chapter 9

Keith suddenly finds himself falling, the wind whistles around his ears, as he can feel himself gain momentum, faster and faster. Soon the canid is sure he is at terminal velocity. Faint lights in the darkness can be seen... the ground is coming up. and fast. Keith clenches his teeth... if he had them. He really doesn't know what to make of this, but he's pretty sure that she just killed him. He hits the ground  hard, swearing he can feel very bone in his body shatter... but it passes. He are alive. In pain, but alive. Keith finds that nothing is broken, there are no wounds what-so-ever on him... but he hurts like hell.

Keith hits with a wheezing grunt as the impact drives the air out of him. He doesn't move, he just lays where he landed... after any bouncing that happens, in too much pain to even think of moving.When he is able to get up or even look around, he  finds that he is outside. No no... that's not right. Nothing is right. It looks like Keith is outside... it looks like its night... But there is not a star in the sky. There is the moon, but it looks like it has a bat face on on it rather then a rabbit. Everything looks off... Trees are dead, the grass is a faint brown, if its there. And to top it all off... it is raining, not a light drizzle either its coming down in sheets and severely limits his view.

Keith is also naked save for a drenched bandanna, so... he's soaked to the bone quick enough, "Fucking bitch..." he looks around, trying to find something... somewhere. The roads are empty, cars left out looking like they've not been touched in years, the paint starting to fade and rust settlingly in. For a brief moment the canine swears he sees the world glitch out, the rain becoming dense fog before shifting back. A dilapidated house can be seen, the door is off the hinges... but there is a flicker of light inside. Keith is in enough pain that when he gets up he almost falls again, and as he moves towards the house slowly, it's with a limp and labored groans and grunts. "Great... fucking... played Silent Hill... awesome..." He knocks at the door, despite it being useless, "Hello?"

The house seems to be empty, no one answering him when he calls out. The light flickers from down the hall. The house itself has seen better days, and looks slightly familiar, like he has been here before. Keith is still in enough pain that he finds the first piece of sturdy looking furniture, like a chair or couch or bed or something. He then flops down onto it, hoping to wait until he dries and recovers a bit. There is no rest for the wicked, a large guttural roar is heard and a wall of the house just seems to explode towards him as a large looming shadow stands there in the ruins of what was once a wall... of a house that was already in poor condition...

Keith staggers off the floor, where he fell after the wall burst in. He blinks, looking towards the wall, trying to see what the hell is there, even as he backs away slowly. Whatever it is, it's massive! Some kind of hulking beast that is vaguely bear like can be seen as it picks up a couch and tosses it towards where Keith just was. Keith groans, of course... He staggers deeper into the house, looking for anything he can protect himself with as he goes. In the room with the flicking light there was a bloody knife that had a large blood stain on it laying on  bed... . The glow itself comes from a computer that barely has enough power to stay on. Keith grabs the knife, as it's better than nothing, and then glances at the computer to see if there is anything on it's screen.

In blocky letters: CAN'T HACK YOUR WAY OUT OF HERE. GAME OVER. Though under it is a horseshoe icon and different text. 'run now'. Keith blurts out, "There's always a cheat code..." but he takes the advice below and breaks into a run through the house, keeping the knife in hand just in case. Now he's seeking a back exit, so that the bear has to go through the rest of the house to get to him... hoping that she's dumb enough to use walls instead of doors. He has size and speed on his side, the bear-creature is too large and lumbering to chase after Keith directly. The creature's only choice is to smash down walls, which sends projectile debris flying outwards. Keith runs room to room, trying to find a rear exit, either a window or back door.

There is a somewhat familiar looking room that looks like it may have at one point belonged to a young girl. It is, or was, very pink at one point but it has faded and blackened no longer looking pure or innocent. But there is an window that looks like he could get out of it. The lock is rusted shut... Keith might have to smash his way out. Keith looks for a chair, throwing it through the window. The old wooden hair hits against the window,  cracksing it, but the chair breaks apart in the process. The bed is too old and rotten to be of use, and the creature will be on Keith soon.

Keith groans, "Oh for fuck sake..." he tries to break it with the handle of the knife. Hitting it with the knife makes the cracks spiderweb across the glass but it hasn't shattered yet. The beast roars. Maybe there needs to be more weight put into it. Keith hits it again and again, trying not to cut himself on the knife or the glass when it eventually breaks, but he is rather in a hurry. Being careful takes longer, but the glass finally shatters though there are still shards around edge of the window, he can hear another wall smash and the house creaks, its not gonna remain standing for much longer. Keith uses the handle to break as many of the shards out of the way as he can so that he can jump out through the window. Which he does... once again diving into the rain.

