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Truth Can Be Stranger than Fiction

By Chris Gilman

As the first rays of sun start to shine through the window of the bedroom they radiate on the face of a young male jackal. His long black hair splayed out around his head, Andy lays in his bed looking at the ceiling, his mind racing over the events of the day before and his encounter with the villain Whiptail at the museum. His mind keeps going back to the ghostly figures that had appeared to save him. "What were they? Who were they? Why did they call me Prince Anubis?"

He also thinks of the beautiful Sandy Spir and her telling comments. "How did she know?" he asks in a whisper.

A soft voice answers from the shadows that linger in the room, "Because I was there and saw the whole thing Andy."

He jerks himself to a sitting position, alert for a stranger in his room. His eyes scan the room but find no sign of an intruder, "Who's there?"

A soft and gentle laugh drifts from the shadows and a slim athletic black jaguar with shock white hair leaves the shadows to step into the sunlight streaming through the window of his small apartment. "I said we would have to have a long talk Andy."

Andy pulls the blankets around himself as his eyes go wide and his jaw slack, "Ms. Spir?!"

Flashing a smile at him she walks over to sit carefully on the edge of his bed. "Yes Andy, and before you ask, like you, I am more then I appear." She seems to meld into the shadows of the room again, not even her white hair showing as he looks for where she's gone. A soft tap on his shoulder makes him jump with a start and spin around, his fur bristling at being surprised so. He finds himself looking into her laughing dark blue eyes. "I call it shadow walking. Those who know aren't sure why I am able to do it, though they suspect my parents may have experimented on either themselves or me. And no one can find out just how I do it, but I can blend into any shadow near me."

Andy nods slightly and cocks an eyebrow at her, "And why couldn't you have just knocked on the door like normal people?"

She grins as she sits on the edge of the bed again, "A bit theatric I know, but it does serve to show trust and that I have secrets of my own." With a sly glance at him she playfully runs a band of shadow from her scalp and along her luxuriant white hair and smiles, "Now I want to know about those apparitions that came to your rescue."

Andy wraps the blanket around his waist to cover his nudity as he scoots to the edge of his large bed, "I wish I could tell you what happened. All I know is that I saw that lizard trying to steal the necklace of Anubis and ranting like a mad man. I thought I could stop him, but he was too powerful." He looks down at his hands trembling in remembered fear, "Then I had a vision and just let out a howl, next thing I know those five figures were there and beating the stuffing out of that crazy fool."

She nods, "I saw that part." She tilts her head to the side and studies his face with her dark blue eyes, "What kind of vision?"

He looks out to the hallway and motions with a brief flick of his hand, "Why don't we settle in the living room. We'll be more comfortable in there. Besides, I could use a glass of whiskey if I'm going to tell this."

Sandy stands and precedes him out of his bedroom, her tail and hips swaying in perfect rhythm. With her back turned he drops the sheet and pulls his robe on with a flourish. Cinching the belt tight with a quick tug he follows her. She takes a seat on the couch as he opens the small mini-bar in the corner of the room. Pulling out a bottle of whiskey he holds it up to her and raises his eyebrows in query. She gives a small smile and nods in thanks. He takes two glasses and pours some of the amber liquid into each before returning the bottle to its rack. He hands her a glass before sitting down in his favorite chair.

Sipping the liquid he pauses to let it finds its way down before he starts to tell her, "My mother is an archaeologist too, specializes in Egyptology same as I. She never told me who my father was, but every once in a while she'll disappear for a few weeks of vacation. Doesn't tell me where she is or anything. But while gone I will see her standing with a tall and elegant male jackal. He always looks like he might have stepped out of an Egyptian wall painting. His clothing, his manner, and even the weapons I see him carrying sometimes, he is the spitting image of the god Anubis."

