Staring into the mirror, Isaac tried to keep his eyes off of the wolf with the flickering red eyes that stood behind him, looming. The boy was smaller than the wolf, with light blond hair in contrast to the wolf's dark grays and blacks. His eyes were the color of the sky, without a hint of flame in them. Instead, they were pools of icy water, shimmering in the sun.
[I know. They look just as weak as the rest of you.]
Isaac ignored the wolf’s comment. He was sitting in front of the mirror, his work uniform hanging off a hook on the wall nearby. He leaned on the night stand, blinking at the image in the reflection. Tyloki was as large as two of him, and his muzzle seemed to be stuck in a perpetual scowl. Even with his mouth closed, Isaac could still see the frightening fangs it contained, at least in his mind's eye. In some ways, Isaac thought, the wolf was more intimidating than the Thrall.
[That scared already, boy?]
“I’m not scared.” Isaac said, keeping his gaze fixed on Tyloki’s smoldering eyes.
[Ah. I see. Just imagining me on your back again. Holding your pathetic body down by the scruff and taking what little worth your life might have to offer?]
“No.”, was the boy’s curt reply, but he looked down, away from the wolf’s reflection. The truth was, he wasn’t sure what he thought about it.
[It’s getting you hard right now just thinking about it.]
The boy closed his eyes, swallowing hard as he tried not to think about what happened the day before. 
[Oh. Now you’re resisting. You couldn’t wait to give your ass up yesterday.]
“It’s not going to happen again!” Isaac shouted defiantly, lifting his hand to strike at the mirror. He was angry, which he wasn’t used to. He wasn’t sure how to handle it. Catching himself before he hit the glass, he lowered his hand to the desk and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. 
The wolf’s eyes glinted as the boy filled with rage, the ever-present scowl smirking as he prepared to strike, silently taunting him, daring Isaac to strike him in the reflective glass.
“It was a one time thing. I had to do it. I wont let you do that again.” Isaac said, breathing slowly. He looked back up and once again locked eyes with Tyloki’s reflection. 
	[How do you plan to stop me?] came the calm, confident, completely assured reply.
	To this, Isaac had no answer. He wanted to kick himself, despising his own helplessness, and for the dark corners of his mind that wanted the wolf to do it again. 
	[That’s right. I can take you any time I please. You wear my collar boy. Don’t forget how power works around here. Just learn your place. Accept what you’ve become. Accept your place in life. Remember how much you came last time. Just from being put in your place.]
	The boy reached up and gently touched the blue tattoo that marked his neck. My only options now are to fight or to run away. I can’t fight. “I’m in my place. And it’s not below you.” He said, though his voice failed to produce the confidence necessary to be convincing.
	[You don’t even believe that yourself.] the wolf mocked, actually laughing after that, clearly enjoying the boy’s weak mental struggles against his new place in life while demeaning laughter echoed in Isaac’s mind.
	Anger threatened to spark in Isaac’s belly once more. He shook his head, but he didn’t speak. He stared at Tyloki, still trying to convince himself that this all was real.
	[Not so loud once the truth sinks in, huh, runt?] 
Isaac looked down again, still unsure of what to say. He knew the conversation was over, and if anyone had won, it hadn’t been him.
[You can sit here all day. I'm not going to go away.]
	“Fine, stay. I just need to figure out what to do with you while I'm at work.” Isaac replied, reaching down to grab a small ring shaped device from the counter in front of him. It was black, with small glowing white circuitry running along its length. 
	[I certainly hope you're better at your day job than at fighting.] 
	“I'm very good at my job. I've got some of the fastest delivery times out of anyone at InCorp.” Isaac pressed a switch at the side of the ring, and the center of the ring lit up with a white display made of light. Pressing a few of the onscreen buttons, he searched for his work number. 
	[When are you going to the Registry?]
	“I'm not going to register.” Isaac said, tapping the button to place a call.
	[What do you mean you're not going to register? Be a full criminal AND live in this dump?]
	As the call rang through, Isaac spun around on his stool. Tyloki wasn’t behind him, he was only visible in the mirror. “It’s not a dump. And InCorp doesn't like Collars. I can't really keep both jobs. So I'm going to stick with the job I have.” 
	[The job you have is as a collared now.]
	Not if I can help it, Isaac thought.
