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The Styx Diner - Reaper's Master

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STORY CONTENTS: Death, Blood, Violence, Language, Magic, Nudity

COPYRIGHTS: This story and characters owned and © R.J. Nebeker

Rajah and Rajan Wolffang © Larry Gary

Faytt is © Mike Augustine

Mica © Monica Huffaker

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The room was pitch black, four in the morning and Emily stared at the ceiling through the darkness. Her body, lithe and slim, stretched across the stained mattress in the small studio apartment. The rags she called blankets folded over her dainty feet, and she growled up at the small fan on the ceiling that did nothing to cool the humid and hot air in the room. No air conditioning left her small place irritatingly uncomfortable due to her thick winter fur coat. Pristine and white, her fur was a curse in this southern heat and that made life a literal hell she could barely handle. However, it was worth the cost to be out of her parents home and away from that ass hole father who saw her and her mother as nothing more than a piece of ass for his needs.

Finally, she turned on the light and growled while shielding her eyes. Her small breasts gave a slight shift, hardly a C cup in size, but a life never knowing what a bra is had left her orbs sagging on her chest. She rose slowly, letting the slinky figure Ermine's were known for stretch out. She stood barely five foot three, and weighed in less than a hundred and ten pounds. Dull blue eyes looked around the single room loft, taking in the bare walls, a small wooden dresser with a few clothes in it and the rat-eaten bed she was sleeping on. She sighed as her four foot long tail lashed violently behind her, moving in to the small bathroom and hopping in to the shower. A quick turn of the knobs and a cool flow of water washed over her figure in a sputtering splatter from the rusted and gunk covered shower head.

A few tears mixed with the water on her furred face, her life was miserable at home. She couldn't wear clothing unless going to school or going to the grocery store with her mother and father. She wanted to bad to tell her teachers that her father had molested her since she was nine years old, but she always heard her father's voice screaming in her ear after every time he used her, "If you tell anyone, I'll kill your mommy." he'd say, and she believed he'd do it too.

The day she ran away came rushing back to her in the shower. She could see her mother screaming as her father watched his wife being roughly taken by two men that paid for her. She could hear them asking about her, how much her fifteen year old body would cost. She was sold as well, just like her mother, but that night... she was just to scared of those men, she grabbed her school backpack and stuffed as many clothes as she could in to it along with her only possession her father never knew about, a charm bracelet her mother bought for her when she was a baby. She climbed out the window and ran. Only half a block away, she heard the yelling, and then gun shots.

She didn't look back, she just kept running. She remembered running for hours, twisting and turning down different roads without thinking. When she finally stopped, she found herself close to a diner. The sign read "Styx Diner". She had gone inside calmly, panting for breath from her escape. A pair of wolves were wiping down some tables in the early morning hours, they turned to look at her and gave warm smiles and a nod of their heads. She just ducked her head and rushed in to a corner booth.

"What can I get you to drink honey?" a female voice reached her ears and made her turn to look at a short and busty otter in a long flowing Victorian bell dress.

All she could do, was just look at the otter. Something was off about this woman, she was alive for sure, but something like death hung around her. She was scared, but at the same time she felt the warmth and love her mother always showed her and it made her feel safe. "Just... some water." She remembered saying.

The otter trotted off with a nod, smiling a bright smile.

She could still feel the cozy home like atmosphere of the Diner, even as the water turned utterly frigid on her body. Her teeth began to chatter and she shut off the water. Stepping from the shower, she toweled off as best as her thick fur allowed. She remembered that otter woman bringing her a large meal for free, the flavors had tasted so delicious she couldn't remember the last time she ate so well. But that was four years ago. She'd never found that Diner ever again, even when she went all over the roads in a systematic search. Eventually all she could do was get a low paying job since she hadn't finished school, and get this crappy little studio place with one room, a tiny kitchen, and a bathroom.

