Unfortunate Circumstances

Chapter III


	-High pitched mewling in palpable darkness, the pitiable sounds echo from the unseen damp concrete, A low voice is heard over this. A gruff rumble from someone who does not know or understand pity-

	"you shaved hi- it? while it was out?" the gruff voice says. "Yes, seemed fitting as we don't want him recognizable when we're done. It has to be broken, to understand that it can't come back." The second voice, decidedly more feline, higher pitched, is gruff as well. whether that is hatred, or just its normal pitch, is not sure. What is sure is that the owners of both voices feel the shackled creature downstairs is little more than a stray. And an unwelcome one at that. A dangerous creature that is a threat to them. "So we have it bound up, hidden, shackle-" -Voice number one is interrupted by the whining from the basement, which has just turned to panicked gasping- "shackled, and hidden and shaved. And I think it just woke up and realized the facts of life." This last is said with a deep chuckle under the cold words. "And speaking of which, what about Spirit? you said he was there..?

	The slight fox awoke in the car seat, realizing due to the chilly damp clinging to his fur that he had been out for a while. Spirit shook slightly to dispel the chill from his fur, and turned the key left in the ignition. He saw the temperature gauge of the SUV was in the cold. realizing that it meant the engine had been off for some time, he shifted looking at his surroundings to see where his brother had went, his fur whispering on the cloth seat seemingly concerned as well. Holding his breath not from terror but to survey without occluding the glass, He could see a mostly vacant parking lot. Dry with a few cars, likely belonging to the employees. He reached and removed the keys from the ignition. staring at the restaurant uncertainly clutching them in his paws as he saw the first of the lights wink off. He had to make a decision soon.

	-"he can never come back, i don't know for sure how to do it, but we'll need something good, Spirit thinks of him as a brother.."-

	Half an hour away from his worried boyfriend in a fast food parking lot, Hikaru paced. He had told Spirit and his brother that he had to be to work at an early hour. He did, but, It was just a white lie. He wouldn't be expected at work until eight the next day, and it was only now closing on eleven pm. The wolf could not sleep. He paced, staring at the bumpy orange peel off white walls, the beige carpet crushing quietly under his bare foot paws. Turning to complete another circuit of the bland, modern cookie box room, save some personal decor, he nearly stubbed a toe on the leg of a footboard. Crouching to check that the claw wasn't cracked he saw the touch screen of his phone flicker insistently from the nightstand. Being a bit more careful in the dark he made his way over, guided as though by a reassuring beacon. "Heya boo.. whats up with you an Scorpiious?" at this hour, only one person would possibly come calling. At the other end of the line he could hear the telltale shallow breathing of the end of a panic attack. He waited for the fox to compose himself first, the worst of it being over.

	"tha, thats actually why i called.. He, he went in to this McDonalds to get a coffee, and i don't know what happened.." "whoa whoa.. easy... what do you mean what happened?" The best thing when Spirit was like this was to take things slow, and stay calm for him, Hikaru waited, hearing the static of composing, deep breaths like meditation. "H he.. he went in for coffee, a while.. a long while ago i think." "The engine is cold, He left the keys in it and i checked." A pause with another deep breath.. "Idunnowhereheis.. antherestuarantisclosedananan" "shhhh... Calm down, it's ok.." Hikaru said hearing the words tumble out in a rush. "i asked.. i asked inside, and they said no one else came in, but, that maybe the guy in the lion suit came in and ordered for him.. i.. i don't know what happened.. they said they never saw him inside.." He listened to the panicked fox begin to hyperventilate again, and knew he had a real worry to keep him from sleep tonight.