	[Far too late. You’ve already made your choice.]
	“Hey, baby brother. What's up?” The call was answered, and the screen flashed that the call was active.  
	[Baby.]  .
	Cause I’m younger than her, Isaac responded in thought, attempting to justify the term.
	[Don’t forget small and helpless.]
	Isaac ignored this. A small hinge on the side allowed him to flip the ring into a semi-circle, and the screen flickered out. Holding the semi-circle to his head, he spoke. “Oh, hey, Sera. I'm not feeling too well. I was hoping I could get the day off.”
	Sera responded with a chirpy, intoxicatingly upbeat tone of voice. “I’m not sure, bro. InCorp is taking care of the repairs to the house. Taking a day off now would look like you're taking advantage of them.”
	“Taking advantage? A man died in my bedroom yesterday. That isn't good for a day off?” 
	“You had yesterday off. Is something wrong, Is?” Is. Pronounced like a long e, rhymed with fleece. She only called him Is when she felt sorry for him. 
	“No. At least the house is getting repaired. I guess Mom dating again paid off, at least.” Isaac replied. Sera was strict, but at least she was family. 
	“When are you going to tell me what really happened yesterday, Isaac?” She asked, her tone turning more serious. 
	[Yeah. Tell her what you did.]
	“Be quiet.” Isaac snapped, thoughts from the day before once again flashing through his head. He wasn’t going to tell Sera that. 
	“What? Isaac, if there is something you’re not telling me...” 
	[There’s plenty.]
	“Stop.” Isaac sighed. Stop it, he thought, trying to keep the two conversations in order.
	[Or what?]
	I don’t know. Please, just quit it. Isaac tried to remember what he was saying to Sera. He wasn't in the mood for an interrogation. Sera worked at InCorp, and if she knew he was Collared, she would be required to report him to HR and the Registry. Neither of which he wanted. “No, not you. I mean, I told you what happened already.”
	[What you told her doesn't add up. You can't hide this forever.]
	“I don't believe you.” She said. After a moment of silence, she returned to her normal cheery self. “Tell you what, I’ll cover you for today. But you’ll have to work a double shift sometime to make up for it.” 
	[She’s a sharp one.]
	Isaac sighed and nodded. “That won’t be a problem. Thanks, Sera.” He said goodbye and ended the call, dropping his LINK device on the counter again. The white circuits grew dim as the device went into standby. 
[After trying so hard to hide the truth from her. You don’t think she’ll see the brand?] 
	Without speaking, Isaac reached up and tightened the collar around his neck into a choker. It covered the blue brand, but still looked conspicuous. “There, I’ll cover it up.”
	[Chokers a normal part of business attire?]
	“I’ll make it work.” Isaac said, checking the time on his LINK. 
	[How appropriate for a wage slave.]
	“It pays the bills.” Isaac lied, he didn’t need the job or the money it provided. 
	[No you don’t. You can’t lie to me, runt. You enjoy being a slave. In every. Possible. Way.]
	Tyloki’s voice was confident, self-assured. It was annoying.
	“I just want to be normal.” Isaac snapped back, once again feeling that fire deep in his belly. 
	[Give up your will, your body, your mind. Be a slave. Let everyone else make all the decisions. You’ll blend right in. Great choice.]
	The boy couldn’t help but give in to the anger now. He lashed out, slamming his fist down on the counter. “Shut up! You don’t know anything about me. I’m not a slave.”
	[I know everything about you Isaac] The wolf began to smirk again as anger once more began to get the best of Isaac. [I know your secrets. I know your desires, and I know you’re a slave. Just look at your neck. That brand is permanent. Until the day you die. You are my slave. And whenever I wish it, my bitch.]
	“Then you know how much I hate you!” Isaac shouted, as the last words pushed him over the edge, and the fire that was building inside exploded, engulfing his fist as he swung it at the mirror, aiming at Tyloki’s smirking muzzle. The glass shattered, exploding outward and raining down in shards around him. He stood with his fist before him as the flame flickered out, blood dripping from cuts across his knuckles. Breathing slowly, he lowered his hand. He couldn’t see Tyloki anymore, and it appeared as if he was gone for the moment. Now he needed to wash up and get to work. 
