---------------
Thanks to
\n\t\t\t\t\tsongfulfire for letting me use one of his characters as a special guest.\n\t\t\t\t\tsongfulfire for letting me use one of his characters as a special guest.",
"writing": "[t][center][u][b]Billy Vs The Fates[/b][/u][/center][/t]\n\n\tYou ever have one of those days where it seems like, no matter what you do, nothing goes right? A day where it seems like the universe is just spitting in your face and then laughing at you for it. A day where you wish you could just end all the madness. Of course you have, because everybody has those days, even our platypus friend Billy Plats. The following is the tale of one such day for the platypus, which ended in a spectacle nobody could believe, or see. This is the story of the day he took on the sisters of fate.\n\n\tIt was your average day. The sun rose on a beautiful late spring Saturday morning, the dew on the grass glistening in the sunlight. In the budding trees, you could hear the birds chirping their good morning song, and the residence of town were all slowly, but eventually, waking from there restful slumber to tackle the day ahead. Unfortunately for Billy though, the night before had not been so kind to him as most everybody else in town. Billy, in college studying for his master's degree, stayed up a little late to finish a paper that was assigned for the weekend at the start of it, and didn't manage to find his way to bed until well into the twilight hours of the day. He snuggled himself into bed and quickly passed out, having a long day to thank for his exhaustion, but his slumber wasn't as long. In the first hour he managed to get some sleep, he had a terrible nightmare, the kind that causes your body to react to it in your sleep, and it had startled the poor platypus awake, shaking in his sheets on the floor. He blinked his eyes and looked around the room, hoping that the safety of his house was the reality and not the terrible place he had just come from in his mind. Once he felt safe and secure, the platypus picked himself off the cold floor, still shaking, and fixed his sheets, getting ready to try to get some sleep once again. He laid back down, pressing his head to his pillow, but the nightmare had shaken him too badly, as he could not get the horrible images out of his mind. Tossing and turning, Billy tried desperately to force himself to sleep, but his frightened mind not allowing it. As Billy finally found the peace of mind a few hours later to let himself catch a short nap to get some energy for the day ahead, the sun started to rise and shine in through the blinds of the window in his room. Grumbling and irritated at the lack of sleep, the platypus dragged himself back out of bed and shambled hazily toward the bathroom.\n\n\t[i]Wasn't able to get any sleep. Maybe a shower will help.[/i]\n\nThe groggy platypus stepped into the tiled room and quickly shed himself of his pajamas, stepping into the bathtub and turning the water on. He stepped back for a moment, letting the water heat up, as he was ready to relax in the steamy heat of the shower. When he decided the water was warm enough for him, the platypus stepped into the droplets and let them cascade down on him, however it was not for very long as Billy jumped out of the water right as soon as he stepped in.\n\n\t[i]Fuck! It's ice cold![/i]\n\nTurning the water off, the platypus quickly stepped out of the tub and out of the bathroom, speed walking to the little storage room in his house where he kept the water heating tank. He checked to see if the pilot light on it was lit, and it wasn't. Grumbling, Billy went through the ignition sequence to relight it, but to no avail. Two more tries later and the light still would not ignite, leaving the tank useless, and Billy without hot water until he could get it fixed or a new tank. In a fit of frustrated rage, the platypus swings his leg at the broken cylinder, throwing his foot into the metal cover of the tank, which he immediately regrets because of the obvious pain that comes from kicking metal. He grabs his foot and hops a little bit, trying to shake the pain off.\n\n\t[i]For fuck's sake... how can this day get any worse?[/i]\n\nDefeated by his day, Billy walks out of the confined space and heads back to his room to get dressed to tackle the \"wonderful\" day he is having. He opens his dresser to grab a shirt when he hears a knock at the door. The platypus shakes his head and grumbles, knowing that what lies behind the door will be more bad, as it seemed to be the day's theme for him. Ready to get whatever it was over with, instead of getting fully dressed, Billy just grabs a pair of boxers and slips them on real quick, meanwhile the knocking persisted, a couple of knocks on the wood coming every few seconds. Once decent enough to greet whoever it was at the door, Billy shouted \"I'm coming!\" as he walked in a hurried pace to his front door, turning the knob and opening it. To his surprise, a good one at that, it was Sonia, his girlfriend from home, who greeted him with a smile.\n\n\t\"Hi Billy!\"\n\n\t\"Hey Sonia. What brings you out here?\" Billy replied.\n\n\t\"I'm not allowed to drop in to see my boyfriend?\"\n\n\t\"Yeah. Sorry... just...\" Billy sighed, wanting to say something nice, but unable to find any words due to the frustration he was suffering from.\n\n\t\"What's wrong?\"\n\n\t\"Just a bad night, followed by a bad day... I'm not having a good day today...\"\n\n\t\"Well... we can fix that for you you know...\" the fox winked at the platypus and giggled, grabbing his webbed paw and allowing herself into his townhouse that he rented.