Once again, Emily sprawled across her bed, this time belly down, her soft bum hidden mostly by her fluffy tail. Suddenly her alarm went off, her entire body lurched from the loud sound, her fur fluffed out slightly. She rolled off her bed and slammed her fist in to the snooze button before sitting up. She rubbed her face and growled, her short muzzle showing small teeth as she yawned. Rising from her bed, she grumbled after opening her small dresser and finding no clean panties or bra. Her measly pay check barely covered her rent and got her food, so washing her few clothes she had wasn't cheap. Yeah it was only a dollar to wash all of her clothes, but most of the time she didn't even have fifty cents to her name after buying food and paying rent.

She grabbed a pair of white cotton panties from her teen years, it barely covered half her ass and only just barely cupped her pussy mound. She'd managed to buy a couple bras that were on close out sale and put one on since her job required it. A quick toss of her work uniform put a dark green skirt around her hips and a tight fitting white tube-top with "Melons" written on the front of it. Even with her small bust, the shirt was so tight and her bra pushed those breasts up enough, that she looked like she was a DD. She slipped on a pair of heels that fit her dainty hind paws, and then grabbed her small purse and headed out the front door.

It was only five twenty in the morning, and the walk to work would take her ten minutes. The heat in her apartment was frigid compared to outside. It was oppressive outside, the humidity just so high that her thick fur made it difficult to walk without panting. She was lucky she wasn't a species that could sweat, otherwise her clothes would reek. Once she got on to the sidewalk that paralleled the main road, she started a brisk walking pace, trying to get to her job where there was air conditioning and she could get a free small breakfast.

There wasn't anything special on the way to work, save for a loud shout from across the street. She turned to look and smiled as she saw her co-worker Amanda. But just that small bit of distraction was the worse thing that could happen. Emily never saw the car, but she heard the loud pop of a tire blowing out. Amanda screamed as she saw her friend run down by the car as it swerved violently from the burst tire. There was no hope for Emily as her body flipped off the windshield, and lifted up in to the air well over ten feet before her limp body slammed in to the middle of the road, crumpled and broken.

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Emily's vision was filled with a swirling cacophony of colors and lights. She felt wet, yet she was dry. A cough escaped her lungs and she swallowed a mouthful of water suddenly. She sat up quickly and spit out a gallon of water. She gasped for air, but nothing filled her lungs, and she began to panic, splashing in the crystal clear water that appeared as if there were no water at all until it was disturbed. Her hands dug at a cloudy mass of sand, trying to breath and not getting anywhere. She looked around with wide eyes, trying to see if anyone could help. There, on the shore, only five feet from her, was a Kitsune with a massive Scythe resting on his shoulder.

His eyes were closed, and his human shaped form didn't move to help her, but his nine azure tails all moved in a very slow, languid movements, their tips touched by deep purple as if flames on his tails. His scythe pole rested its butt between his fox like feet, moved up between his thighs and knees. Across his right shoulder and then moved in to a wicked curved blade almost seven feet from tip to base. The blade wasn't attached to the pole so to speak. A ball of violet light resonated at the top of the Scythe's pole, and the color of the orb seemed to draw in to its center like a black hole swirling in on itself and holding the blade in a gravity pull. But from the noon point of the orb and flowing across the opposite side of the blade, were six large spikes that also floated separately from the orb.

The mans hair was a perfect silver, glistening in the soft light of the area, and naturally causing his alabaster skin to glow with an otherworldly radiance. He made no movement, even as she tried to crawl towards him while grasping for breath. She spit up some more water, and once more tried to draw in air, but got nothing. "Quit that, you're already dead." A voice echoed in her ears, it didn't come from the Kitsune, but from her left. She turned and found a second man.