Jumping thought the window Keith lands back outside in the rain with just enough time to see the house collapse on the beast, but its hard to know if that will keep it down... Despite how much he still hurts the canid decides that it is  probably not good to stay in one place too long if that thing gets up, or if there is more then one. Keith gets up and staggers onwards, looking to see if he can find any other house or safe place to protect himself. He needs an edge, something he can use to escape... which he doesn't expect to find, "Real... cute, bat... what the fuck are you trying to prove? That you're scary?"

In all the rain its hard to see anything, but in the mud is imprints of horseshoes. They lead away from the house.  The path they lead along is a bit out of the way, though they seem to avoid other creatures. Keith doubts Mina is really trapped in this too, but the bat seems to have put her in as an aid, and he isn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth, pun intended. It's a game, you don't win a game by fighting against the rules, you win by using them to your advantage. So either this is a trap, and he's fucked, or it isn't and he's safe, but ignoring it is definitely unsafe. He follows the horseshoes the best he can, keeping low and trying to keep out of sight. Sometimes they disappear when crossing hard surfaces, but he can finds them again in softer ones.  There seemed to be another Bear creature stomping about, he could hear it. While the path was safe, there was a diversion. Off the path, going in the opposite way of the horseshoes, there is another light. In the distance there was a three story building, there was a bright light coming from the third story. More dead trees surround it... But something seemed to be moving in the trees and there seemed to be some kinda of life in the building, at least Keith could make out shadows in the window when he gets close enough...



Off in the distance he heard a cry... more of a squeak coming from where the light was 'Fuck!' faintly heard in a Brooklyn accent as he made his choice to keep himself safe. Keith keeps one hand in a white knuckled grip on the knife as he stalks through the dark, trying to track those horseshoes, putting the curse out of his mind, as he knows none of this could be real, no one can have that kind of power, this has to be some kind of dream, as real as it feels.

There was another 'cop', it appeared to be beating up a girl... wait no... not *a* girl. An otter with blue hair. Zoey. Not quite her though, she looked much more like a streetwalker then her normal punkish self. Clothing that hid almost nothing, false attempts at modesty. She breaks away from the cop and darts down the road, once more leading away from the safe path. Though something follows her. a black canine figure. Keith would grit his teeth if he had them... he really misses those. He takes off, leaving the horseshoe path, but he doesn't follow Zoey, he follows the canine.

the Black shadowy canine was quick and had a bit of a head start. It followed the otter, much like Keith followed it. Zoey stopped at a house and went inside. A light coming on in an upstairs window. The canine made its way towards the house and you notice that it too has a knife. Real or not, Zoey would be in trouble if it got to her first. Which is part of the reason that he's chasing the hound. He quickens his pace, trying to catch up to the canine.

Keith notices a chance to tackle it, as it has to get the door open, which gives him the time to catch up with it.
Keith does so, pouncing on the canine and hoping to manage to pin it. Or him. Or... whatever. The pair of them tumble through the door into the house, there is a stairway to the right and a kitchen to the left, and straight on is a living room. The canine below Keith, he realizes it looks sort of like a fox. Now in the light of the house it wasn't black. It had white fur similar to his.  Even the face looks like Keith's, except thinner and more narrow much like a fox. But Its eyes were inky black. The fox struggles under the dog and manages to to get a kick off to his groin. Keith winces and yelps at the kick to his crotch, which lets the fox thing get the upper hand for the moment. He still has the knife though, and tries to swipe at the freaky thing with it.

The fox-ish creature manages to pull away in his moment of pain. "You are NOT saving this slut. She's mine." Its voice... its Keith's voice, darker and more sinister, but it was still his voice. It slashes at Keith with its own knife, "I'll have my way with her, and then while you watch, I'll make a rug out of her. sexy little otter-slut rug, befitting for a tramp to be walked all over."

Keith winces as his arm is cut, working to get his feet under himself, there is no attempt at a tackle this time, he clutches the knife in both hands and charges the creature, just trying to use his speed and all his weight to drive the knife as deep into the freakish thing as he can. The creature laughs as Keith lunges at him. "So you care more about the slut, then you do the rat?" It laughs and coughs up blood as the dog jams the knife into its chest. "Maybe if that rat had put out, he wouldn't be lying in a ditch right now." He says mocking Keith as it starts to bleed black blood on his hands.