\n\n\tWithout another word, she started to walk to his bedroom, almost gliding as she walked with a smile on her face. Billy, letting himself be led by his girlfriend, shambled along, dragging his feet along the ground as he walked. Billy wanted to say no, but he so loved the intimate time he shared with Sonia, and he knew she loved it just as much. He also knew that she was right and a little bit of TLC would turn the day around for him. The pair stepped through the frame of the doorway to the bedroom, Billy's bed still an unmade mess from his restless night, and that's when Sonia let go of his paw. She turned to her boyfriend with a little glimmer in her eye as she winked and told him, \"Stay right there.\" The fox then stepped to the bed and crawled onto it, turning to face the platypus she loved, and sat on her knees. She took her hands to her buttoned blouse, rocking slightly to the rhythm of a song that wasn't playing but in her mind, and started to undo each button until the lacy bra underneath could be seen. Billy, watching the show being put on for him, smiled as he thought to himself,[i] This is definitely gonna make my day better[/i]. It wasn't long until every button was free and her silky soft shirt was sliding down her arms to the bed below, leaving her paws nothing else to undo on her upper body but the bra straps behind her. Licking her lips and winking again at Billy, she slowly slid her paws around her back and grabbed hold of the hooks that held her supple bosoms prisoner and started to unhinge each one. As she was about to let Billy see her topless, another knock came from the door.\n\n\t[i]That just fucking figures...[/i], Billy thought to himself as he groaned and put his finger up to Sonia, signaling for her to wait a minute so he could shoo the visitor away. Trying to shift himself in his boxers so that the erection that his girlfriend gave him wouldn't be plainly obvious, using the elastic to hold the tip of himself in place, he quickly ran to the front door to drive the unwelcome fur away. He swung the door open in a hurry to find his old flame, a tigress named Jennifer Tigre, or Jen as most called her, standing at the door with her boyfriend, Jerry Squirrel, another guy from Billy's past, and one of Billy's friends. Like Sonia, they didn't live anywhere near where he went to college, so it left him wondering about their unexpected visit.\n\n\t\"Hey guys,\" Billy greeted the pair.\n\n\t\"Hey Billy!\" they both answered in unison.\n\n\t\"How's it going? What's with the surprise drop in?\"\n\n\t\"Surprise?\" Jen questioned the platypus. \"This isn't a surprise. We told you at the beginning of the week we'd be coming to pick you up to take you to Geoff's tryout for the minor leagues in baseball. Don't tell me you forgot...\"\n\n\tBilly groaned silently to himself. Of course he'd forgotten due to the bad night he had and the half naked fox he left in his bedroom to answer the door. \"Yeah... I kinda did... sorry. It's been a long week, and I didn't exactly have the greatest night's sleep last night or the greatest start to this morning.\"\n\n\t\"That would explain why you aren't even fully dressed yet,\" Jerry stated, sympathizing with his platypus friend. \"So do you want us to make up a story to tell Geoff?\"\n\n\tBilly shook his head. As much as he didn't want to go, to return to the loving he was about to get from his foxy girl, he couldn't ditch on Geoff. Geoff Bevar was another of Billy's childhood friends, but more \"frienemies\" than anything. Geoff always saw himself the rival to Billy, both in athletics and in love, especially when Billy started going out with Geoff's biggest unrequited love, Jen. After Jen and Billy went their separate ways, Geoff started warming up to Billy more and considered him a friend as time went on. Now Geoff, a beaver more suited for aquatic athletics, was trying out for a local minor league baseball team, trying to make his way into professional baseball, and he asked for his friends to be there for support. Billy, in good conscience, couldn't skip on his friend of old for some TLC that he wanted, no matter how badly he wanted it.\n\n\t\"Nah... just... give me a minute and I'll get ready. I take it Amber's in the car already?\"\n\n\t\"Yeah. All we're missing is you and we'll be on our way,\" Jen answered, still smiling.\n\n\t\"Alright. I'll be out in a minute...\"\n\n\tThe platypus slowly closed the door and slowly walked back to his bedroom, unable to believe that, due a slip of his mind, the best thing to happen to him this day would have to be canceled, or postponed at the very least, and he wasn't happy about it one bit. As he turned his head into the room, his eyes fell upon a naked fox on his bed, covering her naughty parts as best as she could with her arms and paws.\n\n\t\"Who was that?\" she asked seductively, licking her lips again.\n\n\tBilly let out a depressed sigh. He wasn't ready to give this up, but he knew he had to. \"It was Jen. You have to get dressed...\"\n\n\t\"Why?\" Sonia questioned, a slight pout forming on her face, as she wanted this time with Billy as much as he did with her.\n\n\t\"I have to go to a baseball game. I completely forgot. Geoff is trying out, and he wants us to be there for support.\"\n\n\t\"Oh. Ok. I'll get dressed. You don't mind if I come along, do you?\"\n\n\t\"Not at all,\" Billy answered with a smile. \"I'd love for you to come with me.\"\n\n\t\"Well, that won't happen right now, but maybe later,\" Sonia replied with a giggle, enjoying her play on words, which caused a slight chuckle from Billy.\n\n\t\"Yeah yeah. Anyway, get dressed. They're waiting.\"\n\n\tSonia did as told and started to put her clothes back on as Billy rushed to the nearest dresser and grabbed any pair of slacks and a shirt he could find. He knew Geoff wouldn't mind if he wasn't dressed up for this event, so he wanted to be comfortable. As soon as the pair were dressed they left the bedroom and rejoined Jen and Jerry at the front door, who led the way to Jerry's car, a Chevrolet Malibu.\n\n\t\"Nice car,\" Billy said to Jerry, not knowing much about cars except what ones he thought looked good.\n\n\t\"Thanks. It's a Chevy Malibu. 259 horses, with a...\" Jerry started to explain, enjoying being knowledgeable in many things from cars to books to movies.