He was a well muscled mouse with absurdly large ears that were straight on the sides and then curved at the top. Chestnut brown fur covered his entire body except the right side cheek and eye where black. He barely topped four and a half feet, but he had a mane of crimson red hair that looked like it was on fire as a phantom breeze made his hair flow and flicker. His legs were where she realized he was only half mouse, the other half of him was kangaroo as he carried their leg shape and large feet. Unlike the other person who was stark naked, this mouse had on a white linen shirt and a pair of specially designed knee length shorts that all conformed nicely to his well muscled physique.

He had a Scythe as well, but it was not as amazing as the Kitsune's. This one looked like a symbol farmers Scythe from the middle ages. It's blade did look like the double sided and curved blade of the Kitsune's. The mouse's soft green eyes narrowed at her and he snorted "Stop that. You're already dead, there's no need for you to try and breath!" he squeaked out in a high pitched, but rather baritone voice.

Emily stopped her gasps for air, and found he was right. She didn't need to breath, so she stood up, only to cross her arm over her breasts and cupped her sex with her other hand as she stood nude. "The hell you perverts! Give me my clothes back!" she snapped.

The Kitsune finally showed life as he burst out laughing, though his eyes remained closed. The mouse on the other hand scowled wretchedly at her and reached out his free hand. "Come along, its time to judge your life." He ordered.

She yanked her hand away and growled "I'm not going anywhere with you! I'm going home!" she barked out sharply.

"Squeak, be more polite. Explain what's happened." The Kitsune said, his voice deep and reverberating.

The mouse flicked his left ear and huffed out a deep breath. "Listen Emily, you were killed by a car." He paused, but before she could speak up, he continued. "You're in purgatory, we're here to judge your soul to see where you move on. So, lets go." He once more reached for her hand, but she yanked it away again.

"So you're Death huh? What about my chance to challenge you?" she snapped. She may not have finished school, or been a religious girl, but ohh how her mother was vehemently spiritual. Her mother believed in the Ancient Gods that controlled Fate, Life, Death, and Time. She remembered her mother telling her a story about Death, that you could pay Death for a quick ride across the river of souls, or challenge Death to a game - if you lost, your soul would remain in purgatory, but if you won... you could have your life back.

Squeak seemed to pause at her statement. His eyes turned to the Kitsune. The large orb on the mans Scythe shimmered to a different color, shifting to a dark green and he just smiled. His eyes opened to reveal amazingly sharp green eyes that had a slight flecking of gold sparkles, or at least what Emily thought was gold. "Accepted. The first game is Ten Rocks. The second is Count 30."

"Ten rocks?" Emily asked, but the mouse just smirked.

He pulled out a pile of rocks and six cards. The rocks were no bigger than a thumbnail in size, and a little bit thicker. On the six cards, two read '1' two read 'take 2' and the last two read 'counter'. "This game is simple. We choose a card each round, if I place '1' I take a pebble and put it in my stack. If I place 'take 2' I take two of your pebbles from your stack. If I play 'counter' and you played 'take 2' then I get two of your pebbles and you gain none. The object of the game is to get ten rocks first."

Emily listened, she nodded her head once she heard the rules. "What about Count 30?"

"That one is more simplistic. We start out at zero. The challenger goes first and can add one to three points. Then it turns to me and I can add one to three points to the total. Whoever counts '30' loses." Squeak responded.

Emily smiled, a mathematical challenge was something she could easily win. "Alright, lets start."

Nodding his head, the mouse gave her three cards, one with each playable slip. "Challenger first." He said.

She nodded her head and placed her first card face down. He did the same, and then they flipped. Another flip past, and then another. She was grinding her teeth by the time she got to her forth flip. They were neck and neck at eight a piece, they both flipped counter. No stones added or changed hands, her next flip though, she flipped counter and he flipped a one. Nine to Eight. All he had to do was play a one and he could win, but if she played take two and he countered, he'd win. She knew he wouldn't play a take two, he had no need. It boiled down to luck and her knowledge of this man so far, he was cocky and a jerk. She knew he'd go for the simple win, so he'd play a counter since she was sure he believed she wanted to just win.