Keith growls out, "That what you really think of me, you fucking bat-brain!" he pulls up on the knife hard, trying to disembowel the hybrid. "You think I'm here for the otter or the rat?"
"No bats here. Just you, and your darkness." The creature says. "We both know you're out for yourself more then anyone. That's why you keep your head down, stick to the safe path, let no one see you. No confrontations, no trouble, even if it means others lose in the process. Every now and then you get a wild hair about authority, and want to take down 'the man', because you know better don't you? But when do you really know,how do you chose the right target?" And just then there was a scream from upstairs. 

Keith pulls out the knife and stabs up through the bottom of the creature's jaw, "Yeah... see fuck you. If anyone dies here, it's the fault of the freak who made this world. Me included. I'm not the monster here. It's kind of liberating in a way. See, nothing matters here. You. me. her. it's not real. If I die, it's because the bat's a murderer. If anyone else she sent here dies, still her fault. Her conscience. It's all playing to her script. Nothing I do here means shit. So fuck you. Fuck her. Fuck everything. You want to see darkness, fine." He grabs the knife in both hands and jerks up on it hard, splitting the fox-hybrid monster's jaw in two... in a sick, bleeding mockery of Keith's own face. He then grabs the monster's own knife and staggers to his feet. Once the creature is dead, he notices a shining silver horseshoe pin on a notice board in the hallway you are in. Its pinned to a note. 'Can't kill darkness with darkness.'

Keith says bitterly, "You can end this any time, bat. But if all this is, is a way for you to torture me and make me cry over killing all my friends, all it does is make me think that you're the one who has to die." There is no reply, no answer. 
Keith doesn't bother going upstairs to check on the otter, he knows whatever he sees will be gut wrenching. So instead he leaves the house and returns to the rain. Its darker outside. The moon is gone. The sky is pitch black and the rain comes down heavier then ever. Only the light from random houses can be seen, its hard to see any Mina path now. Keith doesn't know where to go, so he just sets off in a random direction.

Lights in the town start to flicker and fade. The whole place is growing darker slowly. The path he took soon becomes the only path available. The monsters that exist can be seen fading into shadows, which only remove more and more of whatever world this is, houses fall to nothingness. Eventually though, the dog arrives at A horse shoe platform, surrounding a Bat statue. Not Rhapsody, Not Selene, just a bat. There are two doors, A black door and white door.

Keith sighs and sits down at the base of the statue, shivering, cold, wet, and sick of this. He looks between the two doors silently, looking for any differences other than color from his spot. A final creature comes down the path, its hard to see what it is, but you hear the sound of heavy clops, large hooves hitting the pavement. Keith doesn't even bother looking. He closes his eyes and sighs. 

"There isn't anything left for you here." It was Mina's voice. "You made your choice."

Keith asks, "Did I?"

"Yes. You fell to darkness rather then overcome it." The creature steps into the light and, well, it's Mina. sorta. Her legs attached to a cock, which happened to have her head at top. "

Keith laughs, "Fell to the darkness? Overcome it? Fuck you! There was nothing to overcome here! This game was rigged from the start. A no win situation. As much of a fucking cheap ass setup as her mom uses, just on a grander scale." he then stands and tosses the knives into the darkness, "If you want me dead, just fucking kill me you bitch!" he screams up into the sky. 

"This isn't a game. This is your mind. The darkness that lies inside of it and how you tend to view things. Becky's a monster. So are Cops. Zoey's just a slut. And I'm little more then a Dick. She's not here anymore, whats left of her magic is in me and these doors. She's seen enough when you brutally killed yourself while blaming her for it. Darkness doesn't kill Darkness, it only adds to it." 

Keith asks, "So what's with the doors... one leads out and one leads back to where it started?"

It replied "Both lead out. The white one is locked now. It would have undone one of Selene's punishments. The black one, does nothing other the let you wake up."

Keith sighs, "Fine." and he starts for the black door, stopping at it before asking the... horse... dick... "So tell me, in her twisted view... what was the light path?"

"Light pierces the darkness. Once Keiseph was down you could have ran up the stairs to Zoey, making sure she was safe instead on trying to kill the monster before you." 

Keith sighs, and then pushes through the black door. He comes to in the Cafeteria. Keith is still at his seat. Mina sits across from him and Rattle is still next to Keith, but both looked concerned. "Eh, you alright Big Dog? Ya kinda been staring off into space for the last few minutes..."