\n\n\t\"Uh... Jerry... no need to explain. I wouldn't understand anyway...\" the platypus quickly cut his squirrel friend off, hoping to avoid confusion on his end and his friend wasting his breath explaining something that wouldn't be understood anyway.\n\n\t\"Ok. Well, get in and we'll be on our way.\"\n\n\tThe four climbed into the car, where Amber White, an arctic fox and another of Billy's childhood friends, waited. Jerry took the driver's seat, while Jen took the front passenger seat and Billy and Sonia sat in the back with Amber, Amber sliding to one side so Billy and Sonia could sit together. Once everybody had their seat, they all buckled up and Jerry started the car, driving off for the baseball stadium in town where Geoff was. Amber, not having seen Billy since graduation, decided to start a conversation amongst the group.\n\n\t\"My... we haven't all been together like this in YEARS!\"\n\n\t\"Graduating school has a way of doing that,\" Billy answered Amber's ice-breaker. \"So... Amber, any luck with guys yet?\"\n\n\t\"Uh... no... not yet...\" Amber said nervously. Amber was very timid and shy, but was much worse around guys, especially ones around her own age. While she was a child, she saw a few traumatic scenes involving her parents that left her scared of guys for years, until she graduated and decided that she was strong enough to attempt to date. She has been working on her shyness for a few months now, but she still gets nervous around those she doesn't know yet. \"I'm still working up to talking to guys in private...\"\n\n\t\"Don't worry Amber,\" Jen tried to comfort her friend. \"Take your time and only do what you're comfortable with. And don't forget, no matter how far away we may get, we'll always be there for you.\"\n\n\t\"Jen's right,\" Billy joined in. \"And if nothing else, you'll always have us. So don't let it get you down, ok?\"\n\n\t\"Ok. So... Sonia, how's your family?\"\n\n\t\"They're fine. By the way, they all say hi, Billy.\"\n\n\t\"Make sure you say hi back to them for me, ok?\" Billy said with a smile.\n\n\t\"Will do. So, Geoff's trying out for baseball, huh? What was the last professional career he decided to try and undertake anyway? Football?\"\n\n\t\"Well, after school, he tried swimming, but his speeds never really improved much,\" Jerry took the liberty to answer. \"So after that, he decided to try professional football, but he's not as statuesque as the others that were trying out, so he decided to move on to baseball. If this doesn't pan out, I don't know what he'll try next.\"\n\n\t\"I think he should just stop trying for professional sports and go to school like the rest of us,\" Jen added. \"But then again, Geoff has never been the one to go the high road. He's always looked for the easy way out.\"\n\n\t\"Not that he's had much scholastic aptitude. Sometimes I think the only reason he graduated is because one of us were there tutoring him and pushing him along,\" Billy said, joining the conversation about Geoff. \"And then he would always blame himself needing help on the fact that school is too boring, or he was too busy getting laid.\"\n\n\t\"Speaking of Geoff...\" Jerry interjected, cutting the conversation short as the car pulled up to the front of the baseball stadium, where their beaver friend was waiting. Jerry pulled the car into the closest parking space he could find and everybody climbed out of the car, walking in a hurry to Geoff.\n\n\t\"Hey there guys. Glad you all could make it,\" he greeted them with a smile. \"Oh, and Sonia came too? I didn't know you told her about it, Billy.\"\n\n\tBilly, quick of wit and silver tongued, decided to hide the fact he forgot about Geoff's try-outs. \"Yeah... well, she's my girlfriend. Why wouldn't I tell her?\"\n\n\t\"True. Well, things are getting ready to get started. I'll tell them to let you into the bleachers. Take a seat and get ready to watch me nail it!\"\n\n\tGeoff grinned and then waved as he parted ways with his friends, jogging toward the player entrance to the building while the rest of the group made their way to the main entrance. A guard was stationed there, and once he was told they were they to support their friend, he let the five pass without any problems. Jerry led the group to the seats he felt were best to watch everything and were safest in case of errant line drives, behind home plate. They sat in the very front row and watched as new players from around the area stepped onto the field, Geoff in the mix, ready to show they are ready for a career in baseball. Everybody was enamored with the try-outs, everybody save for our platypus friend. Certain sports he enjoyed watching, but he found baseball to be boring. He was groaning to himself mentally as he was almost forced to endure the spectacle, especially since he had given up some fun time with his girlfriend for it. Billy decided to take this time to catch a nap, which he so desperately needed, so he leaned back in his chair and shut his eyes. As soon as he managed to drift off, somebody from the field shouted \"LOOK OUT\" and a ball came for Geoff's support group. Geoff was showing off his batting skills when he tipped a fastball and accidentally sent it behind him, right in the area his friends were. Everybody was able to dive out of the way in time, except Billy wasn't so lucky. He had just dosed off, so his reflexes where absolute zero at the time, and he didn't hear the shout. Before anybody could pull him out of harm's way, he was knocked from his chair to the pavement below. Billy didn't feel the blow though, as he was too quick and knocked him out before the pain could register.\n\n\tWhen Billy came to, a bright light was shining in his eyes. Having the world's worst headache ever, Billy groaned and shielded his eyes from the blinding light with his webbed paw.\n\n\t\"Ok... you can knock off the light. I'm fine... I promise.