Chapter 18 - Phoenix

511 A.R. October 20, Psychiatric Clinic, Morning

The car pulled into the parking lot as I was reminded of something and reached out to the main console in the car. I brought up the environmental settings, found the old profile from the time where I had been human, and activated it.

The ducts and fans inside the car shift reoriented as warm air started blasting into the inside of the car.

It was a stark reminder of how things had changed but I swallowed the potential discomfort for Jason's sake before I opened the door and stepped out.

A crunching noise could be heard as my paws sank into the snow, a nice and cool sensation made my pads tingle. I turned my attention to the clinic and started walking, snow clung to the walls and trees while the sun shone and made it so bright that the far off fields were almost blinding.

The path through the arch leading up to the clinic had been cleared and I caught sight of Jason, Hedwig, and James through the glass doors.

Hedwig looked bright but pretty and wore jeans and a nice blouse while Jason was clad in a blue winter jacket that made him look like a bloated balloon.

I imagined the cold seeping into my mind as I steeled myself for the worst and stepped into the warm confines of the clinic. All three of them turned to look at me as I entered and scraped the snow from my paws on the floor.

"Good morning," I said as I met their eyes.

Hedwig had her usual smile while Jason looked a bit distant if nervous, James looked bemused and spoke up first, "A dress shirt and shorts Vilkas?"

I approached and made a slight smile, "The weather is wonderful, why not enjoy it?"

Hedwig interjected, "You are aware that Jason isn't like you Vilkas, he'll freeze and could die in this kind of weather."

I ignored her and focused on Jason as something seemed off about him, he was silent and his eyes were unfocused as if he stared into nothing. A creeping sensation of unease filled me as I stepped between Jason and Hedwig before touching his shoulder.

Jason made a surprised shiver and glanced up at me as he met my eyes.

"Hey Jason, how are you doing?" I asked.

Jason had bags under his eyes as if he hadn't slept well and his shabby appearance made him look like he had been raised in the wilds.

"I'm good," Jason answered with a gulp and a slight smile,

"Do you want to go Jason?" I asked.

Hedwig moved and took Jason's side, "Where are you going?"

Instinct rose to life within me and flared with anger, I controlled it but could feel my hackles itch as I glanced over at Hedwig, "That's a surprise and I'd rather not ruin it."

Hedwig met my eyes, "Sounds like fun, can I come along?"

"Guys night out, you understand?" I said.

James stepped up to Hedwig and caught her attention, "Don't worry Hedwig, we have tests and Jason will be back by evening."

Hedwig made a forced smile and nodded, "All right, have fun."

I focused on Jason, and crouched a little so that I caught his eyes, "Do you want to go Jason?"

Jason blinked and seemed to snap out of his daze, "Yeah, let's go Vilkas."

Jason started walking and I followed as we stepped outside, the ice and snow crackled and Jason froze as he glanced down with a curious expression.

"Something wrong?" I asked.

Jason glanced up and his cheeks seemed to grow red as he resumed walking, "No."

I followed and motioned to the car, "Let me guess, that was the first time you stepped into the snow this year?"

"Something like that," Jason whispered.

We walked up to the car and got inside as I reached over and activated the pre-programmed path.

"So where are we going?" Jason asked as he pulled on his seat belt.

"Our first destination is a surprise, after that though, do you have something you want to do?"

The car pulled out of the parking lot and started to pick up speed as Jason glanced around and answered, "I... don't know."

Tell me about Hedwig? How are you really doing Jason? Why am I getting this strange vibe?

They seemed like obvious questions and I could almost see the debate play out in my head, instead I chose something different approach.

"Did you hear about the new colony in Europe?" I asked.

Jason glanced over in surprise, "No? What?"

"It's called Aurora and its located on the shore of a European country that used to be known as Norway."

"... I thought the other continents were filled with lusus?"

"They are, but we're working around that, I think it's quite exciting."

Jason seemed to ponder it, "Yeah, it is."

"Do you remember Kato?" I asked.

Jason nodded, "Big mean wolf at the university, he always used to stare at me."

"He's not as bad as he seems, we made a club at university, we hunt, cook, play games, it's a carnivore club but we have a human student as well."

Jason's eyes widened in surprise, "A human, an adult human?"