Keith grunts, "I'm going to my room." he then stands up, his shake forgotten on the table and just starts to walk out.

Rattle looks like he is about to follow, But Mina stops him. "I think he needs some time."

Keith doesn't say anything in reply to Mina's words. He just walks out and heads to his room. Assuming he gets there unmolested, he slams the door loudly enough that it echoes in the hall, and then he  rips off the bandanna and just collapses onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling. The hours tick by and no one comes. Keith can hear the chime of Midnight off in the background. When he hears the bell toll midnight he curls under the covers, not bothering to set an alarm for the morning. There's no point, he doesn't intend to attend any classes.



In the morning there is a knock on the door. No answer, the door opens regardless. "You really should get up." It was Rattle, he pockets a key to Keith's door.

Keith is still in bed. He rolls his back to the rat and asks, "Why?"

Rattle says, "Because Mina and I would be upset if you stayed in here the whole time."

Keith says flatly, "I'm not staying in here the 'whole time'. Just until the end of the day when I get my face back. Then I'm leaving."

"Leaving? Why?" asks the rat.

Keith sits up, "You didn't get the memo? I'm a fucking monster, Rattle. Beyond redemption. The 'headmistress' and her daughter have made it very clear that they hate me and just want to torment me. Lots of hate, lectures and punishments, no fucking help."

 "Bullshit."

Keith grunts, "It's not bullshit, Rattle. Remember when you dropped me off at the nurse's office... the headmistress came to see me. She grabbed me by the shirt, hoist me into the air by it and told me she hated me outright. She's proven that she can change my body in whatever way she wants, as easily as waving a finger, and her daughter's proven that she can get inside my brain and fuck with things in there. and they both hate me and think I'm a monster. It's only a matter of time until they decide to erase the monster they hate and replace me with something they approve of. So before they kill 'me' and leave me some walking doll, I'm leaving."

Rattle walks over to the dog, "Listen, You have things wrong. They're not nearly as powerful as you think they are. They're powerful, yes. Damn powerful. And Rhapsody? She scares the shit outta me. But they have limits." He decides to leave out 'self-imposed' in that. "They're not going to kill anyone. They're not gonna erase your memory or anything of the like." He also doesn't comment on if they hate you or not, he's just addressing their powers.

Keith says, "Yeah? Do you know what she did to me?"

"Yeah, she did the cuntmouth thing, the nudity, and the libido thing." Rattle states. 

Keith shakes his head, "Not her... her daughter... Yesterday in the cafeteria."

"Uh not really... I kinda bolted the second she showed up." He says with an embarrassed blush. "Mina might know more, but Rhapsody kinda left rather sullenly a few minutes before you snapped outta it. It was then that I came back over."

Keith sighs, "She threw me into some kind of dream world in my head, and had some twisted version of me kill you and Zoey like some video game nightmare."

Rattle blinks. "Never heard of her doing such a thing before." He states, he doesn't disbelieve you, but he's a rat that hears things and he's never heard of this.

Keith says, "Yeah... well..." he flops back on the bed, closing his eyes, "You don't want to be late for class. Tell Mina I'm sorry."

"So, what did you do in there?" the rat asks after a moment. "Classes aren't important to me."

Keith says, "The only thing I could think of to do... I killed the me she made that was killing my 'friends'. Not that it changed anything. Just made her believe I really was evil."

Rattle sighs "And why did you? That seems like giving in."

Keith asks, "Why did I 'what'?"

"Why did you kill it?" Rattle says and looks to Keith. "You don't seem like a killer to me."

Keith says, "It wasn't real, Rattle... I was trying to find a way out. She had set up a no win situation to torment me. so I did what I thought would make her stop. Though it didn't work. I think she just got bored with me."

The rat says, "Okay, here is one thing I do know. Rhapsody doesn't torment people. Not unless they have raped or killed someone, for real. She used to be a lot more vengeful and more of a hair trigger, but not for the past year. According to upperclassmen, she's mellowed out. I can't say how much. I've only dealt with her once She um... kinda founds me... um..." He kinda trails off. "Nearly fells outta that damn tree." He mutters more to himself. "Anyways, I don't know what she did to you, I don't know why, but I'm not sure it was meant for torment. Not if the stories are to be believed."

Keith says, "Yeah..." not seeing how Rattle's punishment will help him any, but he doesn't want to be an ass to someone who has only tried to be nice.