	He knew that Tyloki was a part of him. Or maybe it was more accurate that he was a part of Tyloki. The wolf was larger than him, more powerful, smarter. He eclipsed him in every way. Isaac was aware that he was useless, and that the words that Tyloki said were true. He was, essentially, a slave. And there was nothing he could do to keep from being the wolf’s...bitch? slave? toy?....What made him angry was that it was the truth, and that he didn’t hate it as much as he wanted to. He felt a warm flash inside at the thought, and had to fight to push it down again.
	Stepping into the bathroom, he started up the shower, making sure the water was suitably warm. He slipped off his underwear and waited for the water to heat up. When it was ready, he climbed into the shower stall and let out a long sigh as the water washed down his body. He felt as if it was cleansing him, removing some dark curse that he had been afflicted with. The fresh cuts on his hand stung as the water rinsed the blood away, but he didn’t mind. It was quiet, just him and his breath and the running water. The first time he had been calm since the morning before. 
	The calm didn’t last long, as the water began to quickly heat up. Isaac hadn’t touched the temperature control, but within seconds, the water was nearly scalding. He flinched, trying to step out of the stream and reach the temperature control to turn it down. The knob was in the same place Isaac had left it. He turned it down anyway, but the water remained at the same temperature.
A grey furred paw came down on top of Isaac’s, gripping the knob, keeping the hand in place and digging its claws into the flesh as it began twisting the control all the way to maximum temperature, trying to heat the water well beyond the scalding point. Isaac tried to pull back, to get out of the hot water, but the hand on the knob was holding onto his hand tightly, keeping him directly in the stream. He wanted to scream, pulling as hard as he could, trying to get out before the water burned him too badly. Looking up, he saw Tyloki standing next to him in the tight confines of the shower stall, holding him under the water. 
“Let go! I’m gonna get burnt!” Isaac shouted, weakly punching Tyloki’s chest with his free hand.
Tyloki laughed at the weak blow, splashing against his chest as the temperature of the water rose higher. “I like it hot.” The wolf replied calmly, still easily pinning Isaac’s hand against the knob, clearly not about to let him escape. 
 	Isaac continued to pull, striking Tyloki, until he got tired, letting his free hand fall to his side. He whimpered helplessly, grunting against the pain as the hot water washed over his body. 
	“Quit whining” The wolf growled. “It’s not even that hot. Is this as high as it can go?” He asked, more rhetorically in his disbelief of the pathetic hot water output.
	“Its burning me.” Isaac said, still weakly pulling on his pinned hand, trying to free it from the wolf.
	“No it’s not. You’re just whining.” The wolf states matter-of-factly
	Isaac took a second to think about what Tyloki was saying. When he considered it, he found that the water really wasn’t burning him. It was hot, much hotter than he normally would choose to use, but it wasn’t hurting him like it should be. “What?”
	“You done crying yet?” The wolf asks.
	“I wasn’t crying.” Isaac said, starting to get used to the water. 
	“Those weren’t tears in your eyes when you were punching that mirror then?”
	Isaac shook his head, looking down at the floor. The water wasn’t calming anymore, it’s chatter was a reminder of Tyloki, and how weak he was in comparison. Turning away, he stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around himself. He heard the water shut off, at least Tyloki had the courtesy to that, and then the large wolf followed him out of the shower, standing behind him. He could feel Tyloki’s large presence behind him, could hear the water dripping to the floor. Everything was so clear, like his senses weren’t clouded anymore. Like he had lived his life in a haze until now. 
	“Being a Collar has benefits beyond magic. You have a tougher body, greater resistance to injury, and heightened senses.” Tyloki said in response to Isaac’s thoughts. 
	Drying off, the boy didn’t look at Tyloki as he exited the bathroom. 
	“So what will you do? You’ve taken the day off of work. What will you do with your time? Hide in this room all day?” Tyloki asked, following the boy into the bedroom. He had his arms crossed over his broad chest.
Isaac ignored him and got dressed in his work uniform. It was mainly black and white, with red trim and accents. The uniform was technically armor, optimized for swiftness and agility, helpful when delivering across the city. Red circuits pulsed along the uniform, signifying that the effect was active. Red, white, and black were InCorp's colors, and as a result, most of the city was styled in bright white or gunmetal. “Will everyone be able to see you following me around?” 
	“If I choose to be seen.” Tyloki responded, sounding increasingly impatient.