She was right! She played a one and he had countered. They were tie again. They both could play a one and tie. She played take two and he played one, looking to tie the game. But instead, she won! She giggled with insane glee "I WIN! Give me my life back!" she barked with a smirk.

"Sorry, but there are two games. I did say that." The Kitsune said, though he didn't move.

Emily narrowed her eyes, about to argue, but then she did remember him saying there was a second game. It must have been a way for the Gods to keep flukes from occurring. She sat back down and looked at the mouse. "You're first Challenger. Count 30."

She narrowed her eyes and growled "Two."

"Five." He responded, adding 3.

"Seven."

"Ten."

Emily paused a moment, going over the math in her head to think. "Thirteen."

"Fourteen."

She bit her lip, he didn't count like she guessed. "Seventeen."

"Twenty."

Grinning, she licked her lips "Twenty-one."

He paused, and bit his lip. His eyes narrowed to slits. He was stuck. "Twenty-two." He said grudgingly.

"Twenty-five!" she cheered.

It didn't mattered how much he added, she only needed to add enough to make twenty-nine and he'd lose. "Twenty-eight." He said, rolling his eyes.

"Twenty-nine!" she grinned triumphantly.

Squeak crossed his arms over his chest and folded his ears down. "First damn day on the job... Thirty."

Emily jumped up to her feet and pointed at the mouse. "I WIN! I LIVE!" she snapped.

The mouse closed his eyes, and covered his chest with his arms. He turned his head to look away from her, even as the Kitsune stood up. As naked as he was, Emily stared at the chiseled muscular figure. Her eyes weaved down to his crotch and then turned as she blushed in her ears. "It's not what you mortals think the deal is. It's not 'your life' you get back. Unless you want to be put back in a broken body that's literally squished." The man said.

She peered at him, his six foot one inch height making her look up visibly. "What?"

He looked at her, smiling some as he then moved and hefted the mouse to his feet. "Take her where she needs to be. Oh, and don't forget what the rules of the divine say." With that, the Kitsune vanished without a trace. No poof of smoke, no flickering of image, just, gone.

At the same time, the mouse touched her shoulder, and the most blinding light filled her vision.

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When her sight returned, she found herself standing inside of a familiar structure. She also saw herself looking at that same Kitsune, though clothed and without a scythe. As well, that short and busty otter woman in the beautiful dress stood beside him. She stepped forward and smiled "Alesta Darkflame, my husband Allester Darkflame." She smiled, her voice soft and motherly with a hint of school girl playfulness.

"Your husband's death you know that right?" Emily said, spitting it out more from shock than any thought process.

Alesta blinked, and then giggled a bit. "Of course I know that. He's the God of Death. Just like I am the Goddess of fate." She said with a smile, and a bit to much cheer.

Emily just stared at the woman, and then growled "So you're why I was raped by my dad? Sold like a cheap piece of ass to his buddies like my mother? You're why my parents are dead? You control all that, and you get off on it, don't you?" she snapped, tears rolling down her cheeks.

The otter simply shook her head, still smiling. "I control where you go in life, not the actions you take. What your father did, was his own free will forced on to you and your mother. Fate has no control over free will. Death is the only fixed concept to a Life, and only Death can push you in to the direction of your demise."

Dropping to her knees, crying, Emily looked up at Alesta, and then turned her eyes on Allester. "Can I see my mom? Did she at least go to Avalon?"

Allester tilted his head and perked his ears. "Abigail Astrand is not dead. She wont die for another forty-seven years." He paused "Your father however, will die soon. I believe you're belief of your parents death is from the night he shot two men he sold your mother to. He killed them and claimed they broke in and raped your mother after their 'friends' kidnapped you."

Emily's cheeks fluffed up a little bit. Her tears drying some as she hears that her mother is alive and well, and her father was soon to die. She couldn't help but grin "Is it a violent death? He's going to suffer right?" she asked.