Rattle mostly just tries to think of other topics to talk about, maybe get the canine's mind off of things some. He sighs a bit and unzips his pants. the rat is wearing a pair of no-thrill white panties which he then removes showing off the fact that as expected he's not no cock or balls, just a tight feminine little slit between his legs.

Keith looks, and then sits up. "Huh, half expected it to look identical to the one on my face."

Rattle fehs and chuckles faintly. "You must really be a virgin, not all pussies look alike..." He replies with a deep blush

Keith rolls his eyes, "I didn't mean that. I meant, since they were both made by the same person..."

Rattle walks over to the bed and sits down his legs only slightly crossed which still allows his feminine sex to be seen. "Doesn't change the fact. It's not like she just copies and pastes the same pussy onto everyone." He replies with a shrug

Keith nods with a shrug, "I guess I just didn't think about it much."

The rodent nods softly "Yeah, its less annoying then having it as a mouth,.. but its still fucking annoying..."

Keith asks, "Were you a virgin as a guy?"

Rattle blinks and blushes and then sighs. "Yeah...

Keith asks, "Are you still a virgin?"

Rattle blinks at that. "Like I'm gonna get a girl like this?"

Keith shrugs, "Well... with sex ed..."

Rattle huffs softly "Hey, I am NOT letting my first sexual experience be as girl!"

Keith says, "Yeah... that makes sense."

The rodent says, "Bad enough trying to masturbate now, without having to think of things like that..."

Keith nods a little, taking a deep breath before letting it out, "Anyway..." trying to subtly bring things to a close so that the rat will head on to classes.

Rattle says, "Listen, you need to eat at least. Lets go get Breakfast? Yer... um... not gonna get far on an empty stomach after all."

Keith sighs, "Last time I went to eat... I ended up throw into a nightmare and hunted."

Rattle replies, "Doesn't change the truth though..."

Keith grabs his phone and checks the time, wondering if classes have already started or not yet.
There is still about 30 minutes till classes

Keith sighs, "I'm guessing the cafeteria stops serving food once the classes start?"

Rattle nods "Yep. They spend that time prepping for lunch."

Keith thinks about it for a moment, and then shakes his head, "I'm not even hungry... go on without me... I'll see you at lunch, okay?"

Rattle looks to the canine, and puts a hand on his shoulder with a grin. "Alright, fine. But I will hold you to that. If I do not see you at lunch, I'm sending Mina after you." 

Keith nods, "Yeah... alright."

Rattle smiles. "Good, I'll see you there!" He says and goes to get dressed again. Bending over, if he didn't know any better, Keith would think he was looking at a girl due to his small lithe size. Getting the panties back on and then his pants before leaving Keith to himself.

Keith ear-flicks and blushes a bit at the view and the thoughts, blaming it on the principal's boosting of his lusts. He sighs and tosses back the covers, closing his eyes. His hand drifts down to his crotch, rubbing at his sheath... which... doesn't do anything. Even with his amplified libido. He blinks and looks down at himself, and then drops his head back. "Fuck. Of course." He grabs his phone and sets the alarm for about ten minutes before lunch starts and then closes his eyes.

No one else comes by to see Keith, no students, no teachers... he is left completely alone... until a knock at his door a few minutes before the alarm is set to go off. It certainly couldn't be Mina could it? No, he was pretty sure that Rattle will keep to his word and wait until lunch before having her come. Keith takes a deep breath before getting up and opening the door.

Cyko stood at his door smiling bright. "'Ey champ, I managed to get something special fer ya." He says and from his pocket he pulls out a white card, one of the school charge cards. "I figured the Head bat was too busy wit' 'er 'ead up 'er arse, and decided to work my own magic."

Keith blinks, taking the card, "Uh... great. Does it have any money on it?"

Cyko nods and grins. "Yeah, its got all the money you've managed to get from regular school work, but well... I decided ya needed a break, and gave you a nice little bonus. You're going shopping this weekend right? I put enough on there for ya to get something really nice, if ya wanted." He says and his grin widens. "How's $1500 sound to get this place up to yer standards?"

Keith says, "Sounds really nice... hey, so long as you're here... I had a question for you."

Cyko nods and enters the room, closing the door behind him. "I figure this is a question that probably doesn't need the whole hall to be 'earing, right?" He says and takes a seat on the desk and looks to Keith. "I'll answer anything I can, and provide you with all help you need... so long as it don't break any rules mate. Seeing as we're not in my little bar and all."

Keith nods, "Yeah..." he leans against the door and asks, "How has no one else noticed that you work for her?"