\"\n\n\t\"No, sir. You are not fine,\" an unfamiliar voice answered. Billy took his paw away from his face, the light still shining in his eyes, and looked in other directions. He was in a dark room, with nothing but three bright lights shining at him, and that he was naked.\n\n\t\"Ok guys... very funny. Where are my clothes?\"\n\n\t\"Clothes? There are no clothes here,\" the voice replied to Billy's question. That time, Billy couldn't help but shiver at the sound of the mysterious voice talking to him. Something about it just made him feel... cold, and not because he was naked. It made him feel cold in his soul. The platypus shrugged it off and decided to climb down off of whatever uncomfortable furniture he was resting on, which wasn't too hard. Once he was on his own webbed feet, he looked around in all directions, and it wasn't until he looked behind him that he saw the owner of the voice that was talking to him, and what he was also sitting on.\n\n\t\"Wh-wh-what... h-how...\" Billy started stammering, unable to find the words to ask about the sight he saw. Before him stood a white horse, but an undead looking one. His bottom half was fur and flesh, not covered at all, but his torso, arms, and head were all a horse skeleton. There were no eyes in the skull, but rather just black smoke pouring forth from the sockets. In the figure's left hand laid a weapon, one that Billy instantly recognized as a scythe. The platypus instantly recognized who the figure was from stories in various book and movies. \"D-Death?\"\n\n\tThe figure nodded, answering the stammering platypus. \"Yes. I go by that name. But I prefer my original name of Mors.\"\n\n\t\"Then... am I...?\" Billy managed to get out, his throat clamping up before he could finish he question, unwilling to hear the truth but knowing it anyway.\n\n\tAgain, the figure who called himself Mors nodded. \"Yes. You are. And that's why you are naked. You aren't born with clothes, so you don't die with them either.\" It was at that point that one of the three lights surrounding the two started to flicker, flashing in random intervals. Mors looked to the light and tilted his head slightly, as if something was puzzling him. \"I brought him to you because I feel that you have picked the wrong destiny for him,\" Mors blurted out to the light, which stopped flashing and flickering as he started speaking. Billy looked at the light and shielded his eyes from it again, as it was too bright to look at. He wondered who the reaper was talking to, and why he didn't hear any voices other than his own and Mors'.\n\n\t\"Who are you talking to?\" Billy asked as he looked to Mors, confused by everything.\n\n\tThe deathly figure looked away from the light and back to the baffled platypus, his bony face ever emotionless as the black smoke continued to flow from his eyes. \"You don't see them?\"\n\n\t\"See who?\" Billy questioned, puzzled further by Mors' riddle.\n\n\t\"Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, the Moirai. However, you might know them better as the Sisters of Fate.\"\n\n\t\"Wait... what? Where are they? All I see is bright lights, and you.\"\n\n\t\"Hmmm... you see, mortal senses aren't developed enough to see myself or the sisters in our true forms. It's up to us to pick a form that you are able to perceive. I usually choose this iconic form, as most are able to recognize me instantly, much like you did. I take it the sisters chose only to appear as lights to you. They probably don't deem you worthy of the time of choosing a form you can see.\"\n\n\t\"Is that why I can't hear them either?\"\n\n\t\"Very astute, Mr. Plats. If they wanted you to hear them, they'd have to change their voice to a tone you can hear, and into a language you'd understand, much like I'm doing now.\"\n\n\t\"So they said I was to die today?\"\n\n\t\"Yes, they did. And I did my job and reaped you, but I don't think it's the right time, that you should be allowed a longer life.\"\n\n\t\"But why?\" Billy asked, wondering what could be so significant about him that the Grim Reaper himself would stick his bony neck out for.\n\n\t\"Because, you inspire others. Your warm heart and friendliness help others to warm their own hearts, and your determination inspires others to chase their dreams. I cannot see any better reason for one to live. And for that, I have brought you to the fates to see if they would change your fate and give you a longer life.\"\n\t\"And what are they saying?\" Billy questioned more as he watched the lights flicker, each of the fates talking to Mors in a way that the platypus could not hear.\n\n\t\"Well, they are upset with me for speaking out against them, but they are considering my plea. It won't be so easy for you, though. They want to put you each through a challenge to prove you are worth giving more time on Earth.\"\n\n\t\"They want me to prove myself?\" Billy shrieked, bewildered by the proposition.\n\n\t\"Well, of course they do. They spin their yarns of life and that's all they do. Once in a very rare while they will mend a string or make it longer, but they reserve that right for truly exceptional beings.\"\n\n\t\"Well, then I'm doomed. I'm nothing exceptional. I'm just your ordinary plat...\"\n\n\tBilly let out a sigh of defeat, ready to throw in the towel, when one of the lights started flashing a few times before going out completely. Billy began to worry what kind of sign that was to be when he felt someone touch his shoulder from behind. Somewhat startled, the platypus turned around to face what had made contact with him. Before him was naked young light-yellow fox, her hair flowing down to the middle of her back and her eyes a bright blue. She was kneeling as she put her paw lightly on the platypus' shoulder. Billy also couldn't help but notice the exposed C-cup sized breast that hung out where everybody could see, and her most private of areas between her thighs, everything exposed. The platypus blushed as he looked away from the fox, which simply made her giggle lightly as she stood, her newest form standing almost twelve feet tall.