	He had told his Spirit to just stay where he was with the doors locked, as he didnt seem in a condition for driving, and they may have to call the police as well. Mustering the quiet calm and focus the fox relied on so much, the wolf began to dress. He took some basic clothes from the closet, pushing aside the mish-mash of his wardrobe, including some Halloween costumes. Selecting some jeans and a basic tee, he opened a drawer. Then, snatching some socks, he bent slightly, pulling on sneakers to keep his foot paws warm. Gathering his wallet and some car keys, he went out to the car to go meet his boyfriend and figure out just what the hell he was going to do now.  Easing through the light weeknight traffic, Hikaru arrived quickly. pulling into the now abandoned lot catching the emerald green flash of wide panicked eyes from the passenger seat of the dew coated SUV. He switched off the engine, and stepping out onto the damp covered pavement was promptly tackled. Spirit was sobbing, clutching him tightly and nothing that came from his muzzle was comprehensible.

	After fifteen minutes of hugs, consoling whispers and gentle cradling his boyfriend, the wolf heard the basics of the story. After they had dropped him at the house, the two had taken a tour of the city. They had planned to go and look at some of the parks and nature trails on offer before going home, and maybe run for a bit. Spirit had said that he wanted to get his brother into being more active. Hikaru hid a smirk, Felines were so sedentary, except for being part fox and looking like a wild creature, you would never guess the two were brothers. The plans had all gone to hell when Scorpiious decided to stop and get an iced coffee first. He left the keys with Spirit, instructing him to lock the doors. Even though he expected to be no more than five minutes, the gesture showed how much he thought of the fox. Apparently, sometime after that, Spirit had decided to take a nap. and had woken panicked and alone over an hour later. Had went inside the restaurant and asked if they had seen a cat-fox that fit the description of his brother, and had heard that only a fursuiter, a human in costume had been in earlier and had ordered a hot coffee. No one had seen, or knew anything.

	Over a day later, they had filed a missing persons report for Scorpiious. Very odd way to describe a report about a missing fur. Especially when it was a loved one. Wolf and fox were both assured repeatedly that every effort would be made to find the 'person' in question. Both were, and decidedly, not assured in the least. The detective the made the report to only asked to see the vehicle and had performed a cursory search of the interior. after three uncomfortable hours of questions, and describing last night in detail they were told to wait. The detective did tell Spirit that as next of kin after a fashion he could retain possession of his brothers vehicle. With a wink, he had added, sotto voice that as it was not where he had vanished from, and he had left the keys that the investigation would largely be focused on the area in and around the restaurant in question. As the disappearance had occurred within an hours time, and they had a suspect, the fursuiter, as well as some fur or fibers, and a spot of blood on a walkway they felt confident that Spirits brother could be located quickly. 

	Driving back home, As Hikaru had taken the day off for a family emergency, silence, and the quiet hum  of rubber on asphalt ruled. Hikaru reached for Spirits paw, grasping it and squeezing reassuringly. "Do you really think they can find him Hikaru?" Spirit looked defeated, and guilty when he shouldn't be. Ears flat, visible bags under his eyes shone through the fur like bruises. As though grief and guilt had punched tears from his brilliant eyes. It broke Hikaru's heart. He pulled to the roadside near the house, and grasped both paws on Spirits, looking into his eyes. "Yes. i do. I know so." A baited pause.. "You heard everything the detective said, what you saw, what they found. they can find him. they will find him." he strained  at this last, finding it difficult to form the words. "We had to wait 24 hours to file the report, less.. really.. but.. they have a lot to go on. it shouldn't take long." He gazed into Spirits eyes, seeking reassurance of his own, but trying to keep the slight fox hopeful, cheerful. Better than feeling guilty about something he should have no guilt over at all.

	Hikaru saw it, squeezed the trembling paw again. "Boo... why don't we go home, pull Scorpiious' truck in and go out for the day.. Do something to keep busy?" Spirit looked out the window at the landscape, changing to the colors of fall, and looked like the most put upon, defeated creature in the world. Not bothering to look back, hiding tears he answered. "Yeah.. It sounds ok.." It wasn't the flat tone that stung Hikaru, it was that the fox hid his anguish. Looking out the window.. looking for someone.. That and his love for the fox cast a cold shadow over his intentions, and the rest of the drive he wondered what the right thing to do for Spirit would really be. "Well, probably best not to spend too much time at home dwelling on it boo.. not now anyway.."