The hedgehog smirks "Smart lad. I like you." He says completely honestly. "Most are vaguely aware of it, but I'm 'onest and up front wit' them about it. I don't tell 'er anything that goes on down there, I don't rat anyone out. The bar is as rule-free as I told ya, no breaking any major rules and nothing that can git ya caught Selene will *happily* ignore everything that goes on down there, so long as she can feign ignorance about it. The place was her idea, I'm not the first to run it... but I am the first to actually make it worth a damn. Place was an absolute shithole when I first encountered it. Ran by a cheetah named Glenn. Didn't know the first thing about running a bar."

Keith nods slowly. "Wasn't too hard to figure out. These are digital cards... you can't take money off them, or put money on unless you have a reader, and if you stole one, it would be shut down and transferred to a new reader... so that means you were given one." he sets the card down on nightstand next to his phone, since he doesn't exactly have pockets. "Classes are still in session... and you aren't at yours. As a student, you shouldn't have a clue that I would be here... That means she sent you."

Cyko starts near the end "Classes are almost out, look at the time, only about 10 minutes left. Easy enough to excuse one's self to go to the loo or something." He states "Past that, your only partly right. My family? Ever since Selene reformed me... and yes she actually did. I want to be clear, nothing I've said to you is a blatant lie, not about my past nor what I do here. Anyways... ever since she reformed me, my Family has been more then glad to fund this place. The cards? Where do you think all the money for them comes from?" He says with a soft chuckle. "Literal Hedge Funds, mate." He says and leans back against the wall. "But to set the record straight. She told me something happened between you and Rhapsody and that you might need someone to talk to. That's the be-all and end-all of her involvement. I did get you that card, and I did put the money on it. She wasn't gonna give you it till the shopping trip. I decided you should have it sooner, and I decided you needed something good. Both for this shithole you got stuck with, and for having to deal with Rhapsody. Even if Motherhood's softened her up, she's still not always easy to deal with." 

Keith sighs and closes his eyes, "No shit. She tried to show me the..." he makes air quotes, "...path to the light..." and then his arms drop again, "...by throwing me into some hellscape where everyone I knew here was either a monster trying to kill me, or being tortured and killed by fucked up versions of me. And when I say throw, I mean throw... that 'path' apparently had to start by dropping me a mile through the air so that when I hit the ground, every bone in my body felt like it had shattered. I can still fucking feel it."

Cyko blinks at that, he's silent for a moment and seems to think. "Wow. She's only done that once before... and that was more subconsciously. I don't know the full story, probably no one ever will... but supposedly after her sister died is when her powers truly manifested, she wasn't in control of them yet... People started to see things... they weren't real, but her powers were sorta tapping into their minds and making them think they were seeing real shit. The fox decided to flee the school, and she chased him. She tried to use all her anger and all his past sins against him. Whatever happened... it supposedly worked, she brought him back... but no one's ever seen him since that night..." He says and looks to Keith. "I've known Rhapsody for years, She used to be a complete cold-hearted bitch. I can't speak for her, but based on what you told me and what I know, She was hoping to find something in you that would mark you as different from the fox. She lost EVERYTHING to him, I've actually seen pictures of her as a girl. she was... very different... That foxed killed her as much as he did Harmony, except she kept on living... She's only just started to live again, and she doesn't want another like that fox here."

Keith sighs, "Yeah, well... I don't want to be here either."

Cyko says, "Listen, I'm not gonna convince you to stay. But. I am telling you that I think you should." He says hopping off the desk and walking over. "I am saying this as Francis Hedge, not as some covert staff member, but as someone that's always done right by you. Even if you think I am a plant, you know I've not done anything to wrong you and I've tried to make you feel like you at least had my bar as a place you could feel safe." He says and puts a hand on your shoulder. "This school, is a great place. If you willingly give it a chance. You've been against it from day one. Don't deny it, I know about the no-mouth thing and why. I'm not holding that against you, because I didn't give this place a fair chance either. I did all I could to bring anarchy to this place. It took me most of my freshman year before I started to soften up, before I started to realize that there is actual good to be found here. I was, and hell, I still am a complete asshole that gets into fights and will tell someone off I don't like them. But I've realized the good of this place. That is why I am still here at the school and why I try to help troubled students. I know where they're coming from, I know what they're going through. I've been through it, and sometimes its easier to listen to a peer then someone in actual power.”