	“Then choose not to be seen, please.” Isaac instructed as he finished getting dressed. He reached a hand up and tousled his hair, perfecting his preferred look. 
	When he turned around, Tyloki was gone. With a confident nod, he smiled and started out the door. While InCorp was repairing his house, they were putting him up in a hotel nearby. After the day he'd had before, it was nice not to have to deal with his younger siblings. 
	[First you say you want to protect them, now you're relieved that they're not around.]
	“That's how people work. Don’t you have anyone close to you? You can’t stand having someone around all the time.” Isaac thought, making his way to the ground floor and out onto the street. 
	[Get used to it.]
	The city of August was designed like a mountain, most of the roads were a gentle incline, ultimately leading up to the Registry at the top of the town. If you didn't prefer to travel on foot, monorails could take you from the base of the city to the top, and a few stops in between. A crowd was gathered on the street outside the entrance to the hotel, which Isaac found strange. This was mostly a residential area. They were watching a street performer who was busking by performing magic. 
	“I guess Collars have to make money somehow.” Isaac said, watching the performer.
	[Most Collars make money fighting Thralls. It’s what Jin did.]
	He had shaggy black hair and striking emerald eyes, and his skin was darkly tanned, giving him an exotic look. Even Isaac found it hard to take his eyes off of the performance. The Collar was currently performing a dance with water, matching the liquid's movements to his own. The water floated in the air like a river, following obediently along as it was commanded.  It reflected the sun, glowing, mesmerizing. Several of the audience pulled out coins to throw in the Collar's jar. Isaac thought he might have, if he'd had any cash on him. 
	It occurred to him now that Collars had been around his entire life, but he had never paid very much attention to them. He'd seen a few Indicia around the city, but he'd never been to the Registry, and so he didn't know much about the Collars as a whole. They were a fact of life, something he'd never thought would mean much to him. Looking up at the performer, Isaac found their eyes meeting, and their gazes locked. The Collar was staring at him. The day before was a blur, but Isaac thought it might be possible that they had met at the Registry. Either way, he hoped it wasn’t more than a coincidence. Breaking free from the crowd, Isaac started the road, towards the lower half of the city. High above, the tower of the Registry loomed, reminding him of it’s constant presence. An eye at the top of the city, watching ceaselessly. 
	The lower one traveled in the city, the closer they got to the city walls. From where he was walking, Isaac could see outside the walls. Nearby, just on the far side, was a blasted landscape. Battlegrounds, where Collars regularly defended the city from Thrall attacks. Beyond that, a forest stretched on until it was stalled by mountains, almost as high as August itself. A single monorail track sped out into the distance, out of sight on the horizon. Isaac had never been outside of the city, he’d never had a reason. It was dangerous in the wilds, Thralls could wander there unimpeded. Most cities had walls to keep them out, at least that was what Isaac learned in school. Most major cities had a Collar Registry, and smaller towns were lucky if they could convince a Collar to move in. For most, the cities were prisons, even if they seemed like sanctuaries.
	As he walked, the sights around him changed, signifying his descent into the lower class area of the city. “It’s been awhile.” Isaac said, looking around the streets where he used to live.
 It wasn’t a bad place to live, it just wasn’t as well kept up as the mid-city. It wasn’t as bright. In some ways, though, it was more alive. The streets were slightly more narrow, and you got used to being close to those around you. More children played in the street, more vendors set up shop, more performers busking on the curb. Seeing a Collar performing on the street in the mid-city had been strange because most Collars would get run off for doing such a thing. Out of the corner of his eye, Isaac thought he glimpsed the exotic Collar again, still putting on a show. When he turned to look, he saw that it was someone else. He was just being paranoid. 
[You’re going to be running for the rest of your life, if you don’t register. And that’s if I don’t turn you in.]
“I don’t think you will.” Isaac replied nervously, trying to enjoy the street performances as he walked.
[And why is that?]
“I figure if you were going to, you would have done it already. Besides, admit it, you want to see what I’m capable of.” The boy said, mentally patting himself on the back. With a plan in place, he felt better, more able to handle Tyloki. 
[I know what you’re worth, runt. It’s not much.]