\n\n\t\"And just what is wrong with THIS form? I thought you didn't like that we were around as sentient light that you couldn't communicate with?\" she questioned the platypus.\n\n\t\"I didn't... but... you're... you're... NAKED!\"\n\n\t\"So are you, and so is Mors. Well, the fleshy half of him that has the naughty bits of most mortals anyway.\"\n\n\t\"Yeah... I know that... but why? Why are you naked? You can't put clothes on?\" Billy blurted out.\n\n\t\"This is the spirit realm, remember? No clothes. Besides, don't you like females?\" the fox stated without hesitation.\n\n\t\"Of course I do. I just... isn't this a little... informal?\"\n\n\t\"Only if I decide it is. Or would you rather I go back to the sentient light?\"\n\n\t\"No... no... I like being able to hear what you have to say about me...\" Billy said.\n\n\t\"Then it's settled. Now, turn and face me,\" the fox demanded. Billy did as he was told, trying his best to keep his eyes on her face. This was no simple task for the platypus as he was just barely over five feet tall.\n\n\t\"Um... it's kinda hard to face you when you're twice my height...\" Billy mumbled aloud, just barely audible enough for the fox to hear. As if taking offense to Billy's complaint about her size, she rolled her eyes and closed them, her height starting to shrink magically until she stood just over six feet tall, only a foot taller than Billy.\n\n\t\"Is this better?\"\n\n\t\"Yeah...\" Billy admitted, still not sure how comfortable he was with her nudity in front of him.\n\n\t\"Very good. Now... you may be wondering why I decided to take a form to talk to you and it's quite simple. You've earned a small shred of my respect with your display of modesty. Most everybody would be eager to take on these challenges, confident that they can best the trials or that they were worthy of the second chance. I like that you know better than to assume you are beyond the masses you call your peers in life.\"\n\n\t\"So it's safe to assume your value of my worth is low?\"\n\n\t\"You are right to assume that. We spin thousands of yarns every year. Yours is no different than the one we just spun before Mors rudely interrupted our work to bring you to us.\"\n\n\t\"So... is it too rude to ask the name of the sister I'm talking to?\"\n\n\t\"Cute. Brazen remarks are not needed, and are quite rude indeed, but I shall inform you of my name anyway. I am Clotho. I am the youngest, and the biggest as you may have noticed, of my sisters.\"\n\n\t\"So I take it your sisters still don't really respect me enough to show themselves?\"\n\n\t\"Exactly, for as soon as you fail your tests, you shall be taken from our sight to the afterlife by Mors,\" Clotho explained, emotionless. \"No matter how much he may object to your demise.\"\n\n\t\"Please stop toying with him and just pass him his tests. You found my interruption rude? Well, I find toying with him likewise,\" Mors blurted out, tired of standing by while Clotho played with the platypus' mind.\n\n\t\"Don't speak out of turn Mors,\" the fox said with a furrowed brow as she looked to the reaper, upset by his intrusion into the conversation. Clotho then returned her attention to Billy, her face returning to the normal, emotionless form he knew her to have so well. \"Very well. We shall put you to your tests. But first... I wish to make you this offer. There is no guarantee of your afterlife should you fail these tests. So I offer this as a compromise and a consolation.\"\n\n\tWith a snap of her fingers, Clotho magically summoned ten beautiful women of different species, all naked and rubbing each other sensually, to the dimension. She turned Billy's head so he could see the prize he could choose to take instead of advancing to his tests. The fox grinned as she saw Billy paying attention to the women.\n\n\t\"You can have them for the rest of eternity in your afterlife. Go, walk to them. Have fun.\"\n\n\tAs much as he wanted to take the consolation prize being offered to him by the youngest sister, especially after the day he'd been having and missing out on such fun earlier in the day, Billy couldn't accept. Not only was he not ready to give up on his life, but he couldn't bring himself to give in and betray his girlfriend. With a sigh, the platypus turned away from the women, giving up his sure thing, to face his tests.\n\n\t\"No deal Clotho. I want to take my tests.\"\n\n\tClotho's eyebrows raised as she witnessed something she thought she'd never see. She was impressed, but a little annoyed at the platypus before her turning down her generous offer. The fox snapped her fingers again and made the women disappear, leaving just herself, her sisters in their light form, Mors, and Billy left in the dimension.\n\n\t\"Congratulations. You've passed the first test,\" the sister admitted to the platypus.\n\n\t\"Wait... I did?\" Billy asked, confused by what Clotho had just said.\n\n\t\"Yes. You have shown a strong moral fiber, not willing to take the easy road and sacrifice your relationships back on Earth. But do not think that the other tests will be so easy.\"\n\n\tThe fox looked to her sisters, both still enshrouding themselves in light, and watched as one of them started to flash and flicker, talking to her in a way that Billy could not understand. Clotho nodded and then snapped her fingers, bringing to the dimension a swimming pool and a crocodile. Billy looked at the newest creation by the sister and almost laughed to himself. Swimming was one of Billy's favorite activities, and he was very good at it. His best time on a 100m lap was just 55 seconds, something that he's tried to improve on but hasn't had time to do since his enrollment to college. The platypus knew he could pass this test easily. His only complaint, in fact, was his challenger.\n\n\t\"Can't you create anybody WITH clothes on?