I nodded, "Yeah, he seems to like it and everyone plays nice."

Jason raised his brow, "Does he hunt?"

I shook my head, "No, we wolves catch the meat while the cooking club helps out, we then invite guests and a have a nice evening with good company. We make a mean rabbit stew, you'd be welcome to come along Jason."

Jason seemed stunned and stared at me, "... I'm the son of the psycho human, everyone would..."

"No one would do a thing Jason, you're not your father, you haven't done anything wrong, we're just people having a nice time."

Jason blinked and turned his head as he watched the large expanse of white in silence.

"The retro convention is being held in July as usual, have you considered going?" I asked.

Jason glanced back, "Are you really sure we should tempt fate yet again?"

"I make my own fate, so should you Jason."

Jason cocked his head a little and crossed his arms, "Make your own fate... I wonder if that's possible."

"Anyway, things are going good and you mentioned that you don't have to stay at the clinic any longer?"

Jason nodded, "Yeah, but James is recommending that I voluntarily stay for a while longer."

"So what are you going to do?"

"Hedwig wanted... I... Never mind."

"What?" I asked.

"You wouldn't approve Vilkas," Jason answered.

"So is she your girlfriend?" I asked.

"Not funny Vilkas," Jason muttered.

What does that mean?

I leaned back in my seat and noticed another car trailing us in the rear mirror, a blue sedan. I dismissed it only to have the thought resurface as I realized that something was amiss.

My eyes focused on the rear view mirror and the occupants of the car, two people, small people, without the fuzzy outline of fur, humans.

What the hell have you gotten yourself into Jason?

I tried to relax once more and noticed that Jason was staring at me.

"What?" I asked as I glanced over.

"You're growing for every month that passes."

I glanced down at myself and flexed my hands, "Yeah, I know."

"What... does it feel like?" Jason asked.

My ears perked in wonder, "Well... uh... can you be more specific?"

Jason made something of an embarrassed smile and glanced away, "Let's start with the fur, does it itch?"

"Only if I'm in tight clothes or if I get too hot, it's quite different from bare skin as the sensations of warm and cold isn't as sharp. Instead it's like a thick comfortable blanket and you never feel exposed even without clothes."

"I see," Jason whispered.

"I don't mind the question, but why so curious?" I asked.

Jason shrugged but didn't answer.

"My sense of smell is a big part of life now, I can smell the age of scents, follow them on the wind, I can even smell fingerprints on walls or the footprints of other people. It's quite extraordinary to live in a world where every action leaves an imprint on the world."

"So what can you tell about me?" Jason asked as he glanced over.

I inched a little closer and sniffed, "Hedwig's perfume, other patients, your scent, you haven't showered in a while, the sharp sting of the medicine you're taking. You had a light breakfast, toast, marmalade, coffee, the deodorant you're wearing is rather light which is good."

I leaned in as Jason's eyes widened, "You smell like a ginger biscuit but it's not coming from your mouth. That means you have it in your pocket which raises the question of why you didn't eat it?"

I cocked my head a little and focused on his beard, "Your beard traps small pieces of food, I can smell what you've eaten days ago, and you smell of sweat, you're nervous and scared."

Jason blinked with a stunned look, "All that? From a few sniffs?"

I leaned back and made a proud if bemused smile, "Yeah."

Jason shifted in his seat and made a slight smile, "That's rather impressive."

"So what's the story behind the ginger biscuit?"

Jason unzipped his large winter jacket and reached in while I took the time to glance into the rear view mirror. The sedan was still following and the two humans seemed like statues in the car.

Jason fetched a small cookie, "I took one... got distracted, pocketed it... no mystery."

"I see," I answered.

"Uh, want half?" Jason asked.

I made a light grin, and nodded, "Why not."

Jason cracked the ginger biscuit in two and handed over one half while he ate the other.

I bit into mine and settled back in my seat, "So how are you really doing Jason?"

Jason chewed his cookie in silence for a few moments, "I have a lot to think about, not that good actually."

"Anything I can do to help?" I asked.

"It sounded on the phone like you needed my help?" Jason whispered with a cheeky smile.

I swallowed and noticed that the news studio was coming into sight, "I do, and you can do that by letting me help you."