Keith looks up at Cyko, "Yeah? You've been through it? When she gave you a cunt, she didn't put it on your face. I've been here three and a half days, and so far I've had my face mutilated, I've been forced to publicly humiliate myself by being naked, I've been given a concussion by another student, I'm straight but I was made to suck a dick for school credit, I've been denied basic hygiene supplies so I smell like a public toilet and look ratty and as miserable as I feel, and I've been tossed into a hellscape where I was forced to endure more pain than I have ever felt before, for no god damn reason, and on top of that, I'm horny as fuck all the time, because the bitch in charge thinks it's funny, and now I can't even jerk off because my junk doesn't work!" his voice raises with each point, to the level where he is pretty much shouting at Cyko by the end.

Cyko narrows his eyes but remains calm. "First off, stop taking shit so literally. No, I've not been through every god damn punishment, no one is gonna have the exact same experiences, but that doesn't change what I said. Second, you are coming with me." He states and takes Keith's hand, it is at the moment a gentle and friendly gesture. "I am going to solve one of your problems right now." He states directly. Keith once again misses the ability to grit his teeth as he is jerked about and dragged out of his room, not even wearing the bandanna this time.

They make a brief stop at another room, Cyko's room. Its filled with classic rock paraphilla, speakers, a guitar, and completely reeks of sex. He grabs his toiletries and then drags the dog's ass to the bathroom and gives him a gentle shove into the shower area. "Alright, here." He says placing the basket to the side. "Get clean, I can either join you or I can keep an eye out if you don't want anyone seeing you like this. But take all the time you need, and get your mangy ass cleaned up."

Keith sighs, but this is at least helpful. He doesn't say anything to Cyko's offer to join him or be a lookout. He heads into the shower and soaks himself under as hot of water as he can manage, before starting to scrub himself vigorously with shampoo. He rinses off and then repeats the process again to get three days of accumulated 'teenage stink' out of his fur before turning off the water and giving himself a good shake. Afterwards he towels off and then starts to brush out his fur with Cyko's brush, trying to get the knots and kinks out of his short pelt. It isn't terrible, his fur's too short for it to get *that* bad, but still, Keith looks a lot better once he is clean.

Cyko takes up point being look out, rather then joining him since Keith didn't say other wise. He makes sure he is completely undisturbed till he is finished. "I suppose you need some fresh clothes as well?" Cyko asks as he look to Keith, once more a simple and friendly offer.

Keith shakes his head, "No point in it. If I try to wear anything, I feel like I have the worst case of fleas ever." He hands back the borrowed toiletries and says, "Thanks. I really... really needed a shower."

CYko nods and smiles. "Good. So, you feel any better now" He asks and takes the basket.

Keith shrugs, "Cleaner at least... I need to get to lunch though. I promised Rattle I would go, since I skipped breakfast."

Cyko nods. "Before you take any more showers this week, come by and borrow my stuff." He states. "I thought I seen some large horse girl leaving your room while I was guarding the door here."

Keith groans, "Great. So he already sent the brute squad to get me." Keith pads out of the bathroom towards the cafeteria, though Cyko will probably notice that there isn't any swagger or even much life in his stride. He's moving woodenly, going through the motions, tail flat, ear splayed, shoulders slumped. Clearly his encounter with Rhapsody did some emotional damage.

"Well between our talk, and your shower, you've missed the first 15 minutes of lunch." Cyko replies and decides to walk with Keith. "You're not telling me something." He states.

Keith nods, at the time, and then asks, "What am I not telling you?"
Cyko says, "Rhapsody did more then you're letting on, didn't she?""

Keith shrugs, "I don't know what she did. But she made my place in the pecking order here pretty fucking clear."

Cyko hehs. "Really now? What is it then?"

Keith says coldly, "You said it yourself... the last guy like me vanished." and after saying that he pushes into the cafeteria, heading for the lunch line.

Cyko stops Keith and turns him around. Holding him by the shoulders. "No, I didn't. I said the fox disappeared. YOU"RE comparing yourself to him." He states as he looks Keith right in the eyes. "Joseph was a sociopath and a budding serial killer. If you're even the littlest bit concerned about that, and it really sounds like this might worry you... then you are NOT like him. No matter what anyone else makes you think."

Keith looks up at Cyko with eyes that are just tired, "It doesn't matter what I think, Cyko... That's the one thing this whole school has made very clear. Everyone has drilled into me that it doesn't matter what I think, or how I see things. I was judged before I even walked through those doors." His tone is... not quiet enough that others won't overhear.

