite place.

He shook his head, trying to clear out that twisting vine, the thing that was once there now evaporating as if it never existed. He blinked, assuming that whatever he felt was probably just his imagination playing tricks on him, reminding himself to keep his words in check.

Vera brought him out of his thoughts soon after, her mind humming apologetically. ~It's okay, I get it.~

'No, no it's my fault. I just... thought I could do something, anything to make me more useful. But hey, I guess that's just my life, huh? Useless...' He trailed off, sitting down on the grass, an exhale of his breath creating a cloud before him in the cold air, shivering a bit as he wondered if they should return home.

~It's not easy to explain, Mono. All I can say is that... You have to feel it. It's like... a longing in your heart, calling you to fly. You're not a dragon though so I assume the way you'd have to learn would be much different than how I was taught.~ He pondered over her words for a moment, looking at the grass and breathing in the scent of the oncoming rain. ~You aren't useless, Mono. You've already helped me and...~ She trailed off again, ~Why does it have to be this difficult. I'm trying to help, It's just not easy with what I'm going through.~

'I'll... I'll try again.' He took a deep breath, closing his eyes, holding his head high. He tried to think of that feeling, that confidence inside himself, searching for that desire to reach for the skies. But it wasn't there. Now that he thought about it, he wondered if any other humans had learned to fly in the body of their Familiar, curious if it was even impossible, only feeling more defeated at the thought. But regardless he continued to try, flapping his wings slowly as he focused on each brush of the currents parting around him.

Vera seemed to quiet down as he continued, allowing him to gather up the strength he had. He pictured what it would feel like, to be free in the sky, to feel the wind washing over his form as he sailed over the open blue. No streets or paths he had to follow, limited only by his own choices. He smiled for a moment, feeling a surge inside him of happiness that made his body warm at the feeling. His limbs responded to it, trying to keep his breath steady as his paws began to leave the grass below him, his body swaying up and down with each deep stroke. He tried curling his wings, to keep the rhythm fast but he was so unused to it all that he could feel his strength fading. Even then though he kept pushing, ignoring the mental and physical strain, focusing on that blossoming confidence in his chest.

His mind then trailed into a darker place, that always circling trail of doubt reminding him, 'You can't do this. It's pathetic.' He couldn't help but think about it, about his past and his failures, about Flare... It was then that he opened his lids in a panic, eyes widening as the ground below him seemed to widen as his fear took hold, the world below growing further and further as if he was soaring into the atmosphere. He felt dizzy, knowing how much higher he'd have to be to get above the treeline. It was then that his wing beats turned erratic and uneven, losing the pattern he'd gathered for a moment, faltering as he tumbled down with a yelp onto the ground once more. He groaned after the thump of his impact, trying not to throw up as the sickness rose in his throat.

~Hey, that was better! Are you okay?~

'Yeah... I'm okay but... I don't think I wanna do this anymore. God, this feels horrible. I don't know why I thought I could do this.' He slowly got himself to his paws again, deciding that it was better to try this another time if at all, telling himself he shouldn't have tried in the first place. 'Maybe you're right, maybe it was stupid to try. I just thought... forget it. Let's go home and get ready.' She was mostly silent, her thoughts muffled, knowing she had to be keeping something to herself as they walked back home together.

When they reached the house they un-Soul-Linked once more, remembering to switch the vial of digestive liquids out with the one she had stored in the Ethereal Realm with a new one before continuing on with his preparation. He grabbed his guitar case, double-checking he had his lyrics for the song on his phone before telling her they could grab some food at the shop when they arrived. He could feel his stomach growling, still nauseous from the attempt at flying but deciding to shove that into the back of his mind for now.

With that, the two of them got into the car, Vera begrudgingly sitting in the seat on all four limbs, buckling her up as he'd forgotten the last time. When he tried though she made a fuss about it, eventually giving up as she threatened to bite him if he continued, blushing a little at the thought of her mouth over his skin before driving to the shop in the middle of town.

After a few minutes of driving through the town, the soft pitter-patter of the warm raindrops splashed across his windshield, the sound of thunder rumbling every so often in the distance. The sun, hidden behind the screen of clouds, still illuminated the town below in a soft gray light, lighting the street before them as he turned down a corner when the left light turned green. Today was busier than usual, assuming people must have just gotten off work but he was used to this as he performed at the same time every month. Besides, having Vera to chat with made it nicer, a sprouting growth in his soul making him smile at the sight of her.