The car turned and entered the road leading to the studio as Jason was about to answer. He stopped, glanced around, and then realized where we were heading as all color drained from his face.

"Why... are we heading to the news studio?" Jason whispered with a horrified voice.

I glanced into the rear view mirror once more and saw that the blue sedan came to a sudden halt by the turn. It made it clear that the car had indeed been following us, moments later it started moving once more and drove past the turn.

"My mom works at the studio, you're going to have something of a makeover."

Jason stared at me with eyes like saucers, "What!?"

I glanced over at Jason, "Relax Jason, just a haircut, a good shave and some new clothes."

Jason glanced down at himself, "I guess I was wondering where we could go with me looking like this."

The car turned once more and entered the large parking lot for the studio while Jason leaned by the window and seemed to focus on the large logo, 'SuN - Sophos News'

"You scared me for a moment," Jason whispered.

"What were you thinking? That you were going for an interview?"

Jason glanced over and shrugged, "Public execution perhaps?"

The car parked and I opened the door, "Hilarious Jason."

We got out and headed toward the back-entrance as Jason joined my side and spoke up, "So tell me about the human in your club?"

"Well, his name is Thomas and he's got a genetic condition that makes it impossible for him to get a symbiont."

"How is he handling that?"Jason asked as he looked in front

"He's doing all right, apparently the guys on the moon are working on a treatment for him."

"Oh, I see," Jason whispered.

It was easy to imagine what Jason was thinking as he answered, but I had little time to dig deeper as I heard the creak of a large door. I glanced ahead and saw one of the studio doors open as mother stepped out and caught sight of us.

Mother smiled and waved to us as we walked up to her.

"Hi Jason, it's been a while," Mother said with a soft voice as she crouched a little and leveled with him.

Jason looked both uncomfortable and ashamed as he met her eyes, "Yeah, hi Maria."

Mother reached out and touched his shoulder before pulling him into a hug. Jason looked stunned and I was surprised as well while mother whispered something in his ear and then let go as she leaned back with a warm smile.

Jason seemed to ponder whatever she had whispered and then made a slight nod.

"What's going on?" I asked.

Mother stepped behind Jason and led him along, "I'll steal Jason for a few hours, all right?"

"... Sure."

511 A.R. October 20, News Studio, Midday

"Vilkas?"

Mother's voice stirred me from sleep as I opened my eyes, to my surprise I saw nothing but pure white and it took me a moment to remember where I was.

I pushed myself onto all four and erupted from beneath the layer of snow as I made a wide yawn.

"Yeah?" I asked as I looked in front and caught mother's surprised expression as she glanced out of the metal door of the studio.

"What were you doing buried under the snow?" Mother asked.

I scratched my ear and rustled my fur and tail with a refreshed sensation from the nap.

"Everyone who walked past kept bugging me so I buried myself for a nap," I answered as I stretched.

Mother motioned for the inside of the studio, "You're like your father Vilkas, come on inside."

I shook my paws as I stepped inside and followed mother's tail, "Did everything go well?"

Mother glanced back, "Jason's a bit tense but he's quick to adapt."

"Yeah," I said with a nod as we marched down the corridor to a door with the label, 'Dressing Room 19'.

Mother then opened the door wide and glanced inside, I followed suit and glanced inside as my ears perked in surprise.

It was Jason, but he had changed, a lot. His hair was cut short and had been dyed into a rich brown color while his beard had been trimmed into an elegant goatee. He smelled fresh and the expression on his face seemed alive and vibrant as if he was about to score a major victory in one of the games we used to play.

His worn and faded clothes were long gone and had been replaced by a deep blue and rather snug dress shirt along with a pair of khaki's. Even his glasses had been replaced by a stylish pair with rectangular lenses.

Hanging nearby were winter wear that seemed equally stylish, dark, well sewn, with a few outlines to create contrast. It was a long throw from the plastic and balloon type jacket he'd worn before.

"... Is that you Jason?" I asked with an astonished voice.

Jason turned to look at me and seemed equally stunned as he made a sheepish smile.

"Don't you recognize me?" Jason asked.

A smile spread on my face as I stepped up to Jason, "Nice clothes... nice goatee... and glasses, it's like looking at a new person... you look sharp, very nice Jason. You even smell nice."