Turning down a side street, Isaac left the bustle of the lower-city behind and moved into the quiet calm of the back alleys. The back alleys were tiny streets and walkways connecting the major roads, with many stairs and ladders leading to entrances to homes in the various buildings. Getting around the lower city was quick and easy if you knew how to navigate the back alleys. A short trip brought him to a plain door, one he hadn’t seen in a long time. He knocked a few times, and waited.
[You used to live here.] 
Once again, the wolf proved he had access to the boy’s memories. “Yeah, it’s where my family used to live.”
The door opened, a door on hinges, old fashioned. It swung inward, and one the other side, a man stood. He was taller than Isaac, but shared his sandy blond hair and blue eyes. Standing out against his neck was a bright band, a light blue collar. The door was then immediately slammed shut.
[Why didn’t I do that when you showed up?]
You didn’t have a door, Isaac replied, smirking as he put his first point on the scoreboard.
He knocked again. “Open up, Rufus.”
The door cracked open. Rufus looked out from the shadows inside. “What do you want?” He sounded annoyed.
“I need to talk to you about something.” Isaac said, as if the fact should be obvious.
“You haven’t wanted to talk in years. Besides, I have to get ready for work. Unlike you, I didn’t get any of the money.” Rufus tried to close the door again, but Isaac jammed his foot in the way. 
“That’s because you left us. If you hadn’t abandoned us...” Isaac trailed off, and Rufus started to press the door against his foot, crushing it. He winced, “That’s not the point. Look.” He tilted his head to the side and lowered his collar, revealing the band on his neck. 
Rufus’ eyes widened, and he pulled the door open. Grabbing Isaac by the collar, he yanked him into the house. Inside, the lights were dim, but Isaac found his eyes adjust to the darkness faster than usual. His brother leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching him with a serious expression. Under his brother’s gaze, even after all this time, he felt small. It was similar to the way that Tyloki made him feel. The older sibling was a more impressive specimen, with a larger build than the younger. 
[Now that’s someone I wouldn’t mind working with.]
“What were you thinking?” Rufus asked, raising an eyebrow at his younger brother. 
“I didn’t really have time to think. Not like you. I had to make a decision. There was a monster. I had to protect them.” A spark of anger once again flickered alive in Isaac’s belly. “I had to do it because you weren’t there.”
“Don’t try to blame this on me. When I became a Collar, I had to leave. I didn’t abandon you. That wasn’t my choice. Dad made me leave. Once he died, no one wanted me to come back.” Rufus said, as if it had been on his mind for a long time. 
Quelling his anger, Isaac returned to the issue at hand. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Did you Register yet?” Rufus asked, waving for Isaac to follow him into the living room. 
Isaac followed, and sat on the couch, face buried in his hands. “No, I don’t think I’m going to.” 
“You have to, or else they’ll lock your Totem and put you in jail.” Rufus said, sitting down in a chair opposite Isaac, waving his hands in the air. 
“What if I don’t use any magic? How will they find me?” Isaac asked, glancing up at his brother.
“There’s a team of Collars whose job it is to find Unregistered Vassals. It’s too dangerous, to have Collars running around without registration.” 
[And this one has more sense than you.]
Isaac rolled his eyes, but otherwise ignored Tyloki. “What’s it like?”
“Being Collared?” Rufus asked, putting his feet up on the table, crossing his legs. “It’s hard work, if you choose to fight. If not, then you just check in on a regular basis. Let them know where you are, what you’re doing. They wont make you fight.” 
Isaac nodded. 
[I will.]
“And is your Indicia as much of a jerk as mine?” Isaac growled.
Rufus shook his head, and behind him, Isaac saw that a tiger now stood, he appeared as fast as Tyloki came and went, in the blink of an eye. He was as tall as Tyloki, but didn’t overshadow Rufus nearly as much. “No, Nanook and I get along well.”
Nanook was impressive, bright orange fur with stark black stripes, and he wore more clothes than Tyloki as well. Several metal bands on his upper arms, and a loin cloth fastened around his waist. His face looked kind, even with large fangs showing through his muzzle. “I’m pleased to meet you.” He said, nodding respectfully. 
“Your Inidicia is an ass?” Rufus asked.
“His name is Tyloki.” Isaac responded. Before he could say any more, Rufus’ eyes widened and he slid his feet to the floor, leaning forward. 