When they arrived he grabbed his guitar from the trunk and whisked inside to avoid the increasing downpour, accidentally splashing Vera from a puddle as he climbed up onto the sidewalk and looked up at the sign to the establishment before heading inside.

'The Owl's Hollow'

The soft glow of orange lights lit up the (quant) space, listening to the chatter of the customers sitting at bar stools and couches along the walls, playing board games on the tables in front of them while talking about life. He smiled as the attendant at the coffee bar gave him a holler, "Ey, welcome to The Owl's Hollow! How's it- Oh, hey, Mono! Welcome! How're you handling?" The man was a red, freckled owl, his pristine amber feathers complemented by the golden hues of his undercoat, his yellow eyes smiling warmly. He wore a white vest with the brown and green tree from their logo on the front of it, a green feather with a blue streak resting behind his ear contrasting it all wonderfully.

Mono smiled, the color of his body reminding him once again of Flare, a relaxing sensation taking over him as he always felt when he stopped by, walking up to the cashier on the other side of the bar. "Hey, Rust. I'm doing okay." He then glanced over at Vera as she wandered around the shop, glancing over at some of the games anthros and humans alike were playing, no one noticing her as she still wasn't visible. He then continued, "Looks like things here haven't changed. It's always good to stop by."

Rust nodded, smirking slightly as he pointed his beak at the window, staring outside, "And we're happy to see ya. I assume you've got a new song for us you plan on singing tonight?"

Mono pushed a hair behind his bad ear, glancing at the counter before them, "Actually I was wanting to play one of the songs again I played a few months back. I've been... well..."

"Flare?" He frowned softly, letting out a sympathetic hum, eyes searching him seriously. Mono just let out a sigh, the owl attempting to cheer him up in his crisp voice, "I know you've been through a lot, but things'll get better, just give em' time." The two of them remained silent for a moment, the laugh of others at one of the tables distracting them, the soft guitar music over the speakers reaching Mono's good ear. The feathered one then stood back, extending one of his grand wings towards the glass case to his left, pastries of all shapes and sizes beckoning any who saw them. "Do you want something to eat before you go on? Don't worry about it, it's on the house today." He gave a sincere nod, Mono smiling and looking over the selection.

"I'll take a, uh... how about a Chocolate Muffin?"

"You got it, boss." He winked playfully, taking one out from the storage before handing it to him, the crinkling wrapper encasing the fluffy treat. "I look forward to hearing your music again. It's a smaller crowd so I think it'll fit the atmosphere just right." Mono smiled back, the weight of his guitar straining on his right arm at this point, grabbing the muffin in the other hand before heading a little deeper into the shop to a private booth with a window to the small park behind the establishment. He always enjoyed the small alcove beside the hallway to the stage in the back, the view of the outside on days like this making him feel like he was actually a part of the world rather than just living in it.

The trees outside were green as ever in the middle of summer, the rain washing down some of the concrete stairs and onto the lower pavements, the sound of a chuttering bird reaching his ear from outside. He placed his guitar against one of the wooden pillars beside the seat, settling down on one end of the couch, watching as Vera eyed up a large stool designed for ferals. Mono spoke up in a soft voice, hoping no one else would hear, "Oh, you've never seen one of these before, have you? These chairs are made for ferals. You can just lie down on it and curl your tail around the stand for it. I've never used one but I hear they're comfortable."

She gave him a glare, tail flicking as if she was uncertain whether she wanted to try such a thing. But with a huff she gave in, climbing up onto the seat. She nearly fell over at first, catching herself with her tail stretched out behind her to balance her weight, eventually settling down onto her stomach and facing him. She looked over herself, moving her tail to the pole as he suggested, gripping it softly. "Hmm, this is weird. I've sat in couches for ferals but this..."

"This is a 'Tamed Land' thing?" He guessed, eyeing her up and down as she tried to make herself comfortable.