\" Billy asked with a sigh as he took in the crocodile's naked form, everything that made him a male hanging where everybody can see.\n\n\t\"What is your problem with nudity anyway?\" Cloth questioned the platypus, annoyed at his complaint about everybody being undressed.\n\n\t\"It's not decent.\"\n\n\t\"Mortals are born without clothes. When they first wandered Earth, they had no clothes. They exist in the afterlife without clothes. So why is it that you mortals find being naked 'indecent'? There is nothing indecent about it at all, just natural.\"\n\n\tBilly sighed, knowing what Clotho was saying to be true, but still uncomfortable with the croc's manhood being in eyeshot at all times. The platypus shrugged as he kept his mind off it, as well as his eyes, as he got in position on one end of the pool. He knelt down, waiting for the croc to do the same so they could start their race, when he heard a giggle coming from the otherworldly fox. He looked to her wearing a quizzical look, wondering what she could possibly find so funny.\n\n\t\"What's so funny?\"\n\n\t\"You. What do you think you're doing?\"\n\n\t\"This is my next test, isn't it?\" Billy asked, confused once again by Clotho's actions.\n\n\t\"No. That's for me to relax and unwind a bit. Having if it's a test you want, I can produce that instead. I was gonna be nice and enjoy my time with you, since you won't have much of it left, but if you're in a hurry to move on to the afterlife, who am I to deny you?\"\n\n\tThe sister snapped her fingers and made the pool and the crocodile disappear, replacing them with a television set, an old video game console, and a being that Billy had never seen before. The creature produced was only about three feet tall, had four arms with four hands, had a face on both sides of his head, only one leg with one foot, had purple flesh covered by no fur, and, without any breasts, a scrotum and penis, or a vagina, no distinguishable gender. The platypus couldn't help but stare at the creature, never having seen anything so bizarre in his life.\n\n\t\"And I thought I was the weirdest looking thing in existence...\" Billy mumbled to himself after a short while, still trying to figure the being out.\n\n\t\"Oh, that? Yeah, he's from the planet Dormutria. He hails from a highly intelligent, technologically advanced race, eons ahead of any race Earth has,\" Clotho informed the platypus, giggling silently to herself as she awaited his failure in the next trial.\n\n\t\"That thing is a he? How can you tell?\"\n\n\t\"Would you like me to show you?\"\n\n\t\"No, that's fine. So what's my challenge here?\"\n\n\t\"You are to play against him in a game of Dr. Mario,\" Clotho answered, beginning to cackle at the sure demise of the mortal who challenged her and her sisters.\n\n\tBilly groaned silently to himself. Anybody who knew the platypus could tell you he did not partake in video games, ever. He believed them to drain intelligence, make everybody who played them lazy, and over-priced. Billy was upset with Clotho at that point, calling her a cheater and cursing her out in his mind, knowing she knew he had never played a video game before.\n\n\t\"Does that mean you submit and are willing to go quietly into the afterlife like you were meant to?\"\n\n\tBilly furrowed his brow and glared at the fox. He knew what she was doing, and he knew that he could not win, but he wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of him just giving up. If he was going to lose, he was going to go down fighting. Without saying a word to anybody, the platypus strolled over to the television and sat down next to the Dormutrian, paying no more attention to his unconventional looks. He grabbed his controller and stared at the television as his opponent started the versus match. Trying to show the inexperienced platypus some mercy, the Dormutrian set the game up so that Billy would be playing on level ten while he was playing on level twenty. The two started the match, and it was apparent right away that Billy was out of his league. While he was trying to figure out how to work the game and how to clear his objective, the Dormutrian was flying through pills and viruses, clearing the bottle at breakneck speeds. As Billy was able to clear his first virus away, finally learning the controls and how to clear, the Dormutrian was on his last few viruses. Needless to say, Billy was unable to win as those last viruses were cleared in seconds. The platypus sighed as he put his controller down. He tried his best not to let the sisters beat him, but it was to no avail. He walked over to Clotho, his head held high out of self-respect for not giving up without at least fighting for what he wanted, and awaited his punishment.\n\n\t\"So, I see you lost the game,\" the sister of fate said, almost as if she were taunting the platypus.\n\n\t\"Yeah, but we both knew that was gonna happen. So... guess it's time to go, huh?\"\n\n\t\"Actually, no. You... passed...\" Clotho admitted to the platypus, unpleased with the words in which she was speaking to him. She then snapped her fingers and made the alien and the electronics vanish into the emptiness of the spirit realm.\n\n\t\"Wait.. but I lost... how did I pass?\"\n\n\t\"My sister devised that test to see exactly how determined you could be, to see if you were willing to do whatever it takes to keep your life. Her terms were that in order to pass, all you had to do was play the game, win or lose, all the way to the end.\"\n\n\t\"So... that's two down then? I can work with that,\" Billy said with a light chuckle, feeling very good about having passed the test despite failing to win the game.\n\n\t\"Don't get cocky, Plats. My other sister has one final test for you, and I can guarantee she will not make it so easy on you.