“Tyloki the Flame? Did something happen to Jin?” 
“Yeah.” Isaac looked down. He was sure Tyloki would let him know if he was being disrespectful, so he chose his words carefully. “He died trying to protect the family. I picked up his spear to fight back, and found myself in front of Tyloki.”
“How did you convince him to take you on as a Collar?” Rufus asked, suddenly sounding amused. 
“I basically told him that I would die anyway, so it didn’t matter.” Isaac said, shrugging. When he looked back up, Nanook was gone. “I didn’t die.”
“Clearly. I bet he’s not too happy.” Rufus said, standing up. “I can’t believe Jin is dead.” He started to pace around the room. “That means his team is short a big player now. I wonder who will fill the gap.” 
Isaac followed Rufus with his eyes as he paced. “Rufus, we’re getting a bit off track here.” Tyloki was being unusually quiet. The boy assumed that the wolf simply didn’t appreciate the subject matter.
“Not at all, we’re on track. If you’ve got Tyloki the Flame, there’s no excuse not to fight. I simply wont allow it.” Rufus said, stopping pacing and turning on Isaac. 
“I don’t want to fight, I don’t know how to fight.” He said, exasperated. He hoped that Rufus, of all people, would understand. 
“Tyloki’s power is incredible. You can’t waste it.” The older brother said, not believing what he was hearing.
“I’m already wasting it. I’m not a fighter.” Isaac threw his hands up.
“Then you can learn. The Registry has teachers.” Rufus wasn’t going to let this go easily. 
Isaac sighed. “I don’t want to learn. I just want to live my life the way it has been going for the past five years. Quiet, easy.” 
“You’re not going anywhere. Do you have any sort of goal?” Rufus asked
“All I want to do is make sure our younger siblings don’t have to live with what we lived with.” Isaac spat. “What you ran away from.”
“Isaac, think about it-” Rufus started to speak
Isaac cut him off, “I don’t want to think!” He shouted, “I don’t want to fight!”
“Then what good are you?” Rufus raised his voice to meet Isaac’s.
“Why do I have to be worth something? Why can’t I just be?” Isaac questioned, his face twisting into a scowl. 
“You chose to fight, and now you’re running away. You have to be worth something because that collar around your neck is a gift. One that shouldn’t be wasted.” 
“I chose to live, that shouldn’t condemn me to fighting for the rest of my life!” 
“If you wont fight, I’ll have to kill you myself.” Rufus rushed towards Isaac, hand held out, and brought his fingers to Isaac’s neck. He didn’t flinch, he wasn’t afraid. Rufus wouldn’t hurt him, of that he was confident. He glanced down at his brother’s fingers, and saw that they were claws, not fingers. His hand had changed into some sort of paw. So that must be his magic. The two sat in silence for a time, Rufus breathing heavily, Isaac glancing slightly away in defiance. 
	“Would you stop that? I’m trying to figure out what I’m going to do. I don’t need death threats, especially from family members.” Isaac glared, crossing his arms.
	Rufus slowly pulled his arm back, and his hand returned to normal. “You’re right.” He stared at his hand, perhaps trying to understand why he just attacked his brother. “You’re my little brother, I should be helping to guide you through this difficult time.” 
	“That’s right.” Isaac said, nodding. “You owe it to me, after running off like you did.” 
	“I already told you, I didn’t run off!” 
	“Whatever.” 
	Rufus shook his head and sat on the table in front of his younger brother, leaning in close. “Isaac, I want you to listen to what I’m telling you.” 
	“I’m listening.” 
	“You need to register. Being unregistered is dangerous at best. You could end up dead.” Rufus spoke with care, he sounded worried.
	“Couldn’t I end up dead registered, as well?” Isaac asked, looking away.
	“At least if you’re registered, you’ll have allies you can count on.” 
	“No one had Jin’s back.” Isaac snapped, and he felt a smack on the back of his head. 
	[Jin fought on his own. It was a choice he made.]
	The wolf’s words made him sound unsure, they lacked his usual fiery confidence. 
	Oh, you’re back. I thought you were finally gone.
	[As I said, we will be together from now on. It doesn’t mean I won’t be busy elsewhere from time to time.]