Jason grew red like a beet while a wild smile spread on his face, "... Thanks."

Standing beside Jason was a golden retriever that looked awfully pleased with himself, in his hands was a black and blue tie.

The golden retriever stepped up to Jason and began to wrap the tie while mother leaned by my shoulder and whispered, "That's Maurice, fashion is his passion."

Maurice made a bemused smile, finished the tie and then stepped back as if appreciating a masterpiece, "It's not everyday you get to work on a human, I think it looks nice, if I may say so myself."

"It does, do you like it Jason?" I asked.

Jason fiddled with his thumbs for a moment and then stood tall as he met our eyes and nodded.

"Yeah... I do, I feel like a new person. Thank you."

Mother slipped her hand into mine as I heard a voice enter my mind, 'I've made reservations for two at the Grand Hotel, they're used to UCS dignitaries and won't bother Jason.'

I glanced over at mother and met her eyes as my thoughts spoke for me, 'Seriously?'

Mother smiled, 'What? Jason needs a chance to get out of that horrid place and enjoy himself, don't you agree?'

'Yeah, I do. Thank you mom.' I thought.

'Now we just need to dress you up as well,' Mother thought as a mischievous smile spread on her fine muzzle.

511 A.R. October 20, Pasloe Grand Hotel, Evening

I caught a smirk on Jason's face as the car pulled into the parking lot, "What?"

He seemed like another person, he was smiling, his laugh was genuine and his scent danced with excitement as he turned to look at me.

"Comfortable?" Jason asked.

I pulled at the collar of my suit and made an annoyed groan, "Not really."

Jason just smirked in response and looked out the window as he focused on the Grand Hotel.

The structure was one of the few skyscrapers in the city and it was a place that catered to celebrations, large events and important visitors. It was a beautiful and well lit building during the evenings followed by a session of complete darkness by midnight in order to give its guests a chance to observe the stars in their full glory.

My attention however was drawn to the distant but deep hum in the air, I searched the darkness of the sky and found the source as a large car sized drone circled the Grand Hotel. The small rail-guns by the bottom made an eerie blue glow while the laser domes to the side were as black as night.

It was an impressive sight if rather intimidating display of power that seemed out-of-place even for a something like the Grand Hotel.

"Shall we go?" Jason asked while plastered against the window.

"Yeah," I answered as I opened the door and stepped out.

A light dusting of snow swirled through the air as I joined Jason and walked side by side toward the large glass gates of the hotel.

Something began to whisper in the air as I approached and my mind tingled with the growing presence of what felt like a mindscape field.

The gates opened and warm air rushed out and brought with it a plethora of scents. Fine dining, hybrids of all sorts, humans, alcohol, sweets, and enough markers tied into the scents to make my nose hurt.

Jason glanced back at me and raised his brow in wonder, "Are you all right Vilkas?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I whispered as the sensory overload made me dizzy.

The mindscape field knocked at the door of my mind and asked permission to speak. I considered it for a moment and then relented as I gave it access.

A digitized but pleasant female voice whispered into my mind, 'Welcome to the Grand Hotel Vilkas Volkov.'

I joined Jason's side once more while the voice kept talking, 'You have a reservation for two, your identity and that of your companion has been verified. Be aware that the upper floors are off limits at this time due to trade negotiations with the UCS.'

"Where are we supposed to go?" Jason asked as he looked around the large entrance hall of the hotel.

The hotel lived up to its name, holographic displays weaved beautiful art on the walls while artifacts from a gone by age could be seen here and there. A large carpet in the starkest red covered the floor and hybrids of all kinds were enjoying themselves.

My eyes widened a little as a large humanoid robot that reminded me of Ares avatar approached.

I froze and focused on it as the voice returned, 'There is a wide selection of restaurants available to you, would you prefer an open floor plan or something more discrete?'

Jason noticed the large robot as well and stepped back to join my side as the machine walked past without paying us any attention.

"Whoa... " Jason whispered.

'Something discrete,' I thought.

'What kind of cuisine would you prefer?'

'What options are there?' I thought.

'We serve the cuisine of the old world, African, Asian, European, Oceanic.'

'What does that mean?' I thought in irritation.