	-A hinge squeaks in the darkness, a tortured and un oiled, neglected sound.- Scorpiious wakes, his excellent hearing waking him at once to the high pitched noise. It is probably the first time he has seen any light at all in nearly two days. The sapphire blue eyes flare, catching the meager light. And he sees.. He is bound to a steel table in a semi finished room or basement, save for the wet looking concrete floor. the floor is visible topmost in his field of vision, as well as two dingy walls, and a paneled ceiling. Yes. a basement, inarguably so, thats why its been so cold. He looks up, fearfully remembering what had brought him here. For some reason, he has been bound on the table upside down at a 45 degree angle. He is covered in bruises, cuts, and he has soiled himself. While he has slept fitfully, more from exhaustion than anything else, he has wondered what has happened to his brother.. if he got away or not. He can see that his fur is matted with urine. can feel and smell it and something unmentionable up his backside. Shit. He has been kidnapped for no apparent reason, drugged, bound to a table and left to fester in his own wastes. nude. clearly, from the aches and pains, he has been beaten while he was out. and shaved wherever his coat was red, or where he was bound in his steel shackles. Many of the shaven spots had deep nicks, and would become septic from infection if he was left in his own feces too long.

	In the minute or so he had to take this in, a hooded figure emerged in the doorway. the light behind him doing a better job of disguising him than the hood. Scorpiious then saw he was in a fursuit! It was the lion from the restaurant! that had to have been two days ago... His thoughts were cut short as he heard the lion growl in his throat and reach for a hose on the floor. First hearing the growl, he thought that this would be how it ended, right here, a dirty death in his own wastes in a basement for no reason. The lion turned a handle on a spigot, approaching the bound feline, he turned the icy spray on Scorpiious, blasting him with a brass pressure nozzle fitted to the hose. The bound cat began to scream as the water opened shaving wounds and pummeled bruises. 

	"Shut the fuck up!" As the lion fursuit continued to scream obscenities, the bound cat cried. He didn't realize some of the nicks were so deep, and the water burned like salt, numbness coming only after he was left wet and shivering. "Here, this'll keep your nosy mouth shut, fuckin bitch cat." the fursuit growled stuffing a gag into the cat's mouth roughly, strapping it over his head and cutting off the furs sob filled protest. "fuck y-" Scorpiious began. "yeah, you wish kitty. Scream all you want through that." He then turned on the icy blast of water, standing closer to the cat writhing on the steel table as he writhed in agony on the cold damp surface. The fursuit lion sadistically focused the spray on each cut and bruise, laughing. the cat screamed shrilly, though the gag dulled it down to a high pitched growl. The lion then came to the top of the table and sprayed down toward the cat's tail hole and balls, the cat winced as he got a painful cold enema, his privates battered by the cold spray, and cried bucking on the steel table, rattling the chains.

	"wouldn't want you to be too dirty, kitty, we want you around for a while" the fursuit replied to the sobs sadistically, waggling the hose to hit both targets with each word. The cat coughed as the cold water, clean now at least, ran around his gag, into his nose choking him. "oops, dont want any dirt there" said the fursuit, spraying the water directly at the gag causing the cat to choke and gargle. "hope you enjoyed your shower bitch, and, there's no heat down here but you'll survive till tomorrow. then maybe we can figure out what to do with you to get rid of you." The suit left, shutting the door behind him leaving Scorpiious in the dark once more, shivering and dripping wet.. and not feeling clean at all. But he had heard that voice before.. the drugs they had pumped him with had started to wear off, and he didn't know what would happen, but he suspected who was behind it.

	-"we may have to sell it to someone, long enough for Spirit to forget anyway."  "But how can we keep him from finding out until then?" "Keep him happy, you're good at that enough to not need my help with it too."