\"\n\n\tClotho turned her attention away from the platypus and to the other light form, watching it flicker as she listened to her sister instruct her to the test she wished to give Billy. Billy, in the meantime, took a deep breath and started to stretch himself out, feeling good for his first two passes, but also making sure he's ready for ANYTHING on his final test. He looked to Mors, who had been silently watching up to this point. The reaper, who could not smile having no face to smile with, simply gave Billy a thumbs up, signing his approval of the platypus.\n\n\t\"Ok,\" Clotho said after a few moments, breaking the silence of the realm they were in. \"I hope you're ready for this test, Billy. It's a doosy.\"\n\n\tThe fox snapped her fingers, grinning as she knew what lay in wait for the platypus challenger, and brought into existence a grey platypus.\n\n\t\"Again... naked...\" Billy said with a groan, as he quickly pointed out that the new platypus, like every other being in the realm, was without clothing. After that fact, Billy noticed something else about the new platypus. \"Wait... Nega?\"\n\n\tClotho simply let out a giggle, letting that answer Billy's question. The last test involved Nega, a clone of Billy that had been scientifically altered. He looked exactly like Billy except for the fact that his fur was grey instead of brown. In addition to that change in appearance, Nega was also more aggressive and more callous than Billy. Nega would do whatever it took to get whatever he wanted and did not care who got hurt and did not mind whatever consequences others suffered so long as he gained. The naked grey platypus simply stood there like a statue, his eyes fixated on Billy's. The two platypi had a strange relationship. When they first met, Nega took pleasure on messing with Billy's head, and trying to make his life hard. Then, when Billy was able to save the clone from a fate worse than death, he went his own way. Nega didn't consider Billy a friend, nor vice-versa on Billy's behalf toward Nega, but the clone didn't consider the original an enemy either. That didn't stop the grey platypus from glaring at Billy at this point in time, though.\n\t\"So... what's Nega doing here?\"\n\n\t\"He's your test.\"\n\n\tAs if on cue, Nega assumed an offensive stance, as if he were waiting to attack. Billy, puzzled by it all, yet again, looked back and forth from his doppleganger to the sister of fate. Before the platypus could figure anything out, Nega launched himself, dashing at Billy and throwing his right fist across the brown platypus' jaw, knocking him down. Stunned for only a moment, Billy regained his footing, only to come under attack from Nega once more. This time, however, he was prepared for the attack and was able to dodge the next few punches from the grey platypus. He caught Nega's fists and held them, trying to stop the barrage for a moment.\n\n\t\"Nega?!? What're you doing?!? Stop it!\"\n\n\tNega didn't respond, struggling to get his fists free from captivity. He turned his body and used the leverage to flip Billy over and to the ground.\n\n\t\"Don't you get it? He's under our control right now. All he knows is to beat you into submission. Submit or fight,\" Clotho informed Billy as Nega mounted him, getting ready to pummel the defenseless platypus. Before Nega could strike, Billy pushed him off, rolling away from the grey platypus and quickly regaining his footing once again. He stood there, not fighting back, as he feverishly tried to think of a way to end this fight. He didn't want to hurt his doppleganger, despite the fact they weren't close friends. Before he could think of anything, Billy came under attack once more, Nega throwing his fists furiously at the brown platypus. Billy ducked and dodged them before grabbing the clone's fists once more.\n\n\t\"Nega! Stop! We don't have to fight!\"\n\n\tThe words fell on deaf ears as Nega struggled to get free, once again flipping Billy over himself to the ground. Without hesitation, the grey platypus mounted his victim once more and started to wail into his face. Billy, caught off guard by the relentless assault, tried to block the punches as they fell down, but couldn't but catch a few with his face and head. Nega, satisfied with the damage he'd dealt, stood up off his counterpart and started to swing his leg into his foe's ribs, kicking them with all his might a couple of times, driving home the point that he wants to hurt Billy bad. Mors looked on, wishing he could help, but knowing he could not do so. Clotho watched with a grin, knowing that soon the insolent platypus would submit to his fate, and they wouldn't be bothered again. With a few groans and then a shriek of agonizing pain, Billy tried to crawl away from his attacker. Nega shook his head and quickly gave chase, grabbing his victim by the ankles and lifting them into the air slightly, spreading them apart. Without hesitation, the grey attacker dropped his knee onto the crotch of the brown platypus, landing squarely onto his family jewels and manhood. Billy yelped out in intense pain as he quickly covered himself, trying to shield that sensitive area from any more abuse. Nega used that opportunity to throw a few more kicks at his doppleganger, planting his webbed foot into the spine of his brown victim with effortless force. Those shots were painful enough to cause the brown platypus to roll onto his back to shield himself from the attack again. Billy laid there, trying to figure out a way to block any more attacks, cause he was hurt beyond description, coughing up blood every few moments from all the trauma he'd suffered. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, trying to block out everything but himself in that time and space, and when he reopened them, he could see Nega's foot hovering above his head. Nega prepared to stomp Billy's cranium into a chunky pudding of blood, skull, and brain, when Clotho snapped her fingers.\n\n\t\"Enough Nega,\" the sister said to the clone she summoned to the realm. The fox then turned her gaze to the injured platypus. \"Well Billy?