Static Reflections: Book 1 of The M... - Chapter 44: Chapter 44

Nick looked down at his verdant green tie as he walked alongside Richard, sighing. They were almost to the raccoon's apartment, having traveled there after the hyena's graduation. "Sorry, Dick, for being rude to your friend. I've just been feeling wrong lately. I'm not usually like this! But, yeah. You know."
The taller animal shook his head. "Don't worry about it at all. I understand that you're in a rough place right now. I've been in plenty, myself."
"Thanks . . . "
"And hopefully, my gift will cheer you up. I think you'll love it," Richard grinned slightly.
"I am very excited to see what it is," Nick said, leaning his head on Richard's arm as casually as he could. His heart beat a little faster at the motion, and he found himself wondering what Richard was thinking.
Inside his head, the raccoon was very anxious at the gesture. Usually, he had been the one who grabbed Nick or cuddled him, not the other way around. Of course, he didn't hate it or want it to stop; he just felt they were plummeting toward something when it happened. They reached his door, apartment 233, and he used his ID card to open it, both of them venturing inside.
Nick's eyes floated around the space, noting that it wasn't at all what he had expected. Initially thinking that Richard would have a clean and proper room, the hyena was surprised to find that it was a mess, with papers and files strewn about and dishes piled up in the sink. Each of the dishes had some remnants of food or sauce on them, the sauce looking like it might have hardened over time. Files covered Richard's couch and his coffee table, which could almost barely be seen under them. Nick was surprised to find that Richard had a TV that he didn't use, and he wondered why he even got it in the first place. Other than that, there were multiple shelves around containing file boxes, all clearly labeled as Richard would.
The hyena turned to Richard. "I probably don't need to ask, but . . . what the heck happened here?"
Richard looked around. "What? It's my work."
"Your work is everywhere."
"It's all Truth Sect things," the raccoon said.
"How does it even get all over the place like this?!" the hyena queried, spreading his arms.
"I suppose I just left the files around once I ran out of room in the file boxes . . . Anyway, I'll make some space for you on the couch." Richard began gathering the silver files into one stack, organizing them alphabetically. Was Nick judging him for how his residence looked? No, not him.
Nick just watched, not being sure if Richard was okay with the mess in his home or not. He wondered if the raccoon might like help cleaning it. No one should live in a cluttered mess like this. That was already a problem he had to deal with Boris before all of this.
"Oh, I just remembered I have a stool somewhere around here," the raccoon said, looking up and rotating his head around the most occupied space. "Hmm . . . where was it? Ah!" Richard dashed over to the seat, cleared and organized the files in a neat stack, placed them on the ground in its place, then brought the stool back and set it in front of the couch.
"You could barely even find the stool, Richard," Nick muttered. "Do you want me to help you?"
"Nonsense. We're celebrating your graduation! The state of my home should be of no concern to you," the raccoon grinned. His heart rushed in his chest, anxious to give Nick his gift. Richard hadn't wrapped it because he didn't know how, but he hoped the hyena wouldn't care. "Let me grab your present." He disappeared into the room.
Nick looked around again, sighing. Richard had bought furniture at one point, making an effort in his home, and now, with the dishes piling up in the sink, it was a wreck. How did an animal let it get like this? It wasn't that he was judging Richard. He was just genuinely concerned that his Mentor thought it was fine.
Richard returned with a large, oblong, black case that Nick immediately recognized, his mouth falling open. The older animal brought it over and placed it on the coffee table, right on top of all the files, causing it to be balanced a little lopsidedly. "This is all yours."
Nick's blood pressure rose, and any negative thoughts he had about the space he was in vanished as he got on his knees in front of the couch, unlocking the latches on the case and opening the lid, which felt just like opening a treasure chest.
The polished brown color, the perfect shape, the flowers that ran up the neck, the smooth steel strings, the way it shone in the light. Nick was flabbergasted that he was genuinely looking at this thing in the case right now. "A Baylor acoustic guitar? Are you serious?! These things are crazy expensive!"
"I know," Richard grinned. "I wanted only the best for you to make up for all of the arduous work you went through."
"W-where did you even get this?! Holy shit!" Nick was in awe, running his finger along the tremendous base of the guitar.
"Well, I got it a little while ago, after our time at the Chinese restaurant in the Plaza. The first day we met, you told me you were in a band and played guitar. You also told me that you hoped you didn't forget how to play it. Well, now you won't, and you can make beautiful music in your residence."
"But how did you know how to find such a good guitar? I bet you know nothing about them, no offense!" Nick gawked at the other animal in the room.
"First, I used the internet in the Mortal Realm to look up your band, and then I did some research on the type of guitar you were using. You wouldn't be able to plug in an amplifier in Prostasia, which led me to acoustic guitars. Then, I did a good amount of research on the best ones and finally decided this was the right one for you. My favorite feature is the flowers on the handle."
"It's called the neck," Nick corrected. "But don't you know how expensive this is?! Richard!"
"Don't worry, it wasn't a problem," the raccoon smiled affectionately at him.
Nick looked back down at the instrument. "I want to be good and argue against you spending all that money on me, but I'm not gonna pass up a free Baylor. The only question now is: Want me to play it?"