"Keith, don't make me bitch slap you." He states firmly, its not a threat and its a bit weary sounding too. "You have Zoey, she's a great girl. There's Rattle. he's, well, he's a Rat. but he is... if he likes you he's gonna be loyal. Even that Horse girl seemed concerned about you. Have they judged you? Have they made you feel like shit? What about the Nurse? She's a wonderful person with an amazingly naughty mind." He grins. "Surely she didn't make you feel bad when you were in her care? And then, again; there is me. I know I've not made you see things so negatively. I've been trying to be your friend since the first night. So DON'T give me that, everyone bullshit, alright?"

Keith says, "Fine. I'm wrong, my jaw's barely recovered from the last person to hit me, so please don't bitch slap me. Now can I get my food?"

 "I didn't want to hit you anyway, you're too good looking for that, but you were kinda asking to have some sense knocked into you. I'm not saying you've not had a bad time, just... don't let that blind you to the fact that there are people here that are there for you. Alright?" Cyko asks and lets him go. "

Keith nods, "Yeah... I know." he turns to the lunch line and when it's his turn, he orders himself his usual protein shake.

Cyko lets Keith go join his friends, having other things he needs to do for now... but he feels he might need another talk with Keith later. Rattle looks over to the dog. "Oh hey. I see ya finally showed up. Mina's... well she's kinda thinks you bolted early..."

Keith sits down beside Rattle, and shakes his head, "No... Cyko let me borrow his stuff so I could take a shower. Kinda took me longer than expected. Sorry about that."

Rattle says, "Eh, yeah. Cyko's a decent enough guy. He's pretty much why I've not driven myself insane with lust." He says, not getting into it, but implying the hedgehog somehow helped him partially accept his punishment.

Keith raises a brow at that, but doesn't ask. He opens his shake and starts to drink it, mostly wanting lunch over with... his pussy mouth drooling horribly from all the cocks in the large room, which doesn't help his recently repaired hygiene.

Rattle has a grilled cheese sandwich he's working on. "So um... you feeling any better big dog?"

Keith shrugs, "Cleaner at least." he sets down his shake after consuming well over half of it in one swig, before saying, "I promised I would be here, you didn't have to send Mina after me. I don't break my promises."

"There is no way for me to know that." He states honestly. "I've known you a few days, this is the first promise you made." His tone even and fair "I waited about 5 minutes, and then told Mina of what was happening. She set off to see if you were alright, came back told me your room was empty and then went off again..." "

Keith groans and pinches the bridge of his nose, "Great..."

Rattle nods some. "Yeah... She's likely informing the Headmistress about it."

Keith bangs his forehead on the table.

Rattle says, "That... can't be healthy for you."

Keith says, "Neither can the headmistress knowing what I have planned. Thanks for that."

Rattle says, "Hey now, I didn't rat you out! "

Keith says, "Yeah you did. You told Mina... she's a great person, but she drinks the kool-aid, Rattle. This place is heaven for her... Of course she's going to tell."

Keith says, "Yeah, and she's also the only person I know strong enough to pick up a mopey dog up by the scuff and force him to eat..." He pauses "well... There is Becky but she's kinda... inert at the moment...""

Keith blinks, "Inert?"

Rattle nods "Yeah, kinda hard to move much without limbs... Kicking Mina meant she now has to get by without them as well..."

Keith groans, "Well that sucks. Explains why I haven't seen her around though..."

Rattle nods. "Supposedly its only for the rest on the month, or until she realizes she can't push off against everything around her."

Keith shakes his head, "Knowing her, she'll manage to bruise someone with her dick before she realizes anything of the sort."

Rattle can't help but snigger. "Yeah... she's kinda a rough one. Comes from a broken family. Sometimes it seems like Anger is literally all she knows." He says with a shrug, sounding like he knows Becky somewhat well.

Keith thinks Rattle knows too much about most people around here. He finishes his shake and then sets the empty bottle down on the table, "Okay, food eaten. Satisfied?"

Rattle says, "Not really." He states honestly. "But I'm got gonna hold ya here. I was hoping that getting out and talking to your friends might help you... but seems that backfired on my ass big time."

Keith groans, "I need to get back to my room and get my stuff before the headmistress cleans out the room."

Rattle nods "Yeah, sure." He says dismissively.

Keith pats Rattle's shoulder, "Thanks for trying Rattle... even if ya sold me out accidentally, you're still a good kid." he then stands and grabs his empty bottle, tossing it in the trash before heading back towards his room at a brisk pace, not quite running because he doesn't want to get stopped, but not taking his time, because he's fucking naked and worried.