'African, rich in fruits, cereal grains, vegetables as well as milk and various meats.'

'Asian, rich in rice, and seasons like ginger, garlic, sesame seeds, chilies, dried onions, soy, and tofu. Often stir fried, steamed, or deep fried. Chicken and beef are the primary used meats.'

'European, also known as Western cuisine is rich in sauces, condiments, seasonings, bread, pasta, dumplings and pastries.'

'Oceanic cuisine focus on the riches of the sea.'

"Vilkas?" Jason asked with a surprised expression.

"Huh?"

"Are you all right?" Jason asked once more.

"Yeah, do you like Asian food Jason?" I asked.

Jason raised his brow, "Asian food, what's that?"

"Chicken, rice, stir fried, lots of soy, onions and stuff like that."

"Sure," Jason said with a nod.

'Something Asian,' I thought.

' P roceed to your right until you reach the restaurant Chef Chu, a reservation has been made for table 7.'

The mindscape voice disconnected and left me with an empty sensation as I glanced around and focused on my surroundings. To my relief the other guests didn't seem to have noticed my daze.

"Come on, I know the way," I said as I motioned for Jason to follow.

Jason looked confused and glanced up at me, "You've been here before?"

"Nope," I said with a shake of my head.

Jason's look of confusion only grew as we walked, "So?"

I looked over and pulled a deep breath, "How much do you know about hybrids?"

"Well... lots I think, I don't know if it's all true though."

"What about talking with computers and people through your mind rather than your voice?"

"Some kind of cellphone?" Jason asked.

"Yeah, but inside my head. I was a bit distracted because I was booking a table."

Jason blinked, "What? Right now?"

"Yeah, I had a rather long talk with what I think is the main computer for the hotel."

"Oh," Jason whispered.

I looked in front and saw a restaurant with a strange architecture with winding wood and plants that grew wild. Several depictions and statues of serpentine dragons highlighted the logo, 'Chef Chu'

We stepped inside and the smell of food was thick in the air. The mood was one of stark contrasts with a few well lit areas while most of the isolated tables had little more than a few living candles.

"Smells good," I whispered.

"Smells better than everything I've eaten all year," Jason murmured as he licked his lips.

"We've got table seven, let's fetch the food."

We approached the buffet as I noticed something moving in the dark, it was another robot but this one was slim and agile as it moved along the wall and disappeared behind a cloaked alcove.

Creepy...

"I expected more people," Jason whispered as he grabbed a plate.

"I think most of the hotel is automated, people come here to celebrate events, not to interact with the staff," I said.

I grabbed my own plate and glanced around the tables, most were seated but the voices were hushed to the point where one could barely hear a whisper. It was strange and it made me wonder if there was some kind of suppression field at work as the people themselves didn't look as if they were whispering.

Jason was busy scooping up all manner of food as he spoke up, "So what's that like, talking with a computer? Ones and zeroes?"

"You studied IT Jason, I'm surprised you don't know."

"I know all about algorithms and the murmurs that surround Athena, symbiont tech though, it's not as if someone would talk about it with me and I don't even know the terms for it."

"Well it's like talking with the car mostly, sometimes you can feel information inside your head, and then there's the mindscape."

"The what now?" Jason asked.

"A virtual reality that connects everyone in the nation, like the web, people explore ideas, politics, and work inside it, I haven't really had a chance to explore it yet as its still integrating with my mind."

Jason blinked and stopped picking food with a stunned expression.

"Did I upset you?" I asked.

"... No, it's just that all those talks about direct democracy that I've heard make a lot more sense now."

I grabbed my food and the two of us got seated by table seven. Green plants covered the roof and create an enclosed if rather comforting feeling that reminded me of the forest in the mindscape.

My suspicion from earlier was confirmed as the outside world seemed to grow muted. Jason didn't seem to notice and ate with a ravenous appetite. Minutes passed before Jason leaned back and seemed to focus on me once more.

"Yes?" I asked as I glanced up and met his eyes.

"It's strange, I feared even stepping outside the clinic, and here I am... in the Grand Hotel, surrounded by people, and no one has even given me a strange glance. I mean... look at me, I have never owned clothing like this in my life... or eaten food like this... I should be a nervous wreck. There's so many new things I feel like I should be imploding."