She nodded, slowly settling into it, "But, it is quite comfy, so it's got that. Maybe you humans and anthros aren't all that bad after all.~" He could hear a tingle in her voice, looking at him playfully before gazing out the window. He followed her gaze, watching the water drip down the glass like tears on a cheek, the soft music and scent of coffee beans filling his senses, the web of crystal clear droplets painting the windows in the display. She then spoke up after a few moments, looking at his muffin. "Sooo, chocolate chip, huh?"

"Oh, yeah it's one of my favorites. I'm kinda basic like that. I do enjoy brownies more but for the pastries they have here, I like these the most. I mean, look at this!" He pushed the muffin forward, turning it this and that way, displaying the large chunks and the gram cracker sticking out the top. "They use big pieces of homemade chips to fill them with and each muffin is made daily so they're always fresh. I heard the workers here get to take home the ones that aren't sold. It sounds nice working here honestly."

Vera then tilted her head, glancing back at him, "Speaking of that, where exactly do you work? I remember you mentioning that you've worked places in the past but you haven't said where and what you're doing now. You've got to pay bills somehow."

He looked down at the muffin, tapping his fingers on the table, "I'm... unemployed right now."

She blinked, regarding him with sincerity before staring out the window once more. "I'm sorry to hear that. I assume that means you're without a job then?"

He nodded, unwrapping the treat and taking a bite of it, feeling the rich chocolate and fluffy bread against his tongue, savoring it for a few moments before swallowing. "Yeah. Do you remember when we went to that library a few days ago? The Library of Enlightenment?"

She peered at him out of the corner of her eye, "The one where we found The Book of Familiars? Yeah, I do. What about it?"

He gave a soft hum, leaning onto the table with his arms, slouching over a bit as he turned his head to watch the rain, "I was working there for a few years after I left my dad's company. It was around that time that I met Flare. He introduced me to it all, really getting me back into reading. He said that reading books helped him cope with real life by being able to forget about reality and enjoy someone else's story instead. I didn't understand him at first but after that first meeting, we kept coming back. It was only after a while that I applied for a position there and... Well, I was surprised that I got it, but I needed it. I was already low on money so having some income again was good for me."

He then fixed his shoulder, sitting straight, taking another bite of the muffin before continuing, "Whenever I was working he tried to stop by, giving me lunches as I honestly couldn't afford my own. He sometimes would read me stories under his breath and I would act like I was working by rearranging books on the shelves nearby, the two of us staying quiet so that Orchid wouldn't get mad at us. Hehe... My job was to make sure the books were sorted correctly, to keep the shelves and floors clean... It was... well, it was really good. For a time."

He then frowned, turning the muffin in his hand side to side, inspecting it, "Once Flare was gone though, I just... couldn't go to work with the same energy and enthusiasm that I had when he was there. It felt empty, like I was living in the past and all my heart wanted to do was to run away from it. But when I applied for other jobs no one accepted me. At first, I thought I could just force myself to keep working there, to keep pushing on. To read a book and forget about the hell I was going through mentally. But it was too much."

He paused, clenching his fists, closing his eyes for a moment, feeling tears well up in the corners of them before fighting them back. Vera spoke up softly, looking at her own paws, "What did you do then?"

"I... I asked them to fire me, but... to make it look like they laid me off. Orchid was and is still in charge of pretty much everything there. She knew how much losing him hurt me and she didn't want to see me starve by just... Fuck..." He groaned, pushing against the table with a hand, biting his lip. He could feel his chest tighten, remembering the feather from Flare he'd found behind one of the chairs one day when he was working, how he'd taken that feather and kept it in his room.

Vera broke in softly, carefully forming her words, "Hey, uh... It's okay, Mono. You don't have to talk about it."

"No, no I want to. I... I haven't admitted this to anyone before. I think... it's good for me." He rubbed his eyes, letting out a long exhale, pushing onwards. "She agreed, firing me if only for a while, framing it to the government to look like I was just laid off because they didn't need me anymore. By doing that I've been able to file for unemployment, to have some money rolling in that could help cover bills. But, hehe, that's why I'm here right now."

He then motioned around to the coffee shop, keeping his voice low as he didn't want to draw attention to himself, "This place allows me to earn tips when I perform my songs. I don't always earn a lot but if I'm short on bills they sometimes let me come in more than once a month to try and earn what I need. This place has been like a haven to me, I guess you could say, and I'm extremely grateful for it."