Taking another sip, he gathers his thoughts before continuing. "I saw him again in the museum last night. First time I ever saw him alone in my mind without my mother at his side. He was standing there, head lifted in a howl, twin khopesh swords brandished, a true visage of a warrior and god. Before I knew it I found myself lifting my own voice to combine with his. That was when those warriors appeared, and well, you know the rest, you heard what was said." He looks at her and a question reaches her through his gaze.

"Are you Anubis' son?" she asks for him. She shakes her head in disbelief, "How could you be? He's only a legend of ancient Egypt, not real."

"I don't knowwww..." Andy tilts his head back as he flops back against the chair, turning the last letter into a weak howl of confusion as it leaves his pointed muzzle. Before their surprised eyes a single ghostly figure appears and kneels on one knee before Andy.

To his amazement he recognizes the lion that had led the other guardians in his defense. Saluting Andy by bringing his right fist across his chest he looks at the floor near Andy's feet, "My Lord Prince called?"

Andy is so shocked by the appearance that he doesn't answer right away, but Sandy speaks up, "Who are you?"

The lion looks up at her, his eyes briefly glowing with a threatening red color as he assesses her. "I am the Captain of the Great Ruler's personal guard, tasked by him to guard his one and only son and heir." The lion reaches around for one of twin swords strapped to his back, "Do you threaten the Prince?"

Andy is snapped out of his shock by the lion's threatening action, "Stop!" he yells as he reaches for the lion, but his hand passes right through the ghostly apparition.

The lion snaps his hand away from the handle of his sword and kneels lower before Andy, his forehead touching the floor in shame. "I am sorry my Prince, I knew not why you called and thought she might be a threat to you. Forgive me..."

Andy cuts him off with a sigh, "It's alright, and she's a friend. I wasn't aware I called you, but since you are here you can answer some questions."

The lion lifts his forehead from the floor but still doesn't look Andy in the eye, "I understand my Prince, and if there is a question I am allowed to answer I will."

Andy finishes off the glass of whiskey and stands to pour himself another, "Who am I?"

The lion looks up at him in surprise, his ghostly eyes confused. "My Prince jests?"

At a shake of Andy's head the lion looks down again, "You are the only child and heir of the Great Ruler and his Lady Nubis. You are Prince Anubis and will one day take up your father's mantle as the Great Ruler. Till the day when you are called home I and the other members of your father's personal guard are sworn to do your bidding and keep you from harm."

Sandy gets up and walks over to the mini-bar to take the bottle from the bar and pour herself another drink. "So... are you saying he is the son of THE Anubis?" she asks as she downs the drink in a single gulp without looking at the kneeling apparition.

The lion looks up at her, the fire in his eyes flickering to life again as he studies the young black jaguar in suspicion, "Are you his mistress?"

Andy coughs and sputters as he had been taking a long swig of his whiskey when that comment came out. Sandy looks down at the lion and frowns, "I am no one's mistress. I am my own woman."

The lion smiles a knowing smile, "A strong will you have my lady, much like the Prince's mother. I see much in common there."

She looks towards Andy and smiles softly, "I think I need to meet your mother sometime and have a long talk with her."

The lion looks towards Andy but again doesn't make eye contact, "Does the Prince have further need of me?"

Andy shakes his head, "You... you can go."

The lion bows his head almost to the floor and standing quickly disappears like a fog dispersed by a breeze. Sandy turns back to the couch and takes her seat again, "Well, that answered very little didn't it?"

Andy goes to the bar and sighing, looks at the bottle before he sets it down without pouring another glass, "I think I need to have a long talk with my mother when she returns."

Sandy nods, "Might be a good idea. She might give you a slightly more straightforward answer to your questions." She spots something on the floor near where the lion had been, "What's that?" Leaning down she picks up a small scroll bound with a pale green ribbon sealed by wax. Looking up at Andy as he comes over she holds it out to him, "It's addressed to you."