"But you're not, which is good," I answered.

"I think they drugged me, I mean, I am on drugs as it is but I think they gave me something extra to manage the anxiety."

I licked my chops and leaned back, "Maybe, isn't it also possible that you're stronger than you think?"

Jason made a light smile, "You've changed Vilkas."

My ears perked, "Oh?"

"You grew up, you became part of this society, I heard that you're the alpha of your pack, like Kato."

"Right now I'm just Vilkas, not pack alpha."

"Yeah, still... you became an adult... what's going to happen to me?"

"I took on new responsibilities and I gained much in return, but I'm still more like you than you imagine Jason. I've never been here before, I'm taking things one step at a time, I'm nervous, cautious."

"Really?" Jason asked with a slight smile.

"Yeah, really," I answered with a nod.

Jason took another bite, "I know I've asked this before, but do you want me to get a symbiont? Is that why you're here?"

I raised my brow and sighed, "No, it isn't. That's your decision and I'm fine with it whatever your choice may be."

Jason cocked his head a little, "How can you be... 'fine' with that? I'm crippled, I can't interact with society, I can never be your equal, we're not the same any longer. I don't get it."

"Because I care? Is that such a difficult concept."

Jason frowned and stared me in the eyes, "But why Vilkas? We were lousy friends, two people clinging to each other because we had no one else to go to, always arguing, fighting, being nasty to each other."

Something of a feral smile spread on my muzzle, "True, but some part of me has always like sparring with you."

Jason chuckled and shook his head, "Maybe. So why aren't you asking the big questions, the ones you've been avoiding all this time?"

"And what would that be?" I asked.

"We both know the answer to that."

I held out my hand in an inviting gesture, "What if I'm waiting until you're ready to talk about it?"

Jason bit his lip, "I see, I have... a strange request, please take it seriously."

"Go ahead," I answered.

"If I wanted to go to SYNE, would you... come along?"

I blinked in surprise and sat tall, "Why would you go to SYNE?"

"Because I want to see... what could be..."

"What do you mean?"

"It doesn't matter, I just, will you come with me?"

"Sure Jason, I'll come along, no problem."

Jason made a slight nod, "Thanks... Let's talk about Aurora, I'm interested in hearing more."

511 A.R. October 20, Pasloe Grand Hotel, Night

"Hold on..." Jason said as he grabbed his glass and drained the contents.

Moments later he made a shiver followed by a light cough, "Damn, that's strong."

I raised my brow and could smell the alcohol blending with his scent, "Done?"

Jason placed the glass on the table and made a bright smile as he faced me, "You should try it Vilkas."

"I prefer a clear head."

Jason chuckled and joined my side, "A clear head? With all those instincts and tech shoved in there?"

I corrected myself, "As clearheaded as possible."

To my surprise Jason leaned onto me and made a friendly bump, "Thank you."

I reached out and touched his shoulder as I steadied and nudged him along as we started walking.

"For what?" I asked.

Jason smirked, "This was fun... for a while I forgot everything, the clinic, the dead people, everything."

"Come on Jason, you're acting like this was a one time event."

Jason glanced up, "It wasn't?"

"I'd invite you to stay at my place, would you like that?"

Jason seemed to snap out of his stupor, "Are you serious?"

"Well, I can't erase the past and things will be awkward with my dad at first, but if you need a place, I'll be there for you, all right?"

Jason nodded, "I'll keep that in mind."

My ears swiveled as I heard something, a high pitched buzz, the sound of something approaching at a frightening speed. I tensed up in an instant and tightened my grip on Jason as I crouched and glimpsed back.

"Huh?" Jason uttered in surprise.

A small hovering drone approached from afar but it didn't seem aimed at us as it sped past with a blur and headed toward the entrance hall.

"What's going on?" Jason asked.

"Quiet," I said as I opened my mind and addressed the hotel.

'What's going on?' I thought aloud.

The digitized voice returned, "A minor disturbance at the entrance, no need for concern, the matter is being handled by security forces."

'Is it safe to approach?' I thought.

'Yes,' The voice answered.

I eased up on Jason and started walking once more, "Just a small security issue, nothing to be concerned about."