Richard gestured to the stool. "That's why I pulled this out for you." He moved his own body over to the couch, where he plopped down and removed his jacket, letting it rest over the arm.
Nick pulled off his own and dropped it to the floor, then carefully retrieved his new guitar from its case. He was still shocked by the gesture as he sat down, holding the device with his left hand on the strings over the frets and right hand poised on the steel lines over the soundhole. Usually, guitars were strung with steel strings. The expertly polished body accented the guitar's stunning woodgrain. The neck perfectly fit Nick's agile hands.
"I'll need to tune it first," he grinned. "So give me just a second."
"Take your time," Richard said, happy that Nick was so eager about his new toy. He looked around the apartment again, now wondering if he really should invest some time in picking up the mess. Especially those dishes.
Nick turned the tuning pegs until each note was singing out at the exact pitch he wanted. Due to his long history with guitar, he knew exactly what it sounded like, and this particular instrument rang gorgeously, like a bell in the still night. "I'm ready to play for you."
"I'm ready to listen to you play," Richard stated, nodding.
Nick blushed. "Heh . . . What should I play, though? Oh! Did you happen to hear any of our songs?"
Richard brushed his hand along the white couch cushion. "No . . . I was, um, waiting for you to sing live."
"Okay, great. I was just asking, but that's great because now I know what song I'm gonna play. I'll sing our most popular song, That Time I Fell Off. I did an acoustic version so it will be no trouble."
Richard blushed a bit. "Alright. Then go on." He brought his right leg up, bending it and resting his ankle above his lower knee.
Nick did the same thing, holding the guitar as he began strumming one note in repeat, causing intrigue to rise within Richard until the main tune came in, and Nick closed his eyes, opening his mouth to sing.
The raccoon wasn't prepared for all of the lyrics that escaped his lips.
You won't find what you seek.
Like an iceberg, showing its peak.
In the water, you'll find me underneath.
Deep below, I just can't breathe.
Once had sunshine in my eyes.
Lost it to all the lies.
And I'm lying on my side.
Too many thoughts going through my mind.
What did you do?
What did I do?
Oh, they say it makes you stronger.
Oh, it lingers a little longer
Than they know.
Could they know?
Wake up every day and don't know why
Are the years just passing me by?
In the past, on that day,
I felt myself slip away.
How do I know the sun will rise
When all I see are cloudy skies?
Everyone's far away
And I've got nothing to say.
What did you do?
What do I do?
Oh, they say not to frown.
Oh, it just breaks you down.
Deeper in the hole.
Shattering your soul.
And I'm not lonely.
I'm just alone in my head.
The devil that owns me
Just wants me dead.
And I want to,
But I won't.
And I want to,
But I don't.
These kinds of things always go for the jugular.
The capacity for feeling, it's molecular.
Why does the way I feel become the regular?
In the end, I just want to be better.
Every day I go out,
Walk into a fake crowd.
They're all clowns,
But I'm not clowning around.
Wish I didn't say
You don't have to stay.
That can always change
If you don't want it that way.
That time I fell off
Just wasn't enough.
If I die every day,
How can I still be okay?
And where are you now?
I'm down on my luck.
What you did to me,
Well, you don't care too much
Howling at the moon tonight,
I don't see the light.
Howling at the sun tomorrow,
Who's heart can I borrow?
For all of the people out there
Who've ever gone through
Something they don't care about
Me and you.
If I have to endure this hell,
Why should I be ashamed of myself?
If I have to endure this hell,
Why should I be ashamed of myself?
And they don't know,
They don't know me.
Handcuffed to my heart,
Can I ever be free?
And I don't know,
I don't know me.
Bound to then,
Will I ever break free?
As the song began, Richard immediately tuned into the lyrics. The first thing he noticed was the way Nick's voice sounded when he sang. Admittedly, Richard had already enjoyed Nick's older-sounding voice that was a bit deeper than animals his age. Extend the words he was saying and harmonize them, mix that in a bowl, and you get the batter for a delicious cake that tasted just as sweet as it was rich.
As the song went on, though, each lyric turned into a sharp dagger that shot right into Richard's heart, and for a moment, he was worried they would create a mirror somehow, and they'd force him to look at himself through it. It didn't take a genius to understand what the tune was about, and as Nick's claws plucked the strings, so too did each note pluck the strings within Richard. By the end of the song, tears rolled down his cheeks at the sheer power of the words and crooning voice of his friend.
Nick's eyes were closed, so all he was focused on was the sound of his brand new guitar, which in itself made him want to cry. He hadn't heard music in so long that listening was like meeting a long-lost friend again for the first time in a while. All too soon, the song had ended, and Nick opened his eyes, finding Richard with his large hands over his eyes, sniffing.
Nick blinked, setting the guitar back in its case, and went to the raccoon, getting on the floor and putting a hand on his knee. "Richard . . . ? Are you alright?"
The raccoon's head shook left and right. "It's ridiculous, Nick . . . ."
"What is?"
"That a song can affect me like this."
"Music is powerful," Nick told him. "That's why so many people love it. I guess the song spoke to you, huh?"