With a shake of his head, Allester sighed. "Quick, painless and in a semi-redeeming act."

"WHAT?!" Emily snapped, standing to her feet quickly as her fists slammed in to his chest repeatedly. "That can't happen, he has to die painfully, he can't redeem himself. He raped me, he raped my mother, he abused us, let us have nothing!" she screamed, crying.

Allester didn't flinch a bit, he let her beat his chest until she wore herself out in her tears. "It is how Death sees it. After you ran away, your dad realized what he had done. He killed those men thinking they had done something to you. Losing you changed him, he realized you ran away because of him and chose not to hunt you down. He wanted you to come home on your own terms, to forgive him by seeing he didn't chase you because he knew you'd think he did it just to have his piece of ass back."

"DEAR!" Alesta snapped, punching Allester square in the jaw and sending him toppling back to the floor. He slid across the well cleaned floor, right in to a pair of wolves, a jackal, and a small fox like bowling pins. "Forgive him Emily, he has no tact sometimes. I think I screw his brains out a little to often that I desensitized him." She chuckled.

Emily just looked at the grouping on the floor, as the small fox bounced out, laughing hysterically and standing near the group. "AGAIN!" the boy called out like a certain baby from an old sitcom.

"I... It's ok." She finally said, and turned around, only to trip over a short mouse.

"WOMAN!" the mouse snapped, untangling himself from her and climbing to his large feet. "Watch where you're going you blimp!"

Emily growled "YOU!" she snapped, recognizing the mouse. Her hands grasped around his neck and she drove him to the floor strangling him. While he fought her, she noticed he didn't breath or gasp for air. Eventually she stopped and stood up, planting her foot squarely in the mouse's groin before stepping off of him.

He grabbed his balls and cringed, even as Alesta tapped his forehead and erased the pain. "Crazy Banshee, I'm going to skin you alive!" he snapped, only to look up at a jackal male.

The jackal smiled down at the mouse, and then turned to Emily "I'm Mica, it's nice to meet you. I'll be working with you since you're a lost Soul."

"Wait... I'm alive. I won." Emily stammered out.

Mica smiled and nodded her head. "You are alive technically. You're bound to the mouse there. You're not the first to beat a Reaper, the fox there, Faytt... he's a lost soul as well, though he's not alive. The reaper he beat for his Life, well he was executed by Death for failure to do his job."

Emily perked an eyebrow, "Death... wait I beat Death, so why am I a lost soul?"

Mica smiled "You beat a Reaper, not Death. Death, is that man." He pointed to Allester. "You need to beat him to obtain full Life. Instead, you beat one of his Reapers, whom are lost souls given the power to reap souls by Death. You beat a Reaper, which allows you to live side by side that reaper. You'll be given a different life to live, and you'll work with the Reaper. Since he's bound to you, he can only work in the area you live."

She nodded her head some, feeling a little pissed that she was cheated by Death in the end! "So... if Death kills the mouse, what happens?"

"You become like the fox. Stuck with me until a suitable time comes that we can merge your soul back in to Purgatory so you can rejoin the flow of souls in life." Mica paused and flicked an ear "That pup has been with me for six hundred years... he just wont move on." He then hugged Emily and smiled "Please don't ever let that mouse cut you loose."

Emily nodded, but felt... a little odd when Mica hugged her... she felt breasts, or at least, she thought she felt tits! "Ok... I'll take care of the squeak toy."

A laugh burst out from the two wolves, Allester, and Faytt. Even Alesta giggled a little bit as the mouse scowled. "Funny... that's his name. Squeak." Mica added, chuckling a little bit more than he should have.

Squeak glowered irritated, and grabbed Emily's wrist. "Lets go, I'll show you to your new home." He muttered, irritated that he had to share his home with her.

~~ To be continued...

~ Allester E. Darkflame