They both remained silent for a bit, Vera curling her tail tighter around the grooves in the wooden pole beneath her, looking over him. "I'm glad you could get that out then. I'm not honestly quite sure why you felt the need to tell me specifically but... you know." She rolled her eyes, murmuring to herself, turning her face to the window.

"I don't have a lot of people to talk to like this. I just needed something, someone to vent to. Thank you for listening." He gave a genuine smile to her, noticing her uncertain gaze, eyeing him up as if she was scared of something.

"Yeah, well... You're welcome."

Changing the subject he then thought about their journey the next day, checking the time on his phone, reading it was only about ten minutes until he had to get on stage. "So, about tomorrow..." She caught his eyes as he began, "...Are you excited to go back to The Wilds. You made it really clear when you first got here about how much you despised everything about The Tamed Lands."

She snorted, ears flicking, eyes darting around the room as if she couldn't settle on something, "Well, I don't hate The Tamed Lands itself, I just hate everything that they've done to us. The humans and anthros. That story you read back in the library... 'The Divine Divide', It's bullshit. The way people choose to remember things makes it all the more obvious how ferals will always be treated as lesser creatures. Sure, I've seen some ferals while we've been here and they didn't seem unhappy but..." She growled to herself, restraining her tail from lashing as she didn't want to break something and have someone blame it on Mono. "My home is out there, in the tribes, and I just want to get back to them someday, somehow."

Her voice trailed off, lost in her own thoughts as Mono prodded curiously, taking another large bite of his muffin before swallowing, "So, what is your home like? You keep talking about where you came from before you were put under the spell, but you always avoid talking about it. I'd like to hear about it if you're willing, especially since we'll be going out into the forest tomorrow anyways."

She shook her head, huffing through her nostrils, giving a soft glare as she stared out to the park, "I don't wanna talk about it."

"But then... Why do you want to go back? What makes The Tamed Lands so much worse?"

"IT'S NOT... agh... Listen, I grew up in a tribe where all you could ever be was what you were designated with at birth. There are certain roles a dragon could acquire while others were reserved for other species." She turned to him with a fiery look in her eyes, not one of anger but frustration, "No matter what I did I could never be who I really wanted to be. There was just no way. It fucking sucked. It felt like I was banging on a jail cell that didn't have a door."

"Being captured by Rekali has been hell, but... in some ways, it's made me feel more alive than I've ever felt. I'm not living under the expectations of someone who wants me to be something I'm not. But I'm living a life that hurts others and I hate it." She then simmered down, the sound of thunder outside catching her attention, "Do I want to go back, back to The Wilds? Yes. But asking if I want to go back to the tribe... I don't know. I've thought about it for three years at this point and still I can't decide."

"Why can something I hate so much include the very people I care the most about? How do I live a life like that?"

Finishing off his snack, he crumbled up the wrapper, checking his phone to find only a few minutes left. "I'm sorry, I don't really know. But, you said something about being assigned a specific role? Roles like what?"

"No, no I'm done with this. This is a waste to talk about. I don't know why I felt you'd have anything different to say than what I've already considered." He piped down, giving a soft hum, her voice adding on with a softer tone, "Are you planning on going on stage soon?"

He nodded, standing up from the couch and brushing off the table and his pants from the food, "Yeah, I've gotta get up there. Are you gonna listen? It won't be more than five minutes."

She took a deep breath, jumping off the seat and following behind him, "I will. It sounded like you wanted to sing a song about Flare?"

"Mhm. It- It's a song I wrote after he... I just wanted to sing it again. He's been on my mind a lot lately with all the vore and stuff. It's all so confusing." He then pondered on it for a moment, making a note of it with a smile, "You know, even though both of us are so different, it seems we both have a lot we're going through, just in our own ways. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one with a shitty life." He chuckled, Vera agreeing as they made their way into the back.

The orange lights of the dimmed room glowed onto the stage, couches and chairs set up to face it. A few tables with games were set out back here as well, two groups of anthros and a human watching as he walked up with his guitar case in hand. He noticed Vera slip through the crowd to a couch of her own that was unoccupied, for some reason feeling happier than ever that someone he knew, if only temporarily, was here to listen to him sing. Not even Flare had ever seen him perform on stage so this new feeling made him feel proud and yet anxious as he knew what he was about to sing was difficult for him to get through.