He takes it, his hand shaking again as he looks at the seal. An Egyptian Jackal's head with crossed crock and flail silhouetted behind it and a small cartouche bearing the Egyptian symbols that spell his name pained in a neat and delicate script above the seal. He shakes his head in disbelief as he splits the seal with a blunt claw and unrolls the scroll. Reading over the hieroglyphics quickly he looks up at Sandy as the scroll falls to the floor. "It's from my mother... She's not coming home this time." His legs refuse to support him anymore and he collapses into the chair behind him.

Sandy bends down to retrieve the scroll and holding it up in inquiry; she gets a stunned nod from Andy and unfurls the scroll to read it.

My loved son,

_ I know you have learned a little about your origins now and the rich heritage that awaits you. I'm sorry I never told you the truth about your father, but what could I say that would be believed? That your father wasn't from our world or even our dimension? I still don't entirely understand it myself, and I have been visiting him since I was your age._

Now that you have learned the truth I will be staying here with your father. I have missed him so much in the recent years that I need to stay for some time. The pain of separation from him was getting too much of late and the visits weren't enough.

I will come back to visit in time, but for now your father and I think it is best that you settle in with your powers, one you have learned and others you will learn in time. I know you're safe in Megalopolis with others who have powers in some ways stronger then even yours. Your father has promised me that his personal guard is at your beck and call. I've seen them in action and know they are the best warriors in time and space, so I know you are safe.

_ And please move out of that tiny apartment and into my house. Settle down and meet a nice girl. I would like to see grandchildren from you someday soon when I visit._

Love,

Your mother

She looks up from the scroll to see Andy holding his face in his hands as silent tears roll down his cheeks to drop onto the floor. His wide shoulders are racked by fierce but silent sobs. 'Too many revelations, too many shocks, too many questions still unanswered. It would be too much for even the strongest person to bear in one day. And now a letter that tells him his mother had hidden so much from him, including the truth of his father, arrives to say she won't be coming home either,' Sandy think to herself as she watches the brave male who had stood up to a villain he had no hopes of defeating no fighting with the revelations that had been laid at his feet this day.

She drops the scroll and gently sits on the arm of his chair to wrap a comforting arm around his shoulders in comfort. "It'll be ok; she's not gone for good. She's just decided you're grown up enough to fend for yourself. She said she would visit in time." Her words don't stop the silent crying, she just holds him as he quietly lets the sorrow flow from him. In some ways she feels the silent crying to be worse than any loud bawling he could have made.

She has to clamp her ears to her skull and cover them with her hands to silence the ringing howl that Andy lets loose, his head thrown back in sorrow with tears streaming down his cheeks. The volume of his howl rattles the windows as he strains his vocal cords to reach a pitch that is almost impossible to hear even with her sensitive hearing.

Suddenly the room is full of armed and ready ghost warriors, each one scanning the room for threats to the young Prince. Two start to advance on Sandy, seeing her holding the young prince and wondering if she is the threat.

She snarls and grabs a bladed sai from her boot and brandishes it protectively.

The Captain seeing the two advancing on Sandy roars, "CEASE!!!" They both halt in mid-step and drop to their knees, their weapons dropped to the ground and their heads bowed in submission.

The captain sees the open scroll on the floor and understands all too well what troubles the Prince. With a dismissive wave from his hand the dozen or so guards who had appeared vanish like they were never there. One young female cheetah in a long dress and ornate golden jewelry pours a tan colored liquid into a large golden goblet. Setting it on the floor at Andy's feet she leaves it where it becomes fully material to the two young people as she steps backwards.

Sandy looks down at it as the young cheetah motions towards it with a slight nod, "It will help him calm him mind my Lady. He has had a shock and the Lady Nubis warned us he might react as such. It is simply a drink to calm him and allow him to rest." She bows slightly to Sandy again and stepping backwards disappears like the other guards had only moments before.

Sandy with a flick of her wrist she sticks the bladed sai into the floor and picks up the goblet. Looking at the liquid in suspicion she takes a tentative sniff of the liquid, its odor rather sweat with a hint of mint tingles her senses. The lion smiles kindly at her for the first time and speaks quietly to her, "Get him to drink a little please my Lady. He will be the better for a rest I believe."