\"\n\n\tBilly ignored Clotho, refusing to let her win, especially after controlling Nega against his will. The hurt platypus looked to his doppleganger, took a deep breath, winced a little, and tried one last ditch effort to stop the fight without any more violence.\n\n\t\"N-Nega... nnnghh... why... why aren't you... fighting back?\" Billy asked, trying to the force the words out between the pain. \"You're... stronger than this. I know you...\"\n\n\t\"Give it up, Billy. All he knows is that he is to hurt you until you give in to us. So, either give in or fight back,\" Clotho replied.\n\n\t\"Fine then. You... win. I want to live... but not... not if I have to hurt my friends...\"\n\n\tNega's glare slowly softened until his face lost any hostile look. He blinked his eyes a few times as he looked around, as if seeing the place for the first time. He looked at Clotho, then at Billy, and finally Mors, before he looked into the air at the floating lights. He chuckled silently to himself.\n\n\t\"So I'm your friend huh, Billy? Man, I need to watch what I eat before going to bed. This is the weirdest dream I ever had,\" Nega stated, finally gaining his will back from the sisters of fate.\n\n\tClotho snapped her fingers, making the grey platypus disappear, and turned her attention to Billy. \"Very well. You passed... again,\" the fox said to him.\n\n\t\"But... how... I gave in...\"\n\n\t\"The last test was to see if you would betray yourself and your morals to survive. You are willing to do whatever it takes to live, but not at the expense of others, or betraying your morals.\" Billy simply groaned in reply, not wanting to speak to the sister. \"Yeah, I know, you hate me. But you must know this; we rarely make exceptions and grant new fates to mortals. It means more work for us.\"\n\n\t\"Don't pretend that you're not happy, Clotho,\" Mors spoke up to the sister. \"You and your sisters rarely get such genuine individuals, and you like when they come into existence.\"\n\n\t\"True. Which is why we devised the tests. We wanted to see if you deserved a new fate. And you do.\"\n\n\tThe fox snapped her fingers, and everything went dark. When Billy opened his eyes, he was in a small little medical room in the changing room of the home team of the stadium he was watching Geoff at. He put his paw to his head and rubbed lightly, having the most terrible headache in the world and wishing it would go away, as he looked around the room, blinking his eyes and trying to come to his senses. He could see all his friends there, as well as a medical technician, who had checked Billy over and applied an ice-bag to his head.\n\n\t\"Nnnghh... where am I?\"\n\n\t\"We're at the stadium, Billy,\" Jerry spoke up. \"You got hit with a tipped fastball. It was touch and go for a while. We called paramedics, but your vitals were getting pretty weak. The EMT thought we were going to lose you.\"\n\n\t\"Nah...\" Billy softly replied, his head hurting to the point he didn't even want to speak. \"I'm too tough for that... how long was I out?\"\n\n\t\"You were out a good 20 minutes,\" the medic answered. \"The ambulance just arrived when you started stirring. You look ok now, except for that lump on your head.\"\n\n\t\"Did you have any dreams while you were out?\" Amber asked, trying to make the situation lighter.\n\n\t\"Strangely... no. I remember I closed my eyes for a second... and then I woke up here with the worst headache ever...\"\n\n\tJust then, the paramedics from the ambulance entered the room. Without letting Billy move, they tested him to see if he was ok and needed any actual emergency attention. After the standard tests, all of which Billy had no problems with, the paramedics decided that Billy was ok, and extremely lucky to only walk away with a lump on his head, and decided to not take him to the emergency room. After the departure of the emergency crew, Billy sat up on the table he was laid out upon and looked to Geoff.\n\n\t\"So... did you at least make the team?\"\n\n\t\"...no...\" the beaver answered in disappointment as he looked to the ground.\n\n\t\"That figures. Kinda fits the day. Of course I would take a shot to the head only for you to not make the team...\" Billy grumbled and then chuckled lightly, still rubbing his sore head. The joke caused his friends to laugh, both because they found the joke funny and because they were happy that the platypus was ok. That's when Billy climbed off the table, and he walked with his beloved friends and his girlfriend back to Jerry's car. It was the worst day he'd ever had, but for some reason, he couldn't help but be glad he was there to experience it. Something deep inside him told him his day could've been a lot worse, but he didn't know how or why, so he just decided to go with it and enjoy the day, no matter how much worse things got. As the gang of six cramped themselves into the squirrel's car, Billy couldn't help but look out the back window to the stadium. Even as they drove off, the platypus couldn't take his eyes off the building, as if there was something there he was missing. As the car disappeared into the horizon, Mors and Clotho allowed themselves to appear into this existence.\n\n\t\"Just know that if things go wrong and he changes, it's on you,\" the fox sister of fate said to the half skeleton horse.\n\n\t\"I know. But trust me, this is the right thing to do.\"\n\n\t\"For your sake, I hope so,\" Clotho said as she took her leave of Mors, disappearing from this plane of existence, leaving him there looking off into the distance.\n\n\t\"Enjoy your new, extended life Billy. You earned it, even if you don't remember doing so. See you in a few decades.\"\n\n\tWIth those final, unheard words to the platypus, the reaper took his leave from this plane of existence as well, returning to his job. He was happy to know that he and Billy would not meet again for quite some time and was quite confident that Billy would exceed Mors' expectations for the next few decades of life.",
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