He had an attendant help to get his instrument hooked up to the speakers, tuning his guitar and placing his capo on the 4th fret. He took some deep breaths, drinking from a water bottle they'd given him, shaking his hands before fixing the strap of his guitar over his shoulders into a more comfortable position before walking up to the mic and beginning.

"Hey everyone! Uh, my name is Mono." The crowd turned to look at him with curious faces, setting down their dice and pieces from their games, giving them their attention. He even noticed Rust step out from behind the coffee bar, sitting down on one of the stools, watching him sincerely. "I'm 24 years old, here from Talamaria. I've, uh, lived here my whole life and have been playing guitar for two years now. I was wanting to sing a song today that, uh... is close to my heart."

He pursed his lips, thinking about it all, running a finger along one of the strings, "This song is for my best friend, Flare. He... he was a griffin, a red griffin. I didn't have very many friends in life before him and being with him made me feel whole. I lost him about two years ago and... one of the last things he did was teach me how to play guitar." He held back his voice, gulping, the rock only seeming to grow larger in his heart weighing down as a reminder of the realness of it all. "You don't realize how important someone is to you until they're gone, and so I wrote this song for him. It's a sad song but I hope you can find some meaning in it."

After saying those words though, as he prepared to start, he watched as Vera got up from her spot and turned her back to him, moving to the front of the coffee shop. She noticed him watching him, avoiding his gaze, tail flicking as she moved further away and went around the corner out of sight to the alcove they'd say at a moment before. He wanted to say something about it but he couldn't at this point, all eyes on him, confused but continuing on regardless.

Then, with one more deep breath, he strummed the strings and began.

(Verse)

Sometimes, I swear my memories

Are trying, to play a trick on me

All these treasured dreams

Of both you and me, slip through my hands

You came to me, when I was so alone

And with you gone, I don't know where to go

But I keep pushing on

Cause you told me to trust in myself

(Lift)

But it's so hard to keep on going

When my heart keeps on crying out for you

You were the warmth that I could feel

Cause nothing in this fucking world feels real

Without you

(Chorus)

I promise - here and now

I'll find - you somehow

When I - leave this life

And carry on

I can barely - think of you

Yet it's all I - ever do

Cause it just - breaks my heart

To know you're gone

But I still try to keep on going

Cause it's what you'd want me to do

But dammit, why'd you have to leave me in this room

But I'll keep pushing on

For you

He finished his song with a few more pluck of the strings, his heart calling out to whoever wished to listen, venting out his thoughts and frustration into a song so close to him. He felt the grief of it all chaining him down, constantly, but he knew he had to move past it. And so, as he finished, the people in the room clapped, the tone somber and mellow now after it all. He thanked them for listening, putting his guitar back in his case and stepping off stage a few moments after.

When he rounded the corner he saw Vera peering out the window, lost in thought, "Hey, are you okay? I saw you left when I was starting..."

Her eyes darted to his before quickly looking away once more, eyeing her talons, blinking, "Yeah, I uh, I'm not feeling good. I-"

"Are you hungry? We could get something to eat here if you'd like."

She flicked her tail, knocking on one of the cushions, happy that no one had heard it as she continued, "No. Just..." She couldn't form her words, her wings ruffling at her sides, ears flicking. "Let's just go home."

"I... okay." He blinked, unsure why she was feeling the way she was, heading back out to the car with her in the rain, placing the guitar in the trunk, and slipping into the seats before starting up the car. He looked over to her, worried for her as she looked out the window, tail curled around her talons. "Are you alright? I'm sorry my song was sad."

"Don't talk to me. I... I just need some space. Please?" She glanced at him from the edge of her vision, ears pulled back, staring out the window as the rain poured down around them.

"...Okay. Just, let me know if you wanna talk."

And with that they drove back home, happy to have spent some time together without having to get digested for once. He thought over the day, their flying session, their conversations. He wondered if The Wilds would be dangerous, if they'd run into any other dragons or maybe even her tribe. But over it all there was something about Vera's attitude that set him off, his heart twisting ever-so-slightly, more than ever just wanting to help her as he knew she must be hurting. Though, as she requested, he didn't push her, instead rolling down the street in silence as the cloudy day thundered and his thoughts wandered.