	“I don’t know the circumstances of Jin’s death, but I do know that registering is the best option for you right now.” Rufus stood up and walked towards the door. “I’ve got to get to the Registry. If we’re down a man, there will be plenty of work to go around. Do I need to bring you with me?” Rufus asked as Isaac joined him by the door.
	“I don’t need you to hold my hand, Rufus.”
	“I meant more like drag you by the collar.” Rufus grinned, making fun of his brother’s Totem.
	“Ha ha ha, like a dog. I get it. Very funny.” His word were bathed in sarcasm. Rolling his eyes, Isaac opened the door and stepped out into the alley. 
	“Check back with me sometime, okay? I can’t come to the house, not if Sera and Mom are there. But I want to make sure you’re okay.” Rufus said, staring at Isaac in the alley. 
	The younger boy didn’t say anything, he simply raised his hand in a wave as he walked away. Rufus shut the door slowly, and stood in the dark for a few moments. His brother was a Collar, and with Tyloki the Flame no less. Things were getting interesting, and that meant that Isaac wasn’t safe. 

	[I like him.]
	It was said in a way that made Isaac sort of uncomfortable. It wasn’t just admiration of a warrior. Isaac didn’t want to think of his brother like that. Still, he couldn’t help but imagine for a moment Rufus and Nanook together, forming a pact. The bestial tiger on top of his brother, so close together, performing such a primal rite...
	[Yeah, just like that.]
	He was shaken from the thought by his LINK vibrating lightly against his wrist. Holding his hand up, he flicked his wrist to answer the call. “Hello?” 
	“Isaac Walker?” The voice on the other end asked. It was vaguely familiar, tinted with an unfamiliar foreign accent. 
	“Yeah, this is him. Who is calling?” 
	“We spoke briefly yesterday, after the incident at your home. My name is Riley, do you remember?” 
	Isaac kept walking towards the main street as he talked. “Uh, not really. I was pretty out of it yesterday. I don’t remember much.” 
	“That’s fine. I need to talk to you about registration.” Upon hearing that word, Isaac flicked his wrist and ended the call.
	[It’s rude to hang up like that.]
	“He wants me to register.” Isaac said, shrugging it off.
	[You’re ignoring your brother’s advice?]
	“What does he know? I haven’t even seen him in years.” The boy responded, speaking out loud even though Tyloki was in his head.
	[By the looks of him. Training and fighting. Seems he knows his job a lot better than you.]
	The LINK rang again, Isaac ignored it.
	[All you know how to do is run away, is that it, pipsqueak?]
	“I didn’t run yesterday.” He growled
	[And look where that got you. You fight when you should run, and you run when you should fight.]
	Isaac turned onto the main street, and found himself face to face with the dark skinned Collar from earlier. He had his hand held out politely, ready to shake. “Isaac Walker?” 
	“No, I’m afraid you must have me confused with someone else.” Isaac said, moving to walk around the Collar.
	[Do you really believe that will work?]
	“I’m pretty sure I don’t. We met yesterday. And it’s rude to hang up on someone like that.” Riley said, sidestepping to block Isaac’s path. 
	“You’ve been following me.” Isaac replied, “It’s rude to stalk people.”
	“I was keeping an eye on you. To protect you or whatever.” The Collar replied, smiling.
	Riley couldn’t have been much older than Isaac, but maybe he just had a young face. It was a face that inspired confidence, because he looked so sure of himself. His build was thin and agile, he handled himself with grace. The band around his neck was bright green. He smiled broadly. Isaac didn’t like it. That didn’t matter, the boy knew he didn’t have much chance of getting away now. The world felt like it was closing in on him, like he had nowhere left to run. 
	[Always looking to run. Coward.]
Perhaps Riley sensed how Isaac felt, because he reached his hand up and placed it on the boy’s shoulder. “Just come let me show you around. Afterwards, I’ll let you make your decision. If you don’t want to register, I’ll give you a head start before turning you in.” He tilted his head to the side, “What do you say?” He said brightly.
Isaac felt more confident just looking at Riley. He was incredibly attractive by any standard, and he knew how to use his looks to get what he wanted. Before that day, Isaac wouldn’t have thought of him in terms of ‘attractive’ or ‘unattractive’. But things had changed, and he thought differently now. 
[You don’t have any other choice.]
“Alright, it’s a deal.” Isaac said, holding out his hand to shake. Riley grasped it firmly.