Richard exhaled, wiping his nose. "After my father handed me over to the Mortal Guard, I was assigned to a special case."
Knowing he was beginning a story, Nick rested his chin on Richard's knee, simply listening.
"This case was investigating the strange events surrounding the Wave of Self-Immolation. I'm not allowed to say any names, currently, but . . . there was this man suspected of being behind it. Well, I did some snooping around, working with the alternate timeline's Mortal Guard for years, and we found a connection to the man. We were able to contact him and struck a deal to meet just to talk, planning a secret sting operation to capture him."
Richard paused then, taking a breath, debating if he should continue. The raccoon had told this story very few times, and this was the first time he'd be telling it in a while. It was always challenging to revisit that place.
Nick turned his head, laying his cheek on Richard's leg and sighing.
"S-so . . . the day the plan was to be put in motion, they sent me to carry it out, and along the way, things went completely awry, and I was kidnapped. I didn't even get to meet the man before I was introduced to a group of demons. Not Other Side demons, just extremely horrible animals." Nick slid his hand forward and placed it on Richard's, looking up and smiling comfortingly. His hand came down to rest on his lap, and he squeezed the fabric there, a wave of dread crashing over him.
The raccoon nodded. "Right. Okay. Basically . . . they . . . stripped me of my clothes, bound my hands, blindfolded my eyes, and used me for days on end. All I saw was black for what felt like forever, but I felt everything—every moment. The only way I ate was by feeding out of a bowl on the ground. They poured water down my throat to make sure I wouldn't die so they could keep taking advantage of me, again and again."
"I began to lose hope, planning to take my own life, not ever knowing what moon or even what month it was. All I knew was the information the men and women talked about, catching dates here and there, but never knowing for sure. Toward the end, only a few days before I was going to kill myself, the time had come for me to travel back to the main timeline."
"Well, I was sent back just how I was, stripped and bound, unable to see anything. I remember all of the animals freaking out, and they immediately put a blanket around my shoulders. I don't know if you know this, but the further back you travel, the sicker you'll be when you return, so I folded in on myself. When I first saw the light again after months, it was so blinding that I had to keep a blanket over my head. It's also why I don't sleep with a blindfold like everyone else."
Nick got up and placed himself next to him then, holding his hand and curling up against his arm, simply staring forward and listening.
"I lost all trust in everyone and everything, to the point that I thought I might be insane. It took weeks before I would even talk to Trauma Sect. But talking about it seemed only to make it worse. I couldn't socialize with other animals either because I was that on edge. They quickly added me to the list of the animals that you weren't allowed to communicate with so I could try and heal without interruption."
"I could barely sleep or eat, and I felt like a stranger in this world I had come from. I was now twenty-eight, and when I first saw myself in the mirror again, I completely lost it. You have no idea what it's like not to recognize your own reflection."
"Well, the Mortal Guard knows that succumbing to my feelings and sulking forever would be highly unhealthy for me, so they tried to find work for me that would keep me off of the front lines. Iwai came to me, personally, telling me he wanted to come to a sort of agreement. He told me that I could work for the Truth Sect as a Truthfinder and work through endless amounts of media to see if the supernatural connection within them was real. He took care of me and made sure that I was well-fed and still alive each day.
"A year passed, and, eventually, I was able to keep tabs on myself, and I found that I greatly enjoyed the work I was doing, so I did that every day. I always got physical copies of each case I worked on and kept them in my residence, as you've seen." He looked around, tugging at his collar with his free hand. "Along with that, I began training by myself with Iwai to be a creature hunter, as diligently as I could. That's how I knew how to train you. That was always the goal, to go back to the front lines one day and conquer this void eating me. It never happened until you came along."
Nick pulled his head back and looked at him, his eyes shining. "Fuck, Richard . . . I had no idea it was that horrible."
"I don't know if I'll ever get over it," said Richard, looking back.
Nick wrapped both of his arms around Richard's left one, clinging to it. "I'm here. I'll be right here, making sure you're okay. Gods."
Richard sighed. ". . . I've been thinking . . . ."
"About?"
"I think we need to keep being partners. After seeing what you did in the first case . . . what you were willing to sacrifice for me. H-how much you cared. I can't just let you go." Richard blushed heavily, feeling very safe in this animal's company. It was a very foreign but welcome feeling.
Nick rubbed his cheek against the raccoon's white shirt sleeve. "I would have lost both of my hands to keep you as my partner."
"But then you wouldn't be able to hold mine," Richard whispered.
"Erm . . . ears then."
"But I like your ears!"
Nick chuckled, sighing against him. ". . . You're incredible, Richard. Even after everything this shitty universe has done to you, you're still walking and moving forward. I know you may feel inspired by me, but not everyone can do that. We're going to make a powerful team and take over the world together so that way no one can ever hurt you again. I'll make sure of it." The determination flooded Nick, now realizing he had two possessed animals to save.
Richard nodded. "Then, we'll tell Iwai of our choice tomorrow. Remember, he has some important information to bestow upon you, Nicholas."
The hyena, still looking forward and letting the previous words run through his head as if they were being poured on a waterwheel, nodded. "Wonder what that could be about?"