"You just checked in with the hotel, didn't you?" Jason asked.

"Yeah," I said as we approached the turn that would take us to the entrance hall.

I got my first glimpse of the hall and saw a slim robot, the hovering drone, as well as two defense force soldiers clad in green uniforms surrounding what looked like two human males.

The defense force soldiers consisted of one big wolf and a smaller tiger.

"Get out-of-the-way!" One of the male humans demanded.

The slim robot spoke with an authoritative male voice as it addressed the humans, "The Grand Hotel is only open to reserved guests at the time, why are you here?"

The angry human male ignored the robot and looked around, he seemed to notice Jason and stopped in an instant as his expression shifted to shock and surprise.

"Do you know them?" I whispered to Jason.

"Just because I'm human doesn't mean I know every human in the nation," Jason answered.

The humans focused on the robot once more and spoke up with a different tone of voice, "Sorry for the intrusion, we'll leave at once."

The wolf from the defense force glanced back at us for a moment and made a skeptical frown before focusing on the humans once more, "You're not going anywhere."

"What?" The humans exclaimed in surprise.

I nudged Jason along and kept walking with the hope that the guards would stall them long enough to get to the car. The agitation of the humans grew once more while we marched past and stepped into the cold once more.

"Is there something you need to tell me Jason?" I asked.

"I told you, I don't know those two," Jason answered.

Jason was either playing dumb or had no idea what was going on, problem was that I didn't know either but I suspected it had something to do with Hedwig and the blue sedan.

511 A.R. October 21, Psychiatric Clinic, Night

The lights inside the clinic slowly came to life as James interacted a with a console by the reception. Moments later the doors unlocked and I pushed them open as Jason entered.

"You sure took your time," James commented as he approached us.

"Sorry, time flew by... do you live here at the clinic?" I asked in surprise.

James made a bemused smile, "I do have a bed here and I stay overnight at times, today just happened to be one of those days."

James then focused on Jason made a big canine grin, "I hardly recognized you Jason."

Jason stood proud and tall with a sheepish smile as he glanced down at himself, "Thanks."

My ears picked up a noise from the stairs and I glanced to the side as I noticed Hedwig standing by the stairs. The look she gave me was an intense glare as if she wanted to strike me dead where I stood.

I couldn't help but make a nefarious grin as I addressed her, "What's the matter Hedwig?"

Hedwig's expression softened as she descended the stairs and approached Jason with a smile.

"Did you have fun Jason?" Hedwig asked.

Something happened with Jason in an instant, his wild almost childish expression faded and was replaced by a distant and tense expression, "Yeah, I did."

It was an effect that I had only seen caused by two other people, Jason's parents. Like a wraith Hedwig cast her spell on Jason and swept him along as she guided him up the stairs and left me and James by ourselves.

I frowned in irritation that Jason hadn't said goodbye as I turned and focused on James.

"Do you have a minute?" I asked.

"Outside?" James asked.

"If you don't mind," I said.

James nodded and the two of us stepped into the cold before I turned to face him.

"Excuse me for being frank, but why are you letting Hedwig anywhere near Jason?"

James made a slight frown for a moment but then relented as his ears folded back with a concerned look, "There are rules Vilkas, both of them are here on a voluntary basis now and I can no longer order them to be separated. It's a struggle even convincing Jason to stay here."

"Why?" I asked.

"Do you know who she is?"

"She's Osmond's daughter, the leader of the Unicostal cult," I answered.

James ears perked in surprise, "Oh, you know."

"Yeah, so what were you hinting at?"

"Are you aware what kind of effect the Happy Trails incident had on the cult?"

"Not really actually."

"The cult still lives on but took a major hit, it was a disgrace for both the cult as a whole and the leadership despite the damage control they employed. It created a power vacuum and... it splintered."

I made a light sigh, "And... Hedwig, what role does she serve in all this?"

"The reformed cult needed to get with the times, what better way to do that but to elect a new leader that had suffered at the hands of the old one, charismatic, young, eager for change."

"Hedwig in other words?"

"Yes," James answered with a nod.

"Just how powerful is this cult?"

"Their numbers are limited, they're human, but they are devoted to their cause and shouldn't be underestimated. They know how to skirt the rules and manipulate the system to their benefit."

"So why this obsession with Jason?" I asked.

James shrugged, "Don't get me wrong, Hedwig is a pleasant girl that truly suffered at the hands of her father, she might be misguided but she only seeks to protect her flock. As for her interest in Jason, perhaps its something as innocent as love?"

Unknown

It felt like walking a tightrope as I wandered deeper into my mind and reached the barrier to Volkov's domain. It reached out to me as it sought to swallow me whole, for some reason though its touch wasn't as powerful as it used to and I found myself capable of resisting its pull.

I relented and willed myself to enter as the world of the mindscape formed around me. Moments later I was standing in Volkov's den and felt the wet grass underneath my paws.

My eyes widened in surprise as I saw Volkov standing not far from me with a paintbrush in his hand while a canvas hovered beside him. He was staring at me and seemed confused at my presence. Emotions and sensations emanated from him and I could feel something akin to embarrassment as he made a sheepish smile.

"What are you painting?" I asked in curiosity.

The sensation of embarrassment flashed to a peak as Volkov made something of a dismissive wave with his hand and banished the canvas from existence.

"Nothing!" Volkov uttered.

My ears perked in confusion, "You're like a second version of me, I can feel your sensations and hear the whispers of your thoughts, yet you're trying to hide something from me?"

Volkov's ears folded back while I focused on snapping up his thoughts. It felt like searching my own mind and I could feel the answer to the painting on the tip of my tongue.

To my surprise Volkov reacted as he stepped closer and raised his hands, "No... don't... I want to keep it private."

I stopped my search for a moment, "... I think the two of us out of all people should be honest with each other."

Volkov nodded, "I know... I agree. I was just... imagining things. Let me keep this to myself, all right?"

"Fine, happy to see me?" I asked.

Volkov's tail started wagging as he stepped closer and nodded, "Yeah, you need to visit more often."

"It's not always easy getting to this place, most of the times I just fall asleep and the times I do stay here I... or rather, we end up paying for it."

Volkov nodded, "We're sharing the same mind, limited resources and all that. Anyway... I had something interesting to show you... or have you already realized what I discovered?"

I stepped closer and leaned in as we exchanged scents, it felt silly though and even my instincts felt little more than confusion as the scent was nothing more than a replica of myself.

"No, what are you talking about?" I asked as I leaned back and caught his eyes.

Volkov moved his hand in a wide arc and the air filled with a large gallery that held photos of several hundred humans.

"Whoa, what's this?" I asked.

"These are all the humans I could identify from the confiscated footage, guess who's in it?"

The mere question awoke some kind of hidden memory in my mind, "The two humans at the Grand Hotel?"

Volkov made a pleased nod and snapped his fingers as two of the photos were highlighted while the others disappeared, "These two, we even caught a weak version of their scent. I think we should take a sniff at Hedwig next time to see if they meet in person."

Even as Volkov spoke the same thought crossed my mind, it was a strange experience and it seemed to render any individuality between us a diluted concept at best.

"Yeah, anything else?" I asked.

"You're coddling him you know, Jason needs a good slap to wake him up and we need to do it soon unless we want her to completely kill the person we used to know."

I raised my brow but began to realize that this was a problem that had brewed in my mind for a while.

"If we're too harsh then Jason will shut down and we'll push him straight into her arms."

Volkov nodded, "I know."

"So what have else have you been up to? Apart from painting I mean?"

Volkov crossed his arms, "This and that, being locked in here isn't that fun and it's only getting worse."

"What do you mean?"

"I used to fall asleep a lot, only to wake up when you really needed me, hunts, anger, strong instincts, you know. Nowadays I can feel everything moving in the background, I get sour, irritated, I get the urge to smile and laugh yet... Never mind."

"... Sorry," I whispered.

"I don't blame you... us, try to visit more often... maybe I'll show you that painting... or some of the other memories I've found laying about."

"Vilkas Volkov, split personality, budding insanity, bargaining with the self," I mused.

Volkov smiled and made a slight chuckle, "I know."

"Should we go to Athena? I don't think this is normal."

Volkov glanced away, "No... we shouldn't."

"Why not?"

"It's not a good idea, trust me," Volkov answered as I felt something akin to another secret hiding in the background.