Holding the goblet to Andy's lips she says, "Come on Andy, just drink a little of this and rest. I'll be here when you wake and we can talk more then."

Without much fighting he takes a few quick sips of the warm liquid between sobs. His quiet sobs fade away and soon he is leaning his head on her shoulder and snoring lightly. She sets the golden goblet down on the floor and just holds him with gentle and caring hands.

Looking up at the Captain of the guards he nods and kneels, resting a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "Let him sleep it out please my lady. Learning the truth after it has been hidden from you for your entire life can be a hard truth to swallow."

Sandy looks at the young jackal's peaceful face, "Truth is sometimes stranger than fiction they say, and this time it truly is."

He nods in agreement and standing again he fades back to his home existence. Sandy scoots him around and settles back in the chair and eases him down till his head is pillowed in her lap. She chuckles softly to herself, "I'm glad you got a huge and comfortable chair here."

* * *

Sandy still holds him when he wakes many hours later, the sun that had just risen when she arrived that morning was now setting in the west and casting its red glow into the living room. His eyes slowly open as he nuzzles into the soft pillow under his head. He feels it move and smells someone else in his apartment, someone female. As his eyes come into focus he snaps them open wide and jerks his head out of Sandy's lap stammering an apology. "I'm... I'm sorry Ms. Spir... I didn't mean to..."

She smiles and laughs with her gentle voice, "It's fine Andy, and please, call me Sandy; Ms. Spir makes me feel like an old maid." She casts him a bright smile and he relaxes a little.

He stands and stretches, a few muscles snapping and popping from the position he had slept in. "Ugh..." he rubs his neck trying to get the muscles to loosen up. He sighs softly as he lets his arms drop finally before letting out a bark of laughter, "What a rough day."

Sandy smiles as she watches the young jackal, his robe having come loose in his sleep and currently draping down off his shoulders and hanging on his arms to display his wide and well toned back. "Why don't you go take a warm shower? After sleeping like that so long I bet you've got some tense muscles and need to relax."

He turns back to her pulling up his robe and tugging at the sash. "If you'd like one I can let you have it first and wash your clothes while you're in there. I got a few things that should fit you till your clothing is dry."

She shakes her head, "I wouldn't dream of taking your shower from you after I woke you early this morning. You go ahead and I'll use it after you're done."

He gives her a smile and nods before he heads for the master bathroom. He nudges the bedroom door shut before he removes the soft robe and reaching into the shower turns on the water to let it warm up.

Sandy grins as she catches a quick glimpse of the dark jackal's firm rear through the only partly closed door. 'Nice buns,' she thinks to herself. Hearing the water start she stands and strips from her own clothing. Sneaking with the quiet grace felines are known for she slips into his bedroom and finds the door to the master bath standing wide open. Smiling at the dark form of the young jackal leaning against the wall of the shower to let the hot water run down his back. She admires his body for a few minutes before she slips into the shower stall behind him and wrapping her arms around him, her hands stroking his chest as her firm breasts press against his back.

The jackal's tail lifts in surprise and lowers again almost immediately as he realizes where his tail had lodged. He starts to tremble slightly as he turns his head to look behind him to the smaller black jaguar holding herself against his back, her long thick tail wrapping around their legs. "S... Sandy?"

She purrs and just holds him, gently rubbing her cheek against his back. "Just let me stay here for now... Please?"

He gently loosens her grip so he can turn to face her and lifts her chin with a single trembling finger curled under her chin, "As you wish," he says quietly as he lowers his muzzle to kiss her tenderly. She responds in kind and they embrace each other there in the shower, letting the warmth of the water drain the fatigue from them both.

All characters unless otherwise stated are the property of Christopher Gilman.Story © Copyright Christopher Gilman 2008 all rights reservedMegalopolis © Copyright Goliath Thunderstep and Emerald Cistern and is used with permissionmail me and